Apologies if this is mentioned elsewhere, the lack of a search function on this message board is not one of its better qualities...

I was wondering if anyone knew anything about what will be replacing the building on [edit] Booth Street that currently is surrounded by fences and demolition signs?

You mean the the back of City tower?

no

i think it is york street

if you are on st peters square and you walk down the road towards king street where there is a wetherspoons (i think it is the waterhouse) on the corner?

cheers

I think you must mean Cooper Street/Booth St. As Mez says York St is behind the Plaza - but there are rumblings about a Bruntwood new build in that area I think?

Xerox House, Cheshire House and something else are coming down to be replaced with this. Belvedere House from Wilson Bowden

http://www.wbdevelopments.co.uk/Uploads/DV000062.JPG

yes sorry i think it is booth street that i mean

thanks for the info spud man

^^ Is that the redesign? Thought this had gone back to the drawing board...though it appears as if the image you have posted is a new design taters?

have you got a picture of the old design anyone?

which road is the xerox house on that someone mentioned earlier?

*bump*

xx

Huge apologies if this is covered by another thread. I passed this today and took a very shaky picture, and thought it might be worth including as a thread, as I haven't been able to find an existing thread for it. If you're trying to place it, it's the one right next door to Chancery Place (of which I took an even shakier picture that I'm too ashamed to post).

There's some info on the Wilson Bowden Developments site:

http://www.wbdevelopments.co.uk/belvedereboothstreetmanchester.html

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2193/2202210718_c3bc530462_o.jpg

no worries mate. i don't know of a thread.

here are some more from the 12th. i migh have posted these before so soz if i have.

http://www.nickgrayson.net/ssc/belvedere/0262%20copy.jpg

http://www.nickgrayson.net/ssc/belvedere/0261%20copy.jpg

http://www.nickgrayson.net/ssc/belvedere/0259%20copy.jpg

http://www.nickgrayson.net/ssc/belvedere/0264%20copy.jpg

http://www.nickgrayson.net/ssc/belvedere/0260%20copy.jpg

http://www.nickgrayson.net/ssc/belvedere/0268%20copy.jpg

http://www.nickgrayson.net/ssc/belvedere/0266%20copy.jpg

went for a cycle round manchester today. the place really is one big building site at the mo! :D

Much better pictures - thanks Comdot.

And right opposite this site is the Chancery Place site.. :)

Much better pictures - thanks Comdot.

no worries Ste. i just have a lot (LOT!) of free time on my hands.

And right opposite this site is the Chancery Place site.. :)

on visit to town hall yester, i noticed that you can see chancery place from albert square. along with the stock exchange thingy, and arndale tower :)

i would have pics but the lovely (:lol:) woman at the council insisted i delete my entire set of photos.

So, Belvedere House/Place/whatever: Fussy, badly dated even before it's been built, seriously shown up by being so close to Chancery Place. Or is that just me?

Just wait for the fenestration to be installed. It will look a lot better.

But it isn't anywhere near as good as its neighbour, Chancery Place.

Just wait for the fenestration to be installed. It will look a lot better.

But it isn't anywhere near as good as its neighbour, Chancery Place.

No. Never liked it. To fussy.

http://www.virtual-planit.com/CHRIS/belvedere/1.jpg

http://www.virtual-planit.com/CHRIS/belvedere/2.jpg

http://www.virtual-planit.com/CHRIS/belvedere/3.jpg

http://www.virtual-planit.com/CHRIS/belvedere/4.jpg

http://www.virtual-planit.com/CHRIS/belvedere/5.jpg

http://www.virtual-planit.com/CHRIS/belvedere/6.jpg

I like it myself. It does look slightly dated and a bit fussy, but at least it's not a victim of the current fashion of asymmetric windows á la Simpson.

I thought the same. Show's a bit restraint, and all the more elegant for it...

:)

I like it myself. It does look slightly dated and a bit fussy, but at least it's not a victim of the current fashion of asymmetric windows á la Simpson.

crispy duck, you are not only a tasty take-away but you also share my sentiments on this :)

Recession? Still booming here

David Thame

12/ 2/2008

RECESSION? What recession? Manchester's commercial property brokers say that business is still booming in the capital of the north.

