By Iain Withers

LONDON (Reuters) -Wall Street bank Citigroup’s bill for refitting its tower in London has risen to $1.5 billion (1.1 billion pounds), the company told Reuters, highlighting the high costs of overhauling outdated workplaces as businesses seek to attract staff back into the office.

The figure, which Citi is confirming for the first time, is close to the 1.2 billion pounds the bank paid to buy the 42-storey building in the Canary Wharf financial district in 2019.

The bank’s budget for the project was increased after it decided to upgrade and occupy more space in the tower to fit an expanded workforce, a Citi executive told Reuters, declining to disclose the original budget.

Citi said the investment highlighted the company’s commitment to Britain, where it employs 14,000 pe

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