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

[VDB]

Can't really give a better summary than jrb to be honest.

A lot of consideration has been put in as to pedestrian access from Hulme and further into the city. Landscape around the project will be limited as the footprint isn't that big however they're hoping to "do up" the immediate street area.

The building will be 42 stories, not 40. Higher the better! They'll also be a roof garden on the top for residents only. One of the models showed what looked like a glass box around this area.

Further to the integration with Hulme, the architect was talking about providing business space in the ground floor units for the local neighbourhood. Such as a local community hall for residents to rent out, etc.

No sloped roof.

As far as timescales go, it seems very confident. They hope to submit a planning application by the end of June, which the council will decide to approve/decline about 3 or 4 months from then. If all goes well (and the people in charge seemed very confident that it would because they've been in talks with the council since November) then they say work could start on site as early as Spring 2013 (presumably for a 2015 finish).

As jrb said, they seemed very confident about funding and what the council's final decision will be, so it looks like this is a serious proposal and has every chance of getting built!

Also met Retroscient; very nice guy it was nice seeing you

[jrb]

Originally Posted by VDB

Can't really give a better summary than jrb to be honest.

A lot of consideration has been put in as to pedestrian access from Hulme and further into the city. Landscape around the project will be limited as the footprint isn't that big however they're hoping to "do up" the immediate street area.

The building will be 42 stories, not 40. Higher the better! They'll also be a roof garden on the top for residents only. One of the models showed what looked like a glass box around this area.

Further to the integration with Hulme, the architect was talking about providing business space in the ground floor units for the local neighbourhood. Such as a local community hall for residents to rent out, etc.

No sloped roof.

As far as timescales go, it seems very confident. They hope to submit a planning application by the end of June, which the council will decide to approve/decline about 3 or 4 months from then. If all goes well (and the people in charge seemed very confident that it would because they've been in talks with the council since November) then they say work could start on site as early as Spring 2013 (presumably for a 2015 finish).

As jrb said, they seemed very confident about funding and what the council's final decision will be, so it looks like this is a serious proposal and has every chance of getting built!

Also met Retroscient; very nice guy it was nice seeing you

Thanks for that VDB. Put some more icing on the cake. 42 ah.

[retroscient]

My own thoughts on the day.

I went in very sceptical about two things. The peripheral location being viable with limited car parking, and the prospect of getting financing.

I spoke with several of the representatives there, asking each of them about the seriousness of the project and the chance of it becoming reality, and I must say, I post here now feeling much more positive!

Some highlights from my discussions:

- The plot was acquired by the developer last April, with an immediate view towards developing a mixed-stay block for the professional market on this site. It sounded to me like a plan that has been waiting for an opportunity.

- This is a very serious proposal. It has been in development for approximately twelve months, only going public about three weeks ago, and is seen as looking towards the future with First Street, NOMA, MediaCity, all driving demand for semi-permanent serviced professional accomodation. They really do have no doubt that this is realistic.

- Manchester City Council have long known about and been involved in this project. They are very keen on this happening and are very supportive of this proposal.

- The developers are *very* confident this will get built. I pressed several different representatives on this issue of financing, and was assured in no uncertain terms that the developer has already sunk a lot of money has already been poured into getting things this far, which would not be the case if there was any doubt this was not going to secure required investment.

- One representative expressed to me that the developer comes from a "strong position" financially, and has the capacity to press this forward where others might not.

- Several agencies - CABE, Ian Simpson Architects - reviewed the site and assured the developer it was a feasible proposal. The demand is seen to be there. This is not considered to be a speculative development.

- The design of the tower is fairly settled, but still liable to change "a little bit". The number of floors in the latest iteration stands at 42. It is taller than Student Castle.

Finally, it was great to meet you too Volde! I suspected it was you as soon as you arrived - not many people turn up to these things with hair and dress sense like yours.

[GShutty]

Well done guys, I bailed out to get the last 20mins of the England game.

[jrb]

Good round up Retroscient.

Got there at roughly 1pm. Told it didn't start till 2pm.

Went back at 2pm but only had 25 minutes left on my parking ticket. Rush job.

The people invloved in the proposal know about the thread and have kept an eye on it.

Hopefully they will release some new images/renders in the not too distant future.

[Saul Silver]

Cheers guys, alot of feedback there which is music to my ears.#

[Accura4Matalan]

Thanks for all the information guys. Sounding nice and positive

[ferge]

Of course it all adds to debate over on the city talk sub-forum of Manchester having such a flat skyline, despite us potentially throwing up yet another 100m+ proposal

[timo]

THE developer behind plans to build a 42-storey tower near the Mancunian Way is confident that its "market-driven" model will help to secure the funding to get the scheme off the ground.

Chelmer Developments' director Mike Bathurst told TheBusinessDesk.com: "You can see that we're spending a lot on putting the right scheme forwards. We're here to build it."

