Manchester council has launched major regeneration proposals for Piccadilly, the gateway into the city centre.
Simultaneously, John Beckwith’s Portfolio Holdings’ joint venture with Property Mezzanine Partners has unveiled its £50m plans for Manchester’s infamous Piccadilly Plaza.
Piccadilly Plaza LP, the joint venture company, is to refurbish the entire 60,385 sq m (650,000 sq ft) block and rebrand it Piccadilly Exchange.
Proposals include:
- the refurbishment of the Sunley Tower offices, to be renamed City Tower
- improvements to the existing Jarvis Hotel
- a new shopping arcade to link Manchester’s Northern Quarter and Chinatown
- improvements to the surrounding streetscape.
Piccadilly Plaza’s Paul Parkinson said: “The refurbishment captures the spirit of change that is sweeping through Manchester with the many developments going ahead for the Millennium and the Commonwealth Games.
Meanwhile, Manchester council launched regeneration proposals for the wider area. These include a revamped Piccadilly Gardens, improved transport exchange and improvements to the city centre approach from Piccadilly Station.
The council has appointed Ove Arup, city centre masterplanners EDAW, Japanese architect Tadao Ando, Chapman Robinson Architects and Peter Fink Lighting Specialists to redesign the gardens.
At the Rochdale Canal Basin, plans include canalside apartments and non-food retail on the Great Ancoats Street frontage. Ducie Warehouse and Ashton Canal basin will also see residential development.
In collaboration with Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, the council is masterplanning the area between London Road and Aytoun Street. As well as commercial and residential development, the scheme will include college buildings.
All the regeneration initiatives are due to be finished in time for the Commonwealth Games in 2002. Leader of the council Richard Leese said all the schemes were intended to create “a positive and welcoming first impression for visitors to Manchester who pass through the area when arriving in the city”.
Proposals for Piccadilly follow hot on the heels of last week’s announcement of the details of Allied London Properties’ £300m Spinningfields mixed-use development.
All the proposals for Piccadilly can be viewed at Manchester Town Hall.
EGi News 11/05/99
