Manchester Offices

[flange]

A long gone proposal it seems.

GMPTE Headquarters



Design ideas for the re-use of the old GMPTE headquarters building on Portland Street Manchester.

Our striking design response was to place a transparent glass box of office accommodation behind the retained Victorian facade. The retained facade would be used as a giant 19th century sandstone brise soliel to the glazing behind.

Internally new floor slabs would both resolve the differing floor levels within the building and make the building fully disabled compatible.

A striking new atrium and primary core would sit at first floor. Orange glass ridges would traverse the core. The atrium maximised daylight penetration within the deep floorplate.

The building would have strong sustainable credentials, harnessing daylight and providing low energy solutions to cooling the office space.

Client
Tower Gate Developments

Sector
Architecture - Offices

Value
£14 million

http://www.5plusarchitects.com/work/...e-headquarters

[flange]

Allied’s Spinningfields Union put on ice

8 November 2011

Allied London has shelved plans to bring forward 350,000 sq ft of office space at Spinningfields in Manchester, after development funding talks with Frankfurt-based Union Investments were put on hold indefinitely.

http://www.propertyweek.com/

The rest of the article is subscription only.

[LNGCats]

Hopefully, when all the issues affecting LBG are resolved, including the sick CEO, the piss poor UK economy, the mess in the Euro world, Verde and all the other things currently affecting the bank that move will be back on giving this the kick start it needs.

I here that the policy remains very much that Manchester a major site and the plan is to have major sites as close to major railway stations as possible (although with a couple of West Yorks sites this is simply not possible).

I'm still confident it will happen, just not until all the issues with the bank are sorted out.

[jrb]

Originally Posted by flange

http://www.propertyweek.com/

The rest of the article is subscription only.

Here you go Flange.

Obviously Lloyds pulling out of a pssoble move was the major factor. However, at somepoint in the future I expect No1 will rise. There are still major requirements floating around in the city. It's not all doom and gloom.

Propertyweek.

Allied London has shelved plans to bring forward 350,000 sq ft of office space at Spinningfields in Manchester, after development funding talks with Frankfurt-based Union Investments were put on hold indefinitely.


Property Week reported in July that Allied was in exclusive talks with the fund manager to forward-purchase an office building at 1 Hardman Square for around £165m. Talks are understood to have faltered this summer as a result of the Eurozone crisis and prospects of a double-dip recession worsened.

Lloyds Banking Group had been lined up as a potential occupier for 180,000 sq ft of space at the building, but negotiations about a speculative deal are understood to have taken place after the Lloyds deal fell through in June 2011. These are now on hold, but could be resurrected if market conditions improve.

Allied launched the Avenue North (pictured), the latest phase of Spinningfields development, in October, but is unlikely to start on site with schemes before the occupier market bounces back among professional firms.

KPMG’s decision in August to relocate its 70,000 sq ft HQ to One St Peter’s Square, owned by the Greater Manchester Property Venture Fund and Argent, was seen as a blow to Spinningfields. However, law firm Pannone and banking group Santander are among the professional firms with “good” covenants still looking for space in Manchester city centre.

[flange]

Orega adds to Three Piccadilly Place offer

15th Nov 2011

Flexible office provider Orega has secured three deals at its Three Piccadilly Place business centre in Manchester, paving the way for a second phase.

The company will shortly start work on an additional 4,500 sq ft of serviced offices on the ground floor of the 11-storey building. Completion is expected early next year.

The additional space will complement the business centre's fully occupied first phase. This follows the arrival of Harris Interactive, Bytes Technology Group and Timothy James Consulting.

Helen Davies, Orega's business centre manager in Manchester, said: "Activity at the business centre in the last few months has been tremendous, leading to the whole of the first phase now being filled and enabling us to start work on a second.

"The calibre of clients that we are attracting is testament to the prestigious location and high standard of the building, the quality of the business centre’s fit-out and the service and facilities we are able to provide."

http://www.insidermedia.com/insider/...fer/index.html

[flange]

Terrace Hill to build city centre office block

November 15, 2011

Developer Terrace Hill is planning to construct an office block on the site of Oddfellows House in Manchester city centre.

The 50,000 sq ft Fountain Street block, which is controlled by Aberdeen Asset Management, has long been earmarked for redevelopment.

But plans got nowhere as developers concentrated instead on big new office schemes on the fringe of the city centre.