Mr Bathurst was speaking at a consultation meeting where the team behind the River St serviced living project had faced a steady stream of questions from interested observers, many of whom focused on the same issue - whether the finance could be raised to build it.

It is easy to understand the scepticism. Manchester has seen plenty of tower schemes proposed in recent years, with the Eastgate Tower, Albany Crown and Canopus all failing to get off the ground. Beetham Tower did, but it has not proved to be the most profitable of ventures for developer The Beetham Organization, with operating company Beetham Manchester Ltd appointing administrators last year.

Therefore, when a little-known, London-based company which has a couple of hotel and one-off luxury residential schemes behind it arrives and proposes to build a 42-storey tower, it is bound to raise questions.

Mr Bathurst is a former partner at Edwards & Co who has been charged with leading the project. He said the team it has chosen to develop the project - Ian Simpson Architects, engineers WSP, quantity surveyors Davis Langdon and planning advisors GVA - reflects its intentions.

"We were keen to work with Ian Simpson. His reputation and vision in terms of this city were very important to us."

He argued that the funding details could not be ironed out until the outcome of the planning process and the nature of any conditions attached are known. Plans are due to be submitted within weeks and a decision on whether to approve the scheme should be made by October.

"What I can say is that we won't be looking for more than 60% (of loan-to-value). And we have some very positive support from the banks.

"This model is different - that's what's the key.

"We're providing an offer that is new but its essence its its flexibility. And it's a model that will work in any market."

The proposal being put forwards is for a building containing 600 bedrooms made up of one, two, three and four-bed apartments. In total, it will contain 1,200 beds and rooms will be modular to allow for sizes to be adapted according to demand.

Chelmer has also brought in Hamilton Hotel Partners - with whom a sister firm already has a management relationship - to act as operating partner for the project.

Hamilton is run by Frank Croston and Chris Evans, who have both worked in senior positions at companies like Intercontinental Hotels, Starwood and Marriott. Hamilton also either currently manages (or has previously managed) hotels for Holiday Inn, Raffles, Sheraton and Radisson Blu.

GVA has been advising Chelmer since selling the site - through its role as Law of Property Act receivers - in April 2011.

Planning director Stephen Bell said that the project team has been working with the city council on the model.

"We saw a demand for a short-term letting residential offer with easy-in, easy out terms. Guests will have a menu to choose from and can use as many or as few services as they require, from laundry services and linen hire through to 24-hour management and service."

The building will feature several roof gardens and "airport lounge"-style areas to create a community among guests. It will have its own cafe/restaurant and convenience store downstairs, and a number of conference/meeting rooms for hire at ground level, which will also be open to non-residents.

The project has been designed around a series of blocks which step up in height around the main tower. Project architect James Hind said its design gives "careful consideration" to the surrounding buildings and had been adapted so that it was not obtrusive to the City South scheme nearby.

He argued that Chelmer has showed "great vision" in creating a new concept for short-term living.

"It's a residential development that is driven entirely by demand and the need for short-term accommodation, It's great for Manchester to have a project like this developed here and it brings back into use a site that's an eyesore," he said.

"We feel we've got a development which works, and particularly one that matches the growth and housing operations of the city."

Mr Bathurst said the design "has been fine-tuned over the past few months and it is still being fine-tuned throughout the consultation process".

He added that its proposal would sit well with regeneration that had already taken place at the Downing student tower blocks and Manchester Metropolitan University campus improvement nearby, and with Ask Developments' ongoing aspirations for First Street.

"We believe that our project has a real synergy with that."

@ Business Desk

[rolybling]

Won't happen.

[jrb]

Originally Posted by rolybling

Won't happen.

Any specific reason Roly?

"What I can say is that we won't be looking for more than 60% (of loan-to-value). And we have some very positive support from the banks.

I'm sure if the banks response was a point blank no, then the proposal wouldn't have gone any further than it has.

The fact that Chelmer have already invested heavily in the proposal via.......

Ian Simpson Architects, engineers WSP, quantity surveyors Davis Langdon and planning advisors GVA

gives an indication that they are confident of getting finance and progressing with the proposal.

[Irish Blood English Heart]

If it is built I will show my arse in Kendals window... Of course they are saying all the right things, but then so did all those other developers. A 1200 bed hotel in a 42 story tower next to a motorway on the arse end of the city centre with no parking and poor public transport provision... It simply won't happen... Now if it was student accommodation they were going for...

[rolybling]

Originally Posted by jrb

Any specific reason Roly?

Finance, probably. I'm not sure but I just can't see it happening.

[VDB]

We'll see in 2 or 3 months' time. The council can't approve it if it doesn't have full funding.

Being an optimist I think it has a good chance but I can understand why some people might not think so. Must admit there's a shadow of doubt within me.

