River St Serviced Apartments | 42 fl | 125m | App

[guy debord]

I'm struck by how some consider these sites to be peripheral and on the edge of the city centre. Those days are over. This site is central, First Street is central. The university and Whitworth park are a long way south of here.

Future developments in this area need to be of high quality, otherwise I can see a future where the city centre's remaining vacant plots are filled with junk thrown up cheaply in the recession using a kind of 'anything is better than nothing' or 'filler' philosophy. This and the First Street South proposals are not in backwaters and they should be judged by serious and sensible criteria.

[GShutty]

They're not back waters, but at the same time they are not 1 St Peter's Square for example. Of course you're right the quality needs to be of a certain standard and this proposal should hit the mark.

These peripheral areas should be aiming to be as built up and developed as the heart of the city centre, but until all of the derelict plots, single storey warehouses and surface car parks are built upon, these edge of the centre zones have to be considered differently from the centre of the centre IMO.

[VoldemortBlack]

According to my Timeline, the consultation peroid for this project will end on June 17th. We may recieve more renders and information on that date.

[flange]

New 40-storey tower planned for Manchester

30th May 2012

By Mike Fahy - Assistant Editor

CHELMER Developments has embarked on an ambitious scheme to transform a part-finished concrete frame overlooking the Mancunian Way into a 40-storey tower containing 600 serviced apartments.

The company has appointed Ian Simpson Architects to design the building, which will also contain a serviced business centre with meeting rooms, a retail unit, lobby and reception area, cafeteria and a gym.

The tower, based on a site of around two-thirds of an acre at River St, will be one of the tallest buildings in the city if it gains the necessary approval and financing.

It will contain a series of serviced apartments on upper floors ranging in size from one-bed to four-bed units. Communal lounges will also be built throughout, along with covered terraces, a roof garden and space for laundry and storage.

Just 20 car parking spaces are proposed for the 600 apartments, but the developer has said that since its target market will consist largely of short-stay business professionals it expects low levels of car ownership/usage.

"We also plan to promote sustainable travel options, encouraging people to make use of public transport facilities, as well as pedestrian and cycle routes in and around the city centre," Chelmer Developments said.

The firm is being advised on the scheme by GVA. Other members of the project team include consulting engineers WSP and quantity surveyors Davis Langdon.

A public consultation exercise has already begun and the project team responsible are planning to hold a public exhibition to show off the tower plans at Jury's Inn on June 11. Following this, Chelmer Developments plans to submit a planning application to Manchester City Council by the end of June.

A briefing pack prepared for stakeholders states that the building "has been designed to provide a striking and elegant impression which responds to its position as a high-profile building located on a key route into the city centre".

It said the building would replace the part-built "eyesore" that had occupied the site since 2005 and "enhance a key gateway into the city".

Some 80 permanent posts will be created at the site once the building is complete.

Chelmer Developments also said that the building's construction could act as a catalyst for further regeneration in the area, and develop a new "flexible living" concept for Manchester, where professionals simly let space on a short-term basis.

"By serving the needs of a wide range of potential residents, the development would contribute to the city’s wider economic growth," it said.

http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwest/

[jrb]

Sounds rather too positive for my liking.

Let's not get too excited. The again. By the end of June.

Chelmer Developments plans to submit a planning application to Manchester City Council by the end of June.

[uklad1979]

if it gains the necessary approval and financing

No financing yet in place so the chance of it happening is low. If he is serious why hasn't he started clearing the old building of the eye sore?

[Lookin Up]

Another quick thought on this - these guys are developers. They'll need a credible operator for this before a bank will seriously sit down and talk about finance. They obviously don't have one yet or they'd have mentioned it loud.
My guess is that operators will be telling them 'get planning permission first and then let's have a proper talk'.

[jrb]

Place North West.

A public exhibition showing plans by London-based Chelmer Developments for a 40-storey apart-hotel in Manchester will take place on Monday 11 June.

The tower has been designed by Ian Simpson Architects and, if built, would sit on the site of a partly completed development next to the Mancunian Way that stalled at concrete frame in the recession.

Existing site

The land, less than an acre, is bounded by River Street, Garwood Street and the Mancunian Way.