Despite some gloomy predictions from London, Mancunian property professionals are increasingly confident the city will survive unscathed.

The imminent announcement of two big property deals - by the Co-operative Group and the Bank of New York Mellon - helped boost confidence.

And Manchester-based Ask Developments is tipped to win a competition to provide the new 200,000sq ft head office for the Co-operative Group. Its three million square feet Central Spine scheme is one of three front runners.

The development - stretching west of Oxford Road to the universities - lost out in the last big relocation battle when Peel Holdings' Salford Quays became the BBC's regional HQ.

Now that the Co-op plans to leave its Corporation Street site, the Exchange Greengate at Salford - in which Ask also has an interest - is understood to have been shortlisted.

Third of the top contenders is Bolton's Church Wharf, a 13-acre site Ask is developing with Cheshire firm Bluemantle.

The Bank of New York will soon announce a new 50,000sq ft office in central Manchester - and Wilson Bowden's Belvedere scheme at Booth Street is a hot tip from market pundits.

Economist Anatole Kaletsky has rated Britain as one of the European economies most vulnerable to a recession. But commercial property leaders doubt that conclusion and last week's quarter point cut in interest rates has been welcomed.

Investment specialist and head of the GVA Grimley office in Manchester, Mark Rawstron, said: "A quarter point reduction is a measured approach of trying to keep the economy growing but without adding to the inflationary pressures that have been causing so many problems for the Bank of England.

"It also shows that the Bank is concerned about the slowdown in the economy."

Property brokers say market activity is increasing as canny buyers spot opportunities and exploit last year's 10 to 15 per cent fall in commercial properties' capital values.

Nick Mullins, director of CB Richard Ellis' valuation team in Manchester, said: "Now could be the right time for opportunistic investors to return to the British market and start shopping around."

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/business/s/1036067_recession_still_booming_here

belvedere is 103,000 square feet so BoNYM won't be taking the whole thing

Belvedere, a contemporary office building in Manchester’s prime office core, offering 103,000 sq ft of stunning Grade A office space over 8 floors, providing an exceptional working environment.

Secure underground parking and private terraces, with
stunning views over the city, are also incorporated into the
specification.

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202008/015-1.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202008/017-1.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202008/018-1.jpg

taken yesterday

http://www.virtual-planit.com/CHRIS/belvedere/b1.jpg

http://www.virtual-planit.com/CHRIS/belvedere/b2.jpg

Belvedere from the Peace Garden with Chancery Place behind

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/ANTEATPETE/100_1833.jpg?t=1204227006

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202008/029-3.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202008/034-3.jpg

its such a pity that where the curved glass occurs on this building which really is not that much, they chose to go with the cheap alternative of a faceted facade.

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202008/028-5.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202008/001-4.jpg

Quite a few windows in
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg270/SteKnight/Belvedere020508001.jpg?t=1209735980

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202008/059-3.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202008/039-5.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202008/040-4.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202008/042-4.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202008/052-6.jpg

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg270/SteKnight/Belvedere_211108.jpg?t=1227273577

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202008/002-6.jpg

The gent in the middle of the photo is levitating! ^^:nuts:

is it just me or is that thing fucking ugly? the roof is hideous

is it just me or is that thing fucking ugly? the roof is hideous

Spot on.

I said that from the first moment I saw the render. It's such a Leeds, Halifax or Hudderfield looking financial HQ building. Very messy.

I was going to mention Leeds but couldn't be bothered

http://i621.photobucket.com/albums/tt298/islandmonster/P28-01-09_131401.jpg

Oh well it's here now so we may as well get used to it. It's nowhere near as bad as that pile of crap at Moseley Street/Princess Street.

Anyone know what the plans are for the ground floor (if any)?

Oh well it's here now so we may as well get used to it. It's nowhere near as bad as that pile of crap at Moseley Street/Princess Street.

Anyone know what the plans are for the ground floor (if any)?

http://www.wbdevelopments.co.uk/uploads/belvederebrochure.pdf page 12

Retail on the curved section and a two other units on Kennedy Street. The rest is offices and foyer.

It's a "filler" building, isn't it? Totally unspectacular but you'll find similar ones in every city in the world.

It's a "filler" building, isn't it? Totally unspectacular but you'll find similar ones in every city in the world.

