Latest Noma office completes
Russells Construction has completed work to refurbish the Dutch modernist-style Redfern building in Manchester, providing 25,000 sq ft of office space and 8,500 sq ft for other commercial uses.
The grade two-listed Redfern was built in 1936 and is located on Dantzic Street within Noma, the 20-acre mixed-use neighbourhood north of the city centre that is being delivered by Federated Hermes, an entity of asset manager Hermes Investment Management. The site had previously housed a warehouse and an office block.
Redfern is the latest listed building on the Noma estate to be redeveloped into modern office space. Building works at Hanover House, where Amazon has opened its first UK headquarters outside of London, completed in October 2018, while the nearby Dantzic building reached practical completion last spring.
Main contractor work for both projects was undertaken by Russells and the redevelopment of the Redfern was designed by Sheppard Robson architects.
Stephen Bradley, senior asset manager at Federated Hermes, said: “Practical completion at Redfern marks another milestone in the redevelopment of the listed estate at Noma.
“We take a long-term view and remain confident in the fundamentals of the Manchester office market.”
Hermes Investment Management was originally delivering the Noma project in a joint venture with the Co-operative Group, through the pair’s JV regeneration developer called Noma. However, Hermes acquired the Co-operative Group’s stake in the Noma sites, and the buildings, for an undisclosed sum in 2017.
MEPC, which was acquired by Federated Hermes earlier this year, is development manager for Noma after being appointed in 2018.
Once complete, Noma will offer 2.5m sq ft of new build and renovated office space; the Redfern building is to provide 1% of that. Noma is also home to One Angel Square, the headquarters of the Co-operative Group.
As well as offices, the development will include retail, public realm and residential aspects.
Lyons Thompson Letts Property Consultants and Colliers are joint