CEM has been appointed by Blenheims’ mutual client to handle the mechanical & electrical maintenance in the communal plant room at Cottesmore Court – a highly regarded, portered, Art Deco mansion building that is quietly situated to the south of High Street Kensington with easy access to Gloucester Road, High Street Kensington and Kensington Gardens.
At the time it was built, Cottesmore Court was larger and more up-to-date than the surrounding properties. It was designed by Gerald Unsworth, of Unsworth, Goulder and Bostock, and built by Mowlems for Freehold Improvements Limited in 1936, on the north corner of Stanford Road and Kelso Place. The brown-grey brick elevations, rising in parts to eight storeys, have a horizontal emphasis, and are stepped back above the fourth floor. Six different plan-types were available. The flower boxes fronting the driveway in Kelso Place conceal garage vents, and the curved and fluted walls to the entrances on this side reflect the streamlined modernism of their time.
Blenheims’ history goes back more than 150 years and the company’s pedigree was established under the name of Marsh & Parsons. This grew to be a very well-regarded estate agency, based around west London. Marsh & Parsons’ property management division was a cornerstone of the business and when the owners came to sell, the current Directors of Blenheims instigated a management buy-out and established Blenheims Estate & Asset Management.
Property Management has come a long way since the firm was established in 1856 when property managers used to knock on doors seeking rents and service charges and leasehold apartments bore little resemblance to the luxury homes we manage today. Their predecessors would not recognise the sophisticated systems and procedures in place to cope with modern long lease arrangements and the relationships necessary with clients.
The approach the company adopts is that business works better when it is done with a personal touch. The property managers build strong relationships with the residents in their buildings and pride themselves on maintaining them to a high standard. The Blenheim team is made up of enthusiastic, competent professionals who deliver the highest possible levels of service. Blenheims has offices in London, Bristol and Torbay.
