Fort House may be Tatas' new HQ as Bombay House goes for a facelift

Fort House is getting a makeover for the first time in its 93-year history

The Tata group is in advanced talks to take up rented space in Fort House, a heritage building in south Mumbai, while the conglomerate’s headquarters — Bombay House — goes for renovation, according to real estate market sources. 

Fort House, with 150,000 sq ft office space at DN Road, is a few minutes’ drive from Bombay House, which is getting a makeover for the first time in its 93-year history.

Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran and his core team are likely to shift to the new office during the renovation of Bombay House, which was constructed as a three-storey building in 1924 and then a floor was added when J R D Tata took over as the chairman.

Home to the Videocon Group besides housing many other companies and consulates, Fort House is reportedly getting a new owner. 

Dawat-e-Hadiyah, a charitable trust of the Dawoodi Bohra community, may acquire the heritage property. Reports suggested that State Bank of India was selling Fort House directly to recover its dues from the Videocon Group, which defaulted on loans worth Rs 43,000 crore. 

When contacted, functionaries of the charitable trust refused to confirm the ownership of Fort House or if the Tatas were moving into the building as their temporary headquarters. The Tatas did not comment on the new office address for the group.

Currently, Bombay House at Fort, Mumbai, serves as office to many firms of the $104-billion Tata group, including parent company Tata Sons. Top executives such as managing directors and chief executive officers of some of the top group companies sit in Bombay House, besides the entire staff of Tata Sons. 

However, all major group companies have their own offices spread across the city. The total number of employees in the building is pegged at around 600, many of whom could be relocated to other Tata offices during the renovation period.  

Within months of taking charge as chairman, Chandra (as he’s popularly known) decided to give Bombay House a modern look and feel. Executives indicated that Bombay House could be shut for around a year for the renovation. Brinda Somaya of Somaya & Kalappa Consultants has been hired to renovate the building with the aim to create space for collaboration among group companies.      

The makeover will include a new digital lobby and space for collaborative meetings. The façade of the structure would remain the same as external changes are restricted in heritage buildings. 

Bombay House was built by then chairman Dorabji Tata, elder son of group founder Jamsetji Tata. In 1921, he bought a 21,285-sq ft prime plot in south Mumbai from the municipality for Rs 3.6 crore. 

At that time, the group ran six businesses — textiles, steel, power, hotel, cement, and a bank.