I can't seem to find anything about it anywhere. Has anyone taken any pictures of the finished article? Thanks -Pete.

not sure if the article is finished but we have pics on skyscrapernews of it in progress

Ok cheers I'll have a look.

This is used as an office block on Piccadilly. It was completed in 1965 but it has since been under renovation.

Images taken by me! :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v404/andysimo123/Manchester%2030th%20July%202008/IMG_4683.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v404/andysimo123/Manchester%2030th%20July%202008/IMG_4686.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v404/andysimo123/Manchester%2030th%20July%202008/IMG_4687.jpg

wow I would love to work in there, it looks so nice

http://1person1million.com/img/158/r08c1006bidc/biggrin.gif

wow I would love to work in there, it looks so nice

http://1person1million.com/img/158/r08c1006bidc/biggrin.gif

You can’t polish a turd ... although bruntwood have had a good go.
It might look OK, but It’s a shocking building on so many levels.

You can’t polish a turd ... although bruntwood have had a good go.
It might look OK, but It’s a shocking building on so many levels.
So it would be shocking on 18 levels then? :)

You can’t polish a turd ... although bruntwood have had a good go.
It might look OK, but It’s a shocking building on so many levels.

go on?

I'd like to see something happen with the car park. However, the building itself is reet. imho.

i've never fully examined the building but always thought since the refurb it looks great. it's the kind of building that only looks shit when it gets into disrepair.

Yes, I agree, I have never seen it as an eye sour of anything like that, yes there are nicer buildings but all in all I think its quite smart in its current condition.

Arrr. Where to start ?

First - for the avoidance of doubt - I have no problem with the way it looks.

Chief among the problems are the lifts ... or rather lack of them. Two for an 18 floor multi occupancy building is insane.
When both lifts are functioning the building kind of teeters on the brink of operational effectiveness.
When one fails, or is used for shifting goods or furniture, things descend into farce, and it’s often quicker to climb 18 flights. When both fail you may as well pack up and go home.
The problem of failing lifts is exacerbated by the fact that they are acutely and chronically overused - which causes them to fail more often.
Apparently the building has “won” the award for shifting the most people per lift in the country - or something like that. If anyone would care to enlighten me as to why this is a “good” thing - I’m all ears.

There is only space for one gender of toilet on each floor .. meaning the ladies and gents are on every other floor. Not a problem for the able bodied, but having to wait for ever and a day for a lift would make it a real problem for those less able.

Then there is the fabric of the building it’s self. The floors actually sag in the middle ... visually.
If you place a tin of coke for example near the window it will gently roll towards the centre !
If you happen to sit facing the window, you strangely feel like you’re looking at the sky !

Then there is the swaying ... I know tall buildings are supposed to do that to a degree. but having lived and worked in tall buildings for a long long time, I’ve never actually noticed it before - much less feeling nauseous because of it.

The car park, being built on stilts over the canal, has a 3 tonne weight restriction. Meaning that delivery drivers cannot get anywhere near the flat lobby entrance.

Also - there is no water fit for drinking (Lead pipes presumably). I’ve no idea if this is normal though to be fair.

No air conditioning - which for a building with windows on all 4 sides is a real problem.
If you manage to get AC in - you take a big hit on the ceiling height - which is limited anyway.

Interesting fact of the day though :
You can smoke on the 9th and 10th floors - as they are considered to be Italian soil !!!

:applause:

it actually sounds like it could do with meeting a wrecking ball in a couple of years then.

:applause:

it actually sounds like it could do with meeting a wrecking ball in a couple of years then.

Indeed.
Rumour has it that it suffers from “concrete cancer” as well - so probably only has another 10-20 years life left anyway.

It was apparently condemned early in its life, because it started listing into the canal !
American Express had a couple of super heavy safes on the top floor from what I can gather.
George the barber - who has had his little shop on Patten st for 40 years - said every one was told to get out pretty sharpish while a way was found to stabilise it.
No idea how much of this is true - although it does tally with other stories I’ve heard.

I can’t help thinking Bruntwood missed a trick here... spending millions on fancy new windows for what is a dia building with limited life, seems strange.
Why not pull it down and start again ?? They’ve effectively got defacto planning permission to build as tall as they like on what it an absolutely prime spot right next to Pic.

Shame, nice tower is that.

Yep, I like it too, however I wouldn't complain if they decided to replace it with a nice new tall skyscraper, they could merge that site, and sarah tower site into one and come up with something with plenty of floorspace.

http://i324.photobucket.com/albums/k348/Toetallix/DSCF6479.jpg

http://i324.photobucket.com/albums/k348/Toetallix/DSCF6485.jpg