Chelmer proposes to offer 600 serviced flats for rent on short and medium terms. Car parking will be limited to between 10 and 20 spaces.

A four-week public consultation is currently underway and ends on 17 June. A planning application will follow soon after the consultation.

The public exhibition will be on Monday 11 June 2012 between 2pm to 8pm, at Jury's Inn, Great Bridgewater Street.

Chelmer acquired the site on River Street in April 2011.

GVA is advising Chelmer Developments.

[jrb]

Just had a proper look at the render.

Overhang is obvious. Looks like that could include the entrance as well. Set back from the Mancunian Way. Defo looks like another sloped roof. No1 Deansgate-esc. OK it's another Simpson Block. I suppose it's what he does best. However, it's got some interesting features and angles. Odds on that the cladding will be coloured glass.

[VDB]

Not sure if it is sloped or if that's just the angle of the photo jrb.

The last renders (sketchy as they were) didn't show a slope..

[jrb]

Originally Posted by VDB

Not sure if it is sloped or if that's just the angle of the photo jrb.

The last renders (sketchy as they were) didn't show a slope..

You could be correct VDB? Hmmm.

I'm sure more renders will surface over the coming days.(MEN, etc)

I'll pop down next week with my camera.

[VDB]

Originally Posted by jrb

You could be correct VDB? Hmmm.

I'm sure more renders will surface over the coming days.(MEN, etc)

I'll pop down next week with my camera.

It actually sucks to be honest because I've been off all week so any consultations etc and I'd have been there, but instead the consultation is on Monday and I have an RS exam! Although I travel through town on the way home so maybe?

[ferge]

The roof line does not run parallel with any other roof line/base line from the lower part of the tower, so I can't see how it'd be anything other then sloped

Whoever goes to the exhibition, be sure to tell them we don't want it clad a la Simpson typical style.

[VDB]

I think I'll be going to the exhibition

[Saul Silver]

Please happen.
It looks like overtime the main cluster of Manchesters skyline will be formed around the Beetham.

[Slow Burn]

That's always been the intention

[jrb]

Anyone else going today?

[retroscient]

Originally Posted by jrb

Anyone else going today?

Me! I should be there around between half 2ish and 3pm. Looking to see more perspective on the building, cladding potential, and realistically, the probability of getting financing.

I'll be the 20 year old with the chequered blue/white shirt, brown courier bag, and spikey/messy brown hair. Say hi if anyone else is there!

[VDB]

Originally Posted by retroscient

Me! I should be there around between half 2ish and 3pm. Looking to see more perspective on the building, cladding potential, and realistically, the probability of getting financing.

I'll be the 20 year old with the chequered blue/white shirt, brown courier bag, and spikey/messy brown hair. Say hi if anyone else is there!

And me, asking pretty much the same questions!

I'll be wearing black jeans, a white shirt with a red checkered cardigan over it. And big messy brown hair.

See you guys there hopefully!

[jrb]

Just got back from the public exhibition.

There were 3 information boards(taken from the PDF), a model of the proposal, and a booklet which was a copy of the PDF already posted on the thread.(which I've got in front of me)

TBF there were plenty of people on-hand to answer question. Thanks.

A few points.

Firstly. After the conversation I had I firmly believe this is a serious proposal and it will see the light of day.

The developer has obviously seen a niche in the market and thinks there's sufficient demand to take the proposal forward. I did ask about funding, but I wasn't given any specific information or details on the matter.(obviously) However, what was mentioned was the amount of investment already made in getting the proposal to this point and beyond.(planning application, etc)

As the PDF states, the proposal is aimed at short stay business professionals. The car parking spaces were deemed adequate given the nature, purpose, and target market of the proposal.

The design of the tower is still on-going and hasn't been finalised yet.

The same goes for the cladding. Various colours and patterns are still be considered. The cladding will reflect/tie in with the surrounding area, just like Parkway Gate has done.

The roof of the tower is flat and not sloped as shown in the PDF diagram.

The podium will be 6 stories high, with the other 34 stories making up the tower.

A planning application will be submitted this Summer.

PS. Sadly I wasn't able to take a picture of the model. The developer had left the room and I couldn't seek their permission. Hopefully at some point images of the model and new diagrams and renders will appear on the website. www.riverstreetproject.info (already posted)