The interior houses Europe’s longest champagne bar, a daily farmers market and several shops, including Hamleys toy store.
Renaissance Marriott is taking over an abandoned hotel inside the terminal, planning to open a 245-room, five-star hotel in 2010; 67 loft-style flats, which have all been sold for between $500,000 and $12 million, are expected to be ready for occupancy in 2009 (marriott.com).
The area is also the new hot spot for cutting-edge fashion, food, art and design. Acorn House, London’s first environmentally sustainable restaurant, uses ecosensitive take-out containers and purifies its water on-site (acornhouse restaurant.com). Gallery owner Larry Gagosian opened up his second London space in an old car-storage facility (gagosian.com). King’s Place, a new office complex, will feature a 420-seat concert hall, waterside restaurants and art galleries. It’s hardly recognizable as the old King’s Cross.
