Fore overhauls 24 Mount Street rebuild plans
The latest owner of 24 Mount Street in Manchester is preparing to submit a planning application for the redevelopment of the 48,000 sq ft office, scaling back plans approved under previous ownership from 175,000 sq ft to an 80,000 sq ft scheme.
Titan Investors sold the building, formerly London Scottish House, to Fore Partnerships at the end of last year for £13m. Titan had gained planning permission in 2014 for a 175,000 sq ft redevelopment designed by Eric Parry, to be known as the Assembly building. In turn, when Titan bought the office from the National Asset Management Agency and Walls Developments in 2012, the site had been earmarked for a 220,000 sq ft tower.
A 175,000 sq ft tower was approved in 2014, designed by Eric Parry
Working with architect TP Bennett, Fore said that its plans for 24 Mount Street are to create “high quality, sustainable offices geared towards offering future occupiers flexibility, forward thinking work spaces and a collaborative environment”.
24 Mount Street is in Manchester’s Civic Quarter, next to the Midland Hotel, and the Manchester Conference Centre. Plans for the building include offices, a mix of retail and food outlets on the ground floor, a roof terrace and improvements to the public realm.
Basil Demeroutis, managing partner of Fore, said: “The proposal represents a fantastic opportunity to redevelop and regenerate an out-moded and underutilised 1970s office building.
“For the last seven years 24 Mount Street has sat empty, neither playing its part in the economic life of the city nor contributing successfully to the local environment.
“Our plans are different to the scheme that was previously approved for this site. However, we are confident that FORE’s proposal offers a financially viable alternative, that is fully funded and in keeping with the buildings in the immediate vicinity.
“Redeveloping the existing building will also bring highly sought after Grade A office space to the market so much quicker.”
Last month Fore reopened the office for use as artist workspaces and studios, until work starts on the redevelopment. The planning application is to be submitted by the end of June, and construction is due to begin at the end of this year.
Fore is a pan-European real estate investment platform for family offices and private investors.
An information event is being held today at 24 Mount Street between 3.30-7pm, for the public to view the plans and find out more about the proposal.
OMG, what a shame. The 175,000 sq ft approved tower looked so dynamic, iconic even.. However, this scaled down 80,000 sq ft scheme, with its random top floor design, has suffered a dumbing down. Its saving grace.. well, the green facade brightens it up, and it will be better than what is there at the moment. Nevertheless, a wasted opportunity in my humble opinion.
By Phil
Really quite dreadful and lacking in ambition. This would be dowdy on a back street in Ancoats. Not good enough to be placed opposite Manchester Central, never mind next to the Midland Hotel. The existing building is better.
By Bibo
Much better than the old design
By creep
Ghastly.Another Manchester building,with all the aesthetic glamour of a Nissan hut. London builds the Shard and we give a Central location,in an area where Manchester’s best civic buildings are to a Tooting Broadway sub branch of the DWP.
By Elephant
Its not that bad! Surely better than the last one, which looked like a shrunken-down version of the NOMA PRS resi scheme to me.
By creep
This could be really interesting, but there’s nowhere near enough detail in the image. It will be made or broken by the quality of the external envelope. I’m really glad it’s not trying to be “iconic” which is usually just a lazy term for “ignores context”
By Gene Walker
Boring.Such a great site deserves a much bigger and higher build.
By Schwyz
Excellent point about context there Gene – I was originally going to say something disparaging about typical “iconic” designs, and I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. I’m not sure I’d describe this design as sympathetic, but it doesn’t look totally out of place either. Its reasonable and not unpleasant – more than can be said for most stuff going in in most city centres!
By creep
So disappointing. One of the worst proposals we’ve seen for a long time especially in such a key location.
By Schom
Christ almighty that is horrendous
By T
Very poor. Pity such and important site has such a low quality proposal. A lower building, makes less developer profit, hence the cheap facade. Dreadful shame.
By Jonny
Its not great, but better than most developments in Manch city centre, which has become a dumping ground for dodgy designs in the last 20 years.
By creep