FIRST LOOK | Core, 30 Brown Street
Core, the new name for 24-30 Brown Street, in Manchester’s historic office core, is about to receive its first occupier, co-working operator Work.Life, as an £8m overhaul nears completion. Place North West visited ahead of the opening.
Originally built in the mid-1980s as the headquarters for law firm Halliwells, the building, also formerly known as St James’s Court, was acquired from Himor for £6.5m by Boultbee Brooks Real Estate in April 2015. The project team for the refurbishment, managed by OBI, included PRP Architects, Russells Construction, Tier Consult as structural engineer, and REDS, M&E advisor.
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Andrew Cowell, transactions and asset management, OBI said: “Because of the location of the building it will attract professional services, legal and financial services but because of the style and design it will also appeal to those businesses from the technology, media, telecoms and creative and digital sectors who are currently very active in acquiring space in Manchester city centre. The occupiers of Core will become part of a community in a building that will support growth and make them more successful.”
Core comprises 48,000 sq ft of office space over six floors including a new 7,500 sq ft roof-top extension.
Work.Life took 12,500 sq ft on the ground and first floor on a 10-year lease. This is its first venue outside London and the South East.
The interior, accessed through a double-height entrance featuring a dichroic light box which changes colour as you walk past, has a New York feel with wide views across King Street and industrial concrete columns.
The offices have been finished to shell to allow tenants to customise their space, following the trend for more individually designed workspaces. The central light well has been opened up and windows enlarged to add light into all floors. Externally, a new Dryvit cladding system has been applied to all elevations, with the original facades completely removed.
Work.Life’s space will be kitted out with a reception, kitchen, meeting rooms, private phone booths, calming cubicles for people to unwind and breakout areas for members to meet, socialise and relax.
There are 19 car parking spaces in the basement, 10 of them with electric charging points, and 36 bike racks, alongside showers and changing facilities.
BBRE is also redeveloping 67-75 and 79 Mosley Street. Work.Life is due to open in November. CBRE and OBI are joint agents on Core.
Click image to launch gallery
Massive improvement. Looks really good!
By Steve
Tiled floor in an office? What will the acoustics be like?
By Ian
Good job this, brightens up the area.
By York Street