Arkwright House set for additional £1m refurb
The 95,000 sq ft office building in Manchester’s Parsonage Gardens, which is one-third occupied following a £16m refurbishment in 2017, is to undergo a further package of works in the hope of attracting more tenants.
The £1m planned refurbishment aims to upgrade the building’s reception area and improve links between the building and the gardens.
Dominic Pozzoni, director at Colliers International, which is the joint letting agent for Arkwright House with Avison Young, said that rapid change in the office market post-lockdown presented a “great opportunity” to create a vibrant space for occupiers, by opening up the reception to Parsonage Gardens.
He said: “Over the past month, as we have all adjusted in our working habits, we have appreciated the importance and benefits of having use of external space.
“Arkwright House in the heart of the city centre, will be ideally placed to not only provide fantastic office space, but also [enable] occupiers to collaborate, relax and enjoy Parsonage Gardens.”
Arkwright House, designed in 1927 by Harry Fairhurst, is owned by a private pension fund and at the time of the previous refurbishment was managed by London-based real estate investor and asset manager Catalyst Capital.
Current occupiers at Arkwright House include engineering firm Ramboll, which took a 10-year lease on a 7,000 sq ft penthouse office suite in 2018, and online doctor, Push Doctor, which occupies 15,000 sq ft on the first floor.
The 2017 refurbishment was designed by architecture firm Sheppard Robson, which has also been appointed for the latest project, while fit-out firm Claremont remodelled the interiors and is also on the latest job.
The planned £1m refurb includes reconfiguring the reception area to feature a business lounge, concierge, and collaborative workspace.
Arkwright House opens out onto Parsonage Gardens
Chris Cheap, director at Avison Young, says: “This redesigned reception area is an important next step in the continued transformation of Arkwright House and follows the recent refurbishment of the office space.
“The new ground floor reception will connect Arkwright House into Parsonage Gardens with a vibrant, active open space for tenants and visitors to the building.”
Catalyst Capital was appointed asset manager for the building by the owner, a private investor, but management restructuring at the start of this year means that Catalyst is no longer involved with Arkwright House.
