ISG secures Hulme Library office conversion
A team including designer Space Invader and main contractor ISG is set to bring forward the conversion of the former Hulme Library on Stretford Road into a 22,000 sq ft office for Manchester City Council.
The 1960s building formerly housed a library, adult education, creche and café, before its closure in 2014. After being temporarily used as a homeless shelter between 2015 and 2016, the building has remained vacant ever since. Manchester City Council is now pushing forward with a refurbishment and extension of the building to house a district office.
Proposals for the building include major alterations to the interior, including re-purposing the ground floor to house a reception, open-plan offices, and publicly-accessible interview rooms. The upper floors are due to also include open-plan offices, and the building is expected to offer space for around 200 desks over nearly 22,000 sq ft.
Mechanical and electrical services will be replaced while a new single-storey element will be built to house cycle parking and a bin store.
The building’s exterior will also receive a makeover with windows due to be replaced, additional cladding to the exterior, and the retention of the building’s mural.
Contractor ISG is due to start work on the building in the summer and is looking to complete the project by March next year. The professional team also includes Cassidy + Ashton; Scott Hughes Design as structural engineer; and RPS as M&E consultant.
Great to see the building back in use – would have been nice if it could somehow been turned into properties for local people…but maybe that’s to much to ask for nowadays.
By Coolmanc
Whilst we the local resident accept that there will a level of disruption to our lives with the noise from the construction work, there is also a responsibility on ISG and its employees to appreciate that they are working in a residential area and do their utmost best to keep the noise level down. We are woken by men chatting in very loud voices on scaffolds before 8am, moving equipment nosily on Ellis street etc. Things that can be carried on rollers are thrown and banged without any consideration of the noise and distressed caused to local residents.
By Nichola
RE: Hulme Library. Not ANOTHER grey building, in grey manchester? Are you having a laugh? There are a zillion colours to choose from (see Pantone for inspiration).
By l gaither
Almost reminds me of the Crescent’s !
By Tha' Knows