Hodder unveils Motel One plans for Piccadilly
Hodder + Partners has won a design competition for a 330-room hotel on the corner of Whitworth Street and London Road opposite Piccadilly Station and the Grade II* listed Fire Station in Manchester (GALLERY).
The site was acquired out of administration by London-based Olympian Group after the collapse of the previous owner, a subsidiary of Targetfollow Group.
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Olympian has agreed a lease with German hotel operator Motel One. It will be Motel One's first Manchester hotel and one of its first in the UK.
Together with the proposal for Realty's redevelopment of Gateway House, which received planning permission before Christmas, this represents Hodder + Partners' second hotel in the city.
The existing Hotel International will be demolished to make way for the Motel One. The Marilyn Monroe-themed Monroes pub will be retained.
Hodder's design two blocks finished in precast concrete: one of eight storeys fronting Whitworth Street and another of 13 storeys backing up to Three Piccadilly Place and facing London Road.
Hodder told Place his design "seeks to make a transition from the intensity and scale of Argent's Piccadilly Place with that of the Fire Station, a calm foil to the exuberance of the latter."
A detailed planning application will be made at the end of this month with a commencement on site for a 15-month build due in September.
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Shame to demolish these olde buildings. All the vacant plots and surface car parks around the city and they choose to knock down this little charmer. why not keep the front part and build the tower behind? At least it looks better than the Dale street budget black box hotel U/C.
By De Albion
Nevermind Monroes, this proposal will obliterate the building that once housed The Twisted Wheel, the legendary Northern Soul club venue. So we face the prospect of yet another piece of Manchester’s cultural heritage consigned to history. Depressing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twisted_Wheel_Club
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Soul
By Plan B
Shame their neighbours at the Fire Station aren’t as quick progressing their hotel plans.
By Anon
A disgusting monstrosity. This is the site of the famous Twisted Wheel club.
By Ugly
Absolutely terrible.. how the council could let this go ahead is beyond me. Oh wait, money grubbbing bastards.
By Regular Legends Clubber
Another piece of Manchester history consigned to the rubbish heap… To be replaced with yet another corporate hotel… ‘cos that’s just what Manchester needs, another bloody hotel.
‘Pull it down, drag it down
Till there’s nothing to look up to
But the brand names on the posters all around’
By Mat
Well loved manchester quirkiness (Legends, Outpost and Twisted Wheel) replaced by identikit tedium.
By JC
The scheme looks like it could be ok, but its all in the detail. Something of this scale was always on the cards.
Why on earth though are they not incorporating the club into the scheme is beyond me though. If it were me I would have incorporated it. You have a successful business already lined up as a tenant, while saving a good bit of Manchester’s culture.
By David
Ridiculous! Whatever happened to the other ’boutique hotel’ project just about 3 minutes walk down the road from this, where Princess Street crosses Whitworth Street? You know, the one that’s been all boarded up for several years now back when all the building work stopped?
By Jhovian
Not very inspiring Architecture, although still at an early stage vertical tower blocks are just the typical boring commercial scheme the city doesn’t need!!
By Lee
Precast concrete… Will definitely add charm and value to the area.
By Phil
Same old Manchester Council planning,sell it off or knock it down and sweep peoples feelings to one side.
47 years of musical heritage alone in those buildings,nearly 1000 people every month over two sessions for the Twisted Wheel alone not to mention Legends nights.Bulldoze more of Manchester’s musical heritage into the ground,let the site of Twisted Wheel,Rockies Placemate 7 and Legend fall under the wheels of progress and go the way of the Oasis,Rotters,Pendulum etc.until everyone thinks that Manchester’s club scene was ONLY about the Hacienda and that Merseybeat was all there was to the sixties.
Where is Pat Karney when anybody actually wants him to stick his neb in?
By TwistedWheel Forever
Can the facde be any more monotinous? Draw squares and repeat vertically…. And there you go, inarticulate building done! was this the work of an intern? I would also suggest the windows facing onto the corner would in the long-term restrict any vertical regeneration of the corner plot that it clearly dwarves. Hodder, I thought you could do better but I think for the past ten years you have been coasting on past-reputation.
By Etienne
it is sad but we should not complain too much as that corner has looked a mess for the last 20 years since i 1st went there – so we only have ourselves to blame…
By andy
Such a shame to knock these buildings down and replace with a pile of concrete, they should make the hotel inter a listed building typical city planners.
By zxara
This is absolute bull, I can’t believe they can dissregard what that area is about, Monroes is staying, but Legends is a Legend that is Manchesters musical herritage, and yet they just plogh through and expect everyone not to notice another concrete boring bloody hotel stuck right in its place next to the other six or seven hotels in that small area alone. These places are still important to people. I hope that the petition people are talking about starts soon before planning permission is granted!
By Peed Off
Do these people not realise it is the famous Twisted Wheel soul club they are demolishing which gives pleasure to thousands of people who are not at all happy at losing their beloved club. A piece of history will be lost forever.
By Anne
The facts in the story are also incorrect. It says that Hotel International will be demolished and Monroe’s will stay when quite clearly from the images it is the other way round!!!
By Ian
Most of these posts probably all want to to revert back to horses and carts!! If we want to be a modern and vibrant city we have to embrace redevelopment .. better if we ignore this ill informed chatter!!
By Jonny
Absolute disgrace if this is allowed, what morons run this country, God bless the Twisted Wheel
By Dange
Planning application has been deferred pending a site visit by the committee. The fate of this sweet group of buildings very much hangs in the balance.
By Twisted logic
Shame more concrete/glass buildings spoiling the charm of the area (Monroes will look out of place)I feel for those who will lose there livelihood`s. RIP- Outpost, Legends, Twisted Wheel & Hotel International.
By KB