The 1960s retail and office building is on an island site bounded by Fountain Street, Marble Street, Milk Street and York Street.

The new building is expected to provide up to 80,000 sq ft of office space as well as retail and leisure uses at ground floor level.

London-based Terrace Hill has instructed a professional team to prepare a planning application to go before city councillors early next year. The building was formerly the head office of the Manchester Oddfellows Friendly Society, but was sold in 2000 to Xerox Pension Fund for around £6m.

Subsequently, ING Real Estate promoted the prospects for a £60m redevelopment in 2007.

Plans to sell the site for redevelopment came unstuck when the economy collapsed in 2008.

Terrace Hill development executive Andy Lavin said: “What we want to build is a sexy Manchester building for smaller occupiers. By doing that we’re trying to hit a market that has not been catered for in years.

“Aside from Argent’s development at One Saint Peter’s Square – which has large floor plates for larger occupiers – there will be nothing like it in the central business district. It will appeal to the true Manchester market.”

Terrace Hill is expected to build in a way that will mean floors can be divided into suites of 3,000 sq ft or more, to suit smaller occupiers. Rents are likely to be around £27-28 a sq ft.

Mr Lavin added: “The concept is to produce flexible office floorspace that can be split into smaller suites.

“Of course, we’ll try and find a large, single occupier, but our real focus will be on smaller occupiers, perhaps people growing out of serviced office accommodation into something bigger and new.”

Existing leases at 40 Fountain Street are due to expire in 2013, and building work is expected to begin soon after if permission is granted. Funding could be provided by the landlord, Aberdeen Asset Management.

Mr Lavin said: “The timing works in our favour. By the time we have planning permission, we will have a better idea of the direction of the European and UK economy.”

The Fountain Street development will set new standards for green building, added Terrace Hill.

Manchester-based p3 property consultants and WHR Property Consultants have been appointed as development consultants and letting agents respectively.

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereven...e-office-block

[Lookin Up]

Originally Posted by flange

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereven...e-office-block

I've always thought this site would be a cracker for a tall building. An uplift from the present 50ksf to 80ksf doesn't look like it will be a great deal taller than what's there already. Obviously depends on layout and services, but no more than around 10 floors would appear to be what they have in mind (??)

[andysimo123]

Originally Posted by flange

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereven...e-office-block

New thread time. Anyone want to do the honours?

[nerd]

Originally Posted by Lookin Up

I've always thought this site would be a cracker for a tall building. An uplift from the present 50ksf to 80ksf doesn't look like it will be a great deal taller than what's there already. Obviously depends on layout and services, but no more than around 10 floors would appear to be what they have in mind (??)

I doubt whether it will have any more floors than it has currently (five); it will be taller only in so far as standard office floor heights are now greater. The 1960s building is 'U' shaped, so as to keep the floor plates narrow while presenting a solid face to the side streets. The replacement will almost certainly have deeper floor plates filling the site.

Actually I will be sad to see this building go, as an example of assured and innovative late use of Portland Stone cladding. It may not be entirely successful, especially in the way the stone has stained and weathered; but full marks for trying. It is a wonder to me that posters are rushing to praise Century House on St Peters Square; but not this building, which is better in every way. In my opinion.

[kids]

Weren't there plans for this site a few years ago that included a stephenson bell tower that was suspended over the street or something?

[nerd]

Originally Posted by kids

Weren't there plans for this site a few years ago that included a stephenson bell tower that was suspended over the street or something?

next block along; at the back of the NatWest tower

[flange]

Bupa to launch 140,000 sq ft office search

22 Nov 2011, 10:54

Private healthcare giant Bupa is considering relocating to a bespoke new office building in Manchester city centre or elsewhere in Salford City as it prepares for its lease expiry at the Anchorage and Harbour City.

Bupa is currently going through the process of appointing agents on the 140,000 sq ft requirement. The company is said to favour its own new office building, bringing into strong contention cleared sites at Ask Developments' First Street and Peel Group's Media City UK. Also likely to feature on the list of options is Ask and Network Rail's Greengate Embankment. Allied London's Spinningfields is understood to be out of the price range - early £20s/sq ft - that Bupa is considering.

US engineering giant Jacobs Engineering is also on the look-out, for 60,000 sq ft either in the city centre or out-of-town. The company is currently based in several sites, mainly in South Manchester, and is looking to consolidate. Insurance giant Aviva also requires 60,000 sq ft for a consolidation of several Manchester offices.

http://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/news...ce-search.html

[jrb]

EGI Focus Blog.