Exactly. The City would develop very very slowly if every new building to pass PP had to be a CJC or an Urbis

Its a 90's building built in the 00's, that's why it looks so out of place.

Its a 100% better than the pile of shit that was there before .

In any case isn't this now finished and could be moved to the completed threads?

it's doing a nice job of making that 80s po-mo stuff look good in the above pic

Its a 90's building built in the 00's, that's why it looks so out of place.

The stone on that street facade is ok, but the glazing is so clumsy and crude on that curve. I find the lack of detail say's a lot about our reliance on curtain walling as a solution to a facade. It's bland ugly, uninteresting, cheap looking and ultimately does nothing to the city's architectural fabric. Planners should be more wary of such ' infill ' developments that ultimately are damaging our streets forever. It's not really good enough is it?

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202009/071.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202009/P1000469.jpg

From Insider:

Dates for your diary this week
Professional investigations specialist David Kearns will speak on effective business security at the IoD Hub on Thursday morning. Also on Thursday, Grant Thornton and Stephensons Solicitors will jointly host a seminar to help those struggling with the debt epidemic. Creative industries body Northwest Vision & Media is holding an event at Salford’s Lowry on Thursday night, while PricewaterhouseCoopers is running a seminar at its Manchester office on Friday morning to discuss the new HM Revenue & Customs powers. Two city centre office buildings will also formally be launched: Belvedere on Booth Street and 9 Portland Street, on Thursday and Friday respectively.

Steelcase opens new city office

Jill Burdett

April 07, 2009

OFFICE furniture specialist Steelcase has chosen Manchester for the launch of its latest WorkLife centre.

Manchester WorkLife will be one of 22 in leading cities around the world which showcase how office design is evolving and how good planning, coupled with the latest technology, can help give organisations the edge.

An initial staff of four will include Oliver Ronald as regional sales manager in the north west, and Cindy Giammattei who will head marketing.

A further two appointments are to be announced, and the ambition is to increase numbers to 15 or 20 within the next 12 to 18 months.

Mark Spragg, managing director of Steelcase UK said: "WorkLife is not a retail shop, more a showcase of possibilities. attracted by Manchester's ambition to be a technology city, and we want to reflect that."

The company is increasing the number of its `dealer+' partners in the north west, providing customers with a local service as well as continuing support for its longstanding relationship with Work Inc. in Leeds and Altrincham, part of the Eastlake Group.

Mark Spragg added: "Our new WorkLife will demonstrate how businesses can create smart and efficient space.

"Despite the economic gloom, Steelcase is optimistic about the future and committed to continued expansion in the UK."

WorkLife will open mid-June on the ground floor of Belvedere on Booth Street.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/business/s/1106973__steelcase_opens_new_city_office

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202009/010-2.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202009/012-1.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202009/011-2.jpg

Watson Wyatt signs up at Belvedere

By Simon Binns

Financial and actuarial consulting firm Watson Wyatt has signed up to take the fourth floor at the Grade A Belvedere office building in Manchester city centre.

The firm has agreed a 10-year lease on 15,427 sq ft with quoting rental levels for the building at £28.50 per sq ft.

Belvedere is owned by Orchard Street Investment Management and letting agents on the 100,000 sq ft scheme are WHR Property Consultants and Jones Lang LaSalle.

This is the second letting to be agreed at Belvedere in less than a month following the recent deal with office furniture provider Steelcase, which has taken 2,970 sq ft on the ground floor on a 10-year lease.

Phillip Rodger, head of asset management at Orchard Street, said: “The property has generated a significant amount of interest since its launch and we expect to be able to announce further lettings in the near future.”

Alex Russell of WHR Property Consultants, said: “Although office take up for the first half of this year has been significantly below the five year average at circa 200,000 sq ft, there are signs that the latter part of 2009 will be positive.”

Maxwell Brown acted as advisor to Watson Wyatt on the transaction.

http://www.crainsmanchesterbusiness.co.uk/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090723/FREE/907239989/1026/-/-/watson-wyatt-signs-up-at-belvedere

£28.50. Ouch.

Well if people will spend £28.50 for a less than iconic office that bodes very well for the Manchester Office market (if you're an office developer that is!).