Robert De Niro plays lead role at Nobu’s £360m Viadux Two groundbreaking
The appearance of the hospitality brand’s co-owner added a dose of celebrity to the ceremony, which saw Salboy and builder Domis kick off construction of the 76-storey skyscraper, targeting a 2031 opening.
Rising 246 metres out of Albion Street, the £360m build has materialised thanks to a partnership between developer Salboy and the Nobu brand, co-owned by A-lister Robert De Niro, chef Nobu Matsuhisa, and Meir Teper, who were all in attendance.
Nobu is set to host a ground floor restaurant within the tower, as well as 452 apartments and a 160-key hotel.
Sales of its studios and one- and two-bedroom flats are set to start in early 2026, with a starting price tag understood to be no lower than £500,000.
Viadux Two has been designed by SimpsonHaugh Architects. As Nobu’s first UK venue outside of London, the scheme will add to the brand’s 60 restaurants, 20 residences, and 40 hotels already in its portfolio.
The 11 ft model shows the building next to the existing Viadux and the smaller, affordable part of the Viadux Two development. Credit: PNW
A swimming pool, spa, podium garden, gym, and Nobu dining and in-room service are all part of the Nobu offer.
Salboy’s development also features a standalone, 100% affordable 23-storey block, a first for the city.
Robert De Niro, co-founder of Nobu, said: “Manchester has real character and creative passion”, though he admitted he “did not know much” about the city.
“I’m hoping to come back when it’s finished, I’m hoping I’m still around.” He added. The skyscraper is expected to take six years to build.
De Niro said the occasion was “very different” to winning an Oscar. Credit: PNW
Simon Ismail, managing director of Salboy, said: “This is the new Manchester landmark. This is right in the city centre – you’re not going to get a tower like this again.
“To entice the likes of Nobu, and all they bring in terms of the quality and brand and exposure, it is enormous, and I think it’s the catalyst to really push on and do more in the city.”
He added: “Chef Nobu’s 30-year influence on our culinary tastes cannot be understated, and I look forward with huge anticipation for the impact he and his team have on Manchester’s established and ambitious dining scene.
“Beyond the signature restaurant, which will look magnificent under the Victorian arches, being part of Nobu’s journey to extend its leadership in the global luxury hospitality and property markets is an honour.
“Manchester deserves luxury accommodation to match its growing position on the international stage and the Nobu team has the imagination and track record to make that happen.”
Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Manchester is a city that is going places.
“Why can’t we combine the ambition of world-class excellence with the achievement of opportunities for everyone across our city?
“Having top-class excellence right at the heart of our hospitality, in a beautifully designed building, that pays homage to our industrial heritage, for me, is what being a world-class city is about.”
The tower will be built on top of Victorian arches, which will sensitively be restored, and within sight of the world’s first passenger train station.
Manchester City Council gave its approval for the scheme in April 2025.
Planit, Deloitte, Artal, Jameson Acoustics, Renaissance, Ridge, SLR Consulting, WSP, GIA, Penny Anderson Associates, The University of Salford, Stephen Levrant: Heritage Architecture, Design Fire Consultants, Brownfield Solutions, and Architectural Aerodynamics all contributed to the project.
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Analysis
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Well done Manchester seriously i just wish we had your leadership here in Liverpool.
By Anonymous
What an exciting time to be in such a fantastic city.
By Can't hold us down
Manchester is light years ahead of all the other northern cities. Howard Bernstein started it but the calibre of today’s leadership is just as impressive.
By Lee
The people of Liverpool really needn’t feel so disheartened that their city isn’t being filled with CTRL+C / CTRL+V SH towers..
By Anonymous
Awesome stuff for Manchester. Getting towards the “world-class” we aspire to be.
By D
No endless consultations, No councillors objecting, No 30 year masterplans that will never happen anyway. Manchester showing what a bit of ambition and vision can achieve.
By Jealous Scouser
@Lee – Totally agree about Sir Howard, an absolute visionary who put Manchester back up there, such a shame he isn’t here to see the city enter its most exciting time and all due to the foundations that he laid. Honestly if you would have told me even 5 years ago that Robert DeNiro would be here to kick off a Nobu hotel that was in a 76 story building I wouldn’t have believed you.
By Bob
There’s quite a lot of non-CTRL+C / CTRL+V SH buildings too. So much going on, it’s great.
By Anonymous
Brilliant news for Manchester, and some people still think Birmingham is the second city!
By Anonymous
You’d love a few CTRL+C / CTRL+V SH towers in Liverpool, and the investment, employment, and residents there bring. I’m sure you’re happy with the Liver building and some cruise ships stopping off every now and again,
By jrb
This is the kind of development you see in Tokyo, London or New York. I understand Liverpool folk are disheartened but Leeds and Birmingham are behind Manchester too.