[TheFly]

42 stories now, won't that just be 2 basement levels added? Or like Beetham a plant floor

We can but dream and at least someone, somewhere is spending some money on potential tall builds in Manc.

42 stories must be 130m then?

[rolybling]

@TheFly, you're right! I suppose we should be thankful someone is trying to do something with this plot, and if it happens I'll be as happy as anyone about it. I don't mean to put a downer on it. Sorry.

[VDB]

Originally Posted by TheFly

42 stories now, won't that just be 2 basement levels added? Or like Beetham a plant floor

We can but dream and at least someone, somewhere is spending some money on potential tall builds in Manc.

42 stories must be 130m then?

The architect on Monday told me it was 42 stories. Could be 2 basement levels although what would they be used for considering the shortage of parking this scheme will have?

I imagine the floor heights will be similar to that of 17NWS, so judging by that ....

107m divided by 33 floors = 3.24 metres per floor (on average)

Therefore, I estimate this to be ... 3.24 x 42 = 136.08 metres

How tall is that compared to Manc's/other provincial city's other talls?

[flange]

Little odd, should help to clean up the structure with all the graffiti maybe, a new planning application has gone online to use the lower ground floor of the existing structure on the site as a car park.

Site At River Street Manchester M15 5FJ

Use of the existing lower ground level car park of an existing structure as temporary public car park

http://pa.manchester.gov.uk/online-a...=LUEF4FBC6K000

[uklad1979]

Originally Posted by flange

Little odd, should help to clean up the structure with all the graffiti maybe, a new planning application has gone online to use the lower ground floor of the existing structure on the site as a car park.



http://pa.manchester.gov.uk/online-a...=LUEF4FBC6K000

So they want to use it as a carpark yet they are building a building with no car parking! This says that car parking is in demand in the area and that the development will put a strain on the limited street parking.

Planning application - REJECTED

[hulmeman2]

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereven...ct-ian-simpson

Revealed: Plans for new 42-storey skyscraper in Manchester by Beetham Tower architect Ian Simpson
Deborah Linton
July 18, 2012

Plans for the Ian Simpson tower on River Street with the Beetham Tower seen in the background. The Mancunian Way is in the foreground



This is the first glimpse of how Manchester will be transformed with the building of a new skyscraper by Beetham tower architect Ian Simpson.

The M.E.N can reveal that plans have been submitted for a 42-storey glazed tower which will be a new landmark next to the Mancunian Way.

At its 410 ft highest point, it will be five floors lower than the 554 feet tall Beetham Tower, containing the Hilton hotel – Simpson's most famous building.

It will also be almost ten storeys higher than the city's next tallest building, the 33-storey, 109 metre Student Castle complex, off Oxford Road, which is due for completion this year.

The two skyscrapers, which have a strikingly similar cantilevered design, will stand just an eight minute walk and less than half a mile apart.

However, the unnamed new tower will not include the Beetham-style windbreaking fin which famously emits a humming noise during high winds.

The tower on River Street will create up to 600 serviced apartments aimed at short-stay professionals visiting the city for business.

If plans are approved, the River Street scheme will be built on a site bordered by Garwood Street and the Mancunian Way. The plot has been occupied for the past ten years by an unfinished concrete frame that is covered in graffiti and regularly labelled an eyesore.

Plans for the new tower are revealed in the same week as census figures showed that Manchester is the fastest growing city in Britain.

Manchester-based Simpson, whose award-winning practice redesigned the city following the 1996 IRA bomb, has been commissioned by British firm, Chelmer Developments, who acquired the site in April 2011.

They are working with hotel management experts, Hamilton Hotel Partners, on the scheme which will offer high-quality short-term serviced living.

The lower floors would house a lobby area, cafeteria, gym, retail and office facilities. There will be a small number of parking spots underground. A pedestrian link way, connecting the site to Hulme underneath the Mancunian Way, also features in plans.

The building will mark a threshold for visitors coming in to Manchester from motorways to the west and Princess Parkway to the south. It will sit a few moments walk from First Street where Mr Simpson has designed a new cultural quarter and £19m arts centre for the city.

Mr Simpson said: “I think it's a simple, very elegant and slender building with a glass surface so it will pick up reflections from the light and I think it will be quite dramatic. I just think it will be a really great place for people to stay and live in the short term, literally just a 12 minute walk from the centre of Deansgate.

“This is part of a collection of buildings standing together to the south of the Hilton and along the ring road. It will be quite a marker and I think it will complement the Hilton well.

“It's also an important part of announcing First Street and the cultural quarter – it is all part of marking that as a place of change and regeneration.”

The £150m Beetham Tower, on Deansgate, became Europe's tallest residential building when it was completed in 2006.

It is now the 9th tallest building in the UK. The new Simpson tower would be the 23rd tallest building in the country.