Latest Manchester office primed for upgrade 

The 32,000 sq ft 52 Princess Street will be overhauled as owner UKRO Property Holdings joins a growing list of landlords pulling the trigger on refurbishment plans.  

UKRO Property’s plans for the six-storey, grade two-listed building, previously known as Rhodesia House, include a new reception, modernisation of existing office space and the creation of showers, locker space and cycle storage in the basement. 

Sixteen Real Estate is advising the landlord and asset manager Adapt Real Estate on the proposals. 

“The works are part of a strategy to sensitively refurbish and enhance the building, which is necessary to attract new occupiers within a competitive office market,” according to a design and access statement submitted by Sixteen. 

UKRO Property acquired 52 Princess Street from Canada Life last September for £11.7m. The majority of the building is let with only 2,000 sq ft of vacant space.

The office block, built in the mid-1880s as a Victorian textile packing warehouse, was last refurbished in 2008. 

Manchester’s wave of office refurbishments

There is a raft of similar projects already in the pipeline in Manchester as landlords scramble to modernise assets as occupiers become more discerning about what they want from an office. 

Credit Suisse recently appointed contractor Gilbert-Ash to revamp the five-storey Eversheds House and increase the amount of office space by 40,000 sq ft. 

Meanwhile, Custodian REIT is investing in upgrading 60 Fountain Street after acquiring the property from McAleer & Rushe last September. 

Having acquired 17 Quay Street from Abrdn, Urbana Partners is planning “a high quality, ESG conscious refurbishment” of the 58,000 sq ft building.  

Meanwhile, Clearbell is planning to revamp Freetrade Exchange on Peter Street, as reported by Place North West.  

In some cases, old office stock is being demolished to make way for more modern replacements.  

Bruntwood is to knock down Alberton House and replace it with an 18-storey block, while HBD is preparing to start work on Island, a 100,000 sq ft scheme on John Dalton Street that will see existing office stock razed.