By Mr Morrison
Not bothered what Manchester do. Let them do what they want trying to polish a stone. Think Robert will do anything for money these days anyway…warburtons advert anybody.
By Anonymous
Approved April and work starts in November. The capital of the north doesn’t mess about does it. Some cities are still going on about Thatcher and things that happened 40 years ago.
By Tommy
An American actor in Manchester. Wow! I just swooned. I will remember this for the rest of my life. Its the first time I have swooned.
By James Yates
Awesome. Could not have imagined this 30 years ago. A very progressive city. Just need to sort the public realm and streetscape which is poor by all international standards.
By Anonymous
Liverpool are you watching? This is the heights you should be aiming for. Well done Manchester!
By Anonymous
To all those bemoaning Liverpool status, I have actually been quite impressed with some of the designs coming out of Liverpool and featured on PNW. Manchester should take note, as we have a reputation for being pretty bland and box like when it comes to new build and we all know who to thank.
By mcleod
Impressive
By Liverpolitis
Liverpool need to get on the phone to Pacino quickly.
By Anonymous
When are we going to see the 100 storey Bernstein Tower?
By Elephant
Good to have, but what about the airport!?
By Dan H
As lovely as this is, it’s not going to solve Piccadilly Gardens, or Piccadilly approach or the airport. All of which are a far cry from world class and have far more of a daily impact on people in Manchester than one tall building with a restaurant in it.
By Dino
A-list all round.
By Tom
Exciting times for Manchester. Can’t wait to see the impact this makes on the skyline, and the views it will offer!
By Andee
Who made the 11ft tall model? I’m hoping it was a Manchester based company.
By Steve Howarth
The delusions of provincial Manchester,truly iconic destination like Paris don’t build mediocre high rise apartments.Nobody in world is beating a path to Manchester to see this architecture crap Manchester is building.
By Beth Jones
I’ve lost track now as to which is going to be tallest , this one or the one just approved at the end of Regent rd ? it used to be just the Beetham and now I just can’t keep up, incredible times.
By Renzo Piana
Ohhh this is definitely A great Day for Giant Skyscraper fan! This Development is as good as a NYC development or a world class skyscraper London like the Gherkin and The Shard
By Giant skyscraper Fan
@ Beth – Cheer up, if Manchester triggers you that much you don’t need to visit or read articles on it. We would never claim to be Paris but we are certainly rising to the top of world second tier cities and things are only just getting started. Maybe treat yourself to a hotel stay and a meal at Nobu when it opens to de-stress.
By Bob
Manchester is beginning to resemble a generic North American city, dominated by bland skyscrapers and glass towers. These tall buildings cast grim shadows, blocking out natural light and erasing much of the city’s character. There seems to be little regard for Manchester’s rich heritage—just a rush to throw up more towers. If this is what passes for “progress,” I’ll take Liverpool any day.
Liverpool feels far more inviting: its streets are bright and open, the waterfront is stunning, the parks are vibrant, and its historic architecture has been beautifully preserved. And, let’s be honest—it even rains less.
By Chris Walker
.Comments from Chris Walker are pure cop. If you go to other fast growing Anglophone cities; Vancouver, Toronto, Sydney, Melbourne, or indeed Polish cities (in probably the Europe’s biggest growth success story) you are going to see a blend of historic centres and rise density. Up to now Manchester has handled this well, the talls haven’t replaced the historic core, and because they are mainly on the edge they act as background architecture in a way that’s unique in the UK. Manchester decided years ago to deal with the problems of growth, not the problems of decline. The sad thing about Liverpool is it has great heritage assets and buckets of untapped potential, it needs to step up.
By Rich X
Chris Walker, It rains less in Manchester than most UK and many other European cities. Get your facts straight. Just repeating things every body else says does not make your right. It makes you sound like a so-called “journalist”.
By Anonymous
I’m not sure wearing a hard hat saying Nobu is a good look.
By PLF_Cloud_Cuckoo_Land
Can any of the commenters saying that these skyscrapers are ‘ruining Manchester’s heritage’ please let me know which recently-built skyscrapers have destroyed heritage in order to be built? All the skyscrapers I can think of occupy land which was formerly surface car parks or derelict land. Unless you can’t surface car parks as ‘heritage’ then I think we’re in the clear.
By Anonymous
So good to see Manchester’s resurgence – it keeps investment flowing in that can preserve our heritage and supports the business case for things like infrastructure and public realm improvements. I also think it helps lift the wider North West so wishing them every success.