Guest post: Don't let one below average year write Manchester's office market off .

By Nadia Elghamry on November 18, 2011 12:01 AM

Estates Gazette's Manchester-based lead research executive Antoinette Nevin, analyses the outlook for the local office market.

After years of Manchester's office market performing well, a below average year should certainly not be cause to write off the capital of the North West.

Last year would be a tough act to follow. It was an especially strong because of the Co-op prelet which accounted for 328, 000 sq ft of take up. But, with a reported increase in new enquires during September and October, office space under offer and new developments on the horizon, the year is not over yet.

Key deals of quarter three include the 26,000 sq ft sale of 1 Norfolk Street to the Iraqi Consulate, Late Rooms taking 11,757 sq ft at the Peninsula and Outsourcery leasing 7,792 sq ft at 1 The Avenue in Spinningfields. Also, there are signs that space which has lain empty for a while is now being taken. The Metro building - which was completed in 2008 and has remained unoccupied - has seen two deals in which 35,591 sq ft has been taken.

With that we may see developers dusting off dormant plans. The number of buildings pending construction and refurbishment has been on the rise since 2010 when a lack of much needed pre-lets stood in the way of development. Now could be the time we start to see these buildings getting underway. There is a renewed drive for pre-lets - and schemes such as Property Alliance Group and Development Securities' 71, 000 sq ft Axis which has been on hold since 2009 are now moving ahead.

Following trends elsewhere in the UK, buildings are being rejuvenated with refurbishments, as is the case with The Courthouse, Deansgate which will see the Grade II-listed building transformed into 13,500 sq ft of high-specification Grade A office space.

Should interest in these prove to be strong, the potential for development in Manchester is huge especially with The Co-op's much anticipated 4 million sq ft NOMA development and One St Peter Square ready to give the city centre a prolonged lease of life in the coming years. Now all they need is a bit of occupier confidence and a fair wind to give them the boost to get going.

[nerd]

..

There is a renewed drive for pre-lets - and schemes such as Property Alliance Group and Development Securities' 71, 000 sq ft Axis which has been on hold since 2009 are now moving ahead.

[jrb]

Originally Posted by nerd

..

I. Forgot that bit.

Please let it be true.

[jrb]

A brilliant move or desperation?

MANCHESTER'S business leaders have drawn up an agreement with Allied London to offer the government cut-price space to locate the Green Investment Bank (GIB) within the prime Spinningfields district.

City bosses will offer government the option of basing GIB within the heart of the professional community at a discounted rate of around £20 per sq ft.

Manchester is one of several cities bidding to provide a new home for the government's £3bn investment bank, which is due to be launched next April.

However, pro.manchester CEO John Ashcroft, who has been tasked with bringing the bank to the city, believes that space at Spinningfields would fulfil a number of key criteria as it would give it access to a quality of professional services community unmatched outside the capital but at a fraction of the cost of London.

He said the city has 250,000 people working in the sector - a number that could grow by up to 30% over the next decade. It also has around 100,000 students on campus.

"Thanks to the agreement with Allied London, we can locate the Green Investment Bank in Spinningfields, the Canary Wharf of Manchester for just £20 per square foot.

"Success of the GIB is important for our children and our children's children. We want the GIB to succeed, we believe the best place to guarantee this success is here in Manchester."

[LNGCats]

Cannot see the Green Bank going anywhere other than London.

[EverythingButABeach]

Originally Posted by LNGCats

Cannot see the Green Bank going anywhere other than London.

Yes - London has done such a super job running the banking sector in the last couple of years.

Hopefully it'll end up anywhere but London. Cape Wrath would be better...

[Nathan Dawz]

It will go to Manchester. Don't worry.

[jrb]

MEN.

A wealth management company has celebrated expansion with a move to larger premises in Manchester city centre.

Brooks Macdonald Asset Management has relocated to the 10th floor of 1 Marsden Street as a result of steady growth in client funds under management.

BMAM opened its Manchester office in 2007 with a team of three investment managers, led by regional director Claire Bennison.

The Manchester office now employs 13 people, including five investment managers, two trainee investment managers, two intermediary sales and four executive support staff.

Ms Bennison said: “Manchester has been a very important business centre for us and we believe the new offices reinforce the brand experience that clients and introducers expect.”