Eagle Star House is situated in Belfast's city centre, at the junction of Upper Queen Street and Wellington Street, a short distance from City Hall. The building is currently occupied by Urban HQ, a flexible workspace provider offering Grade A serviced office accommodation. Urban HQ provides private offices for businesses of varying sizes, from two-person suites to full floors accommodating more than 60 people. The facility includes amenities such as meeting rooms, a wellness studio, event space, a rooftop terrace, and communal areas designed to foster collaboration and productivity.​

Historical Background

Originally constructed between 1980 and 1982, Eagle Star House was designed by RPP Architects for Dundas Properties Ltd and built by McLaughlin & Harvey. The building served as office accommodation and was occupied by the Eagle Star Insurance Company. Over time, the building became outdated, prompting the need for refurbishment to meet modern office standards and sustainability requirements.​

Refurbishment and Redevelopment

In 2018, Magell Ltd, in collaboration with Like Architects and O’Toole & Starkey Planning, submitted a planning application (LA04/2018/1199/F) to refurbish Eagle Star House. The refurbishment aimed to transform the building into a modern, flexible workspace. Key aspects of the redevelopment included:​

• Installation of a new high-performance curtain wall façade system to enhance natural daylighting and energy efficiency.​

• Replacement of all windows to improve thermal performance and aesthetics.​

• Internal reconfiguration to create open-plan office spaces, meeting rooms, and communal areas.​

• Addition of amenities such as a rooftop terrace, wellness studio, and event space.​

Construction work commenced in March 2019, undertaken by Graham, and was completed in August 2020. The project, valued at approximately £4.5 million, resulted in a 32,000 sq ft, eight-storey building offering state-of-the-art flexible office accommodation. The redevelopment achieved Northern Ireland’s first flexible workspace with WiredScore Platinum Certification, indicating exceptional digital connectivity and infrastructure.​

Future Proposals

Following the success of Urban HQ at Eagle Star House, planning approval was granted in March 2023 for a second Urban HQ location directly opposite the existing building at 46–52 Upper Queen Street. The new development will be a nine-storey, Grade A office building featuring private office suites, meeting rooms, a rooftop wellness studio, members’ lounge, and event space. This £10 million investment aims to expand Urban HQ’s presence in Belfast and cater to the growing demand for flexible workspace solutions.

In October 2024, Urban HQ was acquired by entrepreneurs Justin Quirk and Conall Humston from Magell Ltd. The new owners have expressed commitment to building on Urban HQ's success and continuing to provide innovative workspace solutions in Belfast .​