By Anonymous
Chris Walker – Liverpool does have some beautiful buildings and has the advantage of the waterfront but it needs to decide if its going to be a museum or a modern vibrant city. Currently museum seems to be winning which isn’t great for young people who will move away to other places. If Liverpool had the political leadership Manchester had for the last 30 years it would be competing with Barcelona, Hamburg, Rotherham and other great European port cities. At the moment it’s in danger of becoming a backwater.
By Anonymous
The North West is unique in England, as it is the only region with two iconic cities. The historical rivalry between the two, holds both cities back in my view. The two most creative cities in the country could take on the world if they got rid of their petty differences.
By Elephant
Anyone see the interview with him on Granada the journalist as what he will be doing next he said Liverpool obviously
By Anonymous
Though throwing up bland looking skyscrapers does not count as growth, it is actually the behind the scenes stuff that is helping Manchester to boom. Just look at the numbers, Manchester’s population growth, particularly in the city centre, and it’s wage growth is outstripping all major UK cities. There’s a reason people and companies are moving to Manchester, and it’s not because of a few skyscrapers. These Liverpool moaners need to understand that we are not living in the past anymore. If you want to keep Manchester stuck in the industrial revolution days, then look at some old pictures. Us modern and younger folk understand that the world has moved on and the North needs to as well. Instead of clinging to an identity that died off decades ago, why not invent a new identity and preserve the key/beautiful old parts? London does it, New York does it, Paris, Amsterdam, Tokyo you name it. They all move forward and constantly reinvent themselves while keeping the best parts from previous identities.
By Anonymous
De Niro and Nobu Skyscraper Which is extremely serious but massive massive to say well done 👍👍👍👍
By G J Kitchener
This is great for Manchester, as a scouser I get the feeling most of the moaning on here isn’t from Scousers it’s from disgruntled Mancunians who will be getting priced out their own city…Liverpools time is coming with our own version of Salboy, TJ Morris and Beetham. We can look forward to future developments at Liverpool Waters and the King Edward Triangle and learn from Manchesters mistakes, the towers are all too samey! Liverpools existing towers are already completely individual…Liverpools skyline will be changing very soon, for the better!
By Anonymous
November 12, 2025 at 10:38 am By Anonymous
None of those cities you mention are booming ..Paris New York Tokyo.. all in trouble.. the population growth of Manchester is either southerners.. who only populate a favoured part or immigrants who populated another favoured part.. there is NO unification.. the centre of town stinks, is filthy and increasingly ..grey.. we have a great technology, media and sciences district.. but it can’t keep everything afloat.. and if things become unpleasant.. I’m sure you will be one of the first to leave.
By Anonymous
Some old advice… a little adapted… When craggy old actors are giving you investment advice… It’s time to get out of the markets..
By Anonymous
great stuff…
By Richard
I like the hard hats, very assertive
By Grindr
Surely Manchester is not going to let Salford have a taller building I.e regent road!
I’m looking forward to the first 100 storey building in Manchester.
As much as I love Manchester’s history of industry I agree with many commentators on here that we have to keep looking forward and reinventing ourselves.
Besides these tall buildings there is a significant amount of development going on in the City . This is attracting new ‘ industries’ and people with fresh ideas.
Long May it continue.
By Peter Chapman
Paris, New York and Tokyo are not booming and are in trouble? Most cities would give their right arm for their kind of troubles.
By Anonymous
De Niro actually mentioned Liverpool on Granada reports. A world famous city with the ambition of Llandudno is the painful truth. Imagine if we had Howard Bernstein rather than the clowns we had and have today.
By Francis
November 12, 2025 at 10:04 am By Anonymous
Young people will leave Manchester eventually.. it’s already overcrowded and has lost its scene.. it becoming ..meh..
By Anonymous
This is great news but more significant for Greater Manchester is the announcement of £10 billion GMCA funding package and the start of the first building in Atomic Valley. These could be game changers.
By Anonymous
Anonymous 5.16..oh come now , I know the amount of development and success of Manchester may sting a tad if you’re an outsider looking in but please let’s keep it grounded in reality. Besides, all of these talls aren’t the only things growing here.This is a good thing..be happy..you’ll get your splash of gravy too.
By Anonymous
A waterfront separated by a 8 lane highway, it will forever be constrained by one of the worst pieces of urban planning in the UK.
By Kit-Kats
If anything, Manchester is far younger now than it’s ever been. The city centre wasn’t a place for the little darlings that choose to live there now.
By Anonymous
To those saying Liverpool is better. It’s not. The reason Scouseland is decades behind the capital of the North is that Graham Stringer
By ForReal