The Northern Quarter

[caw123]

Does anyone have a link to the Prestige Group website, the companu behind Pall Mall?

There's www.prestigeinternational.com , but there was another which had a bit more info about the project, anyone?

[SleepyOne]

Caw - http://www.theprestigegroup.com

Pall Mall House

NORTHERN QUARTER
MANCHESTER CITY CENTRE, Manchester
United Kingdom

Originally made up of 3 individual buildings, Pall Mall House is being carefully refurbished into one ultra-cool apartment complex in a continuation of the renovation of Manchester's Northern Quarter and Piccadilly Gardens. Ongoing development is regenerating this once busy commercial area to produce a distinctive creative quarter for urban, hip city living.

Consisting of 169 exceptionally priced residential apartments and 1668 square meters of commercial space, Pall Mall House will re-shape the changing landscape around Piccadilly Gardens. The tallest section of the building, a 19 story tower standing 67 metres high, will hold its own as one of the most imaginative tall buildings in Manchester city.

Established as one of the most charismatic and unique areas in the city centre, it appeals to the young and trendy, with Afflecks Palace as the Quarters focal point, set within one of Manchester's most historic buildings and specializing in clothing, hair salons, record stalls, clairvoyants and cafes. New bars and restaurants are opening around the Quarter, helping to boost rental income.

Manchester is seen as the commercial, education and cultural capital of the UK's largest economic region outside of London. Many industries have moved North to relocate in Manchester, bringing with them a young professional workforce. This has ensured that residential demand levels keep rising giving exclusive opportunities for investment.

The Piccadilly Gardens area, within the heart of Manchester city centre, links the major retail and commercial areas of the city and is known as one of the most important gateways into the regional centre through its function as a key transport interchange.

[kids]

If they get shut afflecks, i hope they do something similar to this to the building.

[Sussex Albion]

I hope you don't mind a visit from an outsider. In my opinion, the Northern Quarter has a great deal of similarity with an area of my home city, Brighton. In Brighton's case, it is the North Laine, again an area on the fringe of the city centre, which was formerly an industrial area. The North Laine has a lot of quirky shops (there are 350 shops in just that area), some excellent record shops, and some wonderful pubs. It is a bohemian artists' quarter and also has that edgy feeling of not being owned by the retail giants. There have also been some fine recent building developments, including Argus Lofts and the Jubilee Library (check this out in the Frank Gehry thread in the Projects and Construction section). Have any of you visited recently?

[SleepyOne]

Thanks for your contribution Mr Albion.

Yes I agree there are some great similarities between the Northern Quarter and The Laines. The Laines so seem to be much better served in terms of shops and cafes at the moment. Its a really great laid back district with wonderful character and yes, there are parallels to our Northern Quarter.

I see Northern Quarter to be less advanced on the 'evolutionary curve' though. Its still very much work in progress but the infrastructure and the buildings gets better by the year. Brighton is a great place, a very laid back city and The Laines district reflects this with its wide streets, quite smallscale buildings and its relaxed atmosphere. The district seems very 'linear' in character too. NQ by comparison is more urban and hard edged and based more on a grid of streets.

Both districts are great assets to their respective cities, similar in some ways but quite different in others.

[highriser]

The scaffolding as now been taken down from this building,looks great




And a really like these little touches in the NQ,,




Oh by the way ,trees have started getting planted up Oldham St.

[Farsight]

Nice.

Thanks for all these pics highriser.

[Bim]

Yes i like the added touches to the NQ very much...quite quirky and interesting.
Good to hear about the tree planting too...in my opinion you can never have enough trees...they work wonders for urban environments...apart from Langworthy!

[Lookin Up]

This part of town is my current favourite- got it's own character and most importantly the only real bit of the city centre that allows young entrepreneurs a bit of expression ad creativity - that's why it's so interesting. Avoid at all costs letting the corporate animals in McD / Starbucks etc.
Actually just had a thought - how about the Civic Society instead of having a go at tall buildings did something useful and campaigned to keep NQ big corporate free?

[Jongeman]

The Civic Society don't quite think in those terms. Even though they're about 20 years old, they're already a bit of a spent force. They think they understand Manchester, but in reality,they've got no more of an idea than any other Mancunian.

[kebabmonster]

Highriser-those pavement photos, which street are they on? Never noticed/knew about them before

[highriser]

Originally Posted by kebabmonster

Highriser-those pavement photos, which street are they on? Never noticed/knew about them before

There on Oldam St outside Dry bar, i think they are new mate

[Crozzauk]

The Northern Quarter has more potential than any area of the city. There are so many beautiful old buildings in the stretch between Shudehill and back Piccadilly, many that are either derelict or used as warehouses.

The potential for residential, office and retail space seems unique, and extensive, but i would say its an area where things need to happen naturally, thus allowing it to keep its character.

In my eyes the most criminally under utilised area is Stevenson Sq. I love this area but save a few cafe's, and wholesalers, very little seems to be here. I think its got real potential to be a major hub of activity. A few bars, some more offices, more retail, a few trees planted, some facelifts given to some of the buildings, you'd be looking at one of the finest and unique parts of the city. Anyone aware of any development plans in this area specifically?

[Craig]

Originally Posted by highriser

There on Oldam St outside Dry bar, i think they are new mate

They've been around for ages - done around the same the unique street signs were put up as part of a NQ public art programme some ten years ago.

[highriser]

Originally Posted by Craig

They've been around for ages - done around the same the unique street signs were put up as part of a NQ public art programme some ten years ago.

Craigo,,i know about the ones that have been there for ages ,but i do think these ones are new,,, or ive been to pissed to notice them before

[SleepyOne]

One thing that struck me walking round NQ recently (aside from the dire need to do away with the NCP) is to perhaps widen the pavements on Dale Street. This would make it more pedestrian in nature rather than dominated by ridiculously high speed traffic and would encourage more retail and lesiure provision on this magnificent and much under utlised street.

I also hope that the shift in bus services to the new interchange raises the possibility of a pedestrianised Oldham Street, perhaps also getting rid of that damaging link road that runs through Piccadilly Gardens into the bargain.

[Farsight]

Sounds good to me SleepyOne. Roads and traffic can really spoil a place.

[caw123]

A crane tower is now up at Pall Mall House:

[dannyb]

excellent; was wonderin when this was startin. is that the crane that has suddenly appeared with no horizontal arm on it currently? if it is, i should be able to see this rise from work

[highriser]

I do hope that heap of shite on the corner of Church St, High St gets demolished in the not to distant future, what a disgusting building that is ,
Bazooka the Bastard NOW