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The US embassy building in Grosvenor Square |
So long! American embassy to move
THE US embassy is set to move from its landmark position in Grosvenor Square over security fears.
The decision to leave its home of the past 70 years for Wandsworth in south London was announced yesterday (Thursday) by Ambassador Robert Tuttle.
The move will be welcomed by many residents who have long bemoaned the traffic chaos and terror threat the building brought to the area.
The US government still holds the leasehold, and speculation is rife that the concrete building could be transformed into a hotel.
But for some residents the prospect of yet another swanky hotel in the heart of Mayfair is enough for them to lament the American departure.
Ron Whelan, of the Mayfair Action Group, said: “I think it’s sad in a way. It’s the end of an era. A lot of people will be glad, but the problems have been getting better recently. I’m just worried about what’s going to take its place. I’m praying it won’t be another hotel.”
The deal is conditional on the approval of the US Congress and UK authorities.
The US embassy has been in Grosvenor Square since 1938. It moved into the nine-storey concrete building at the current location in 1960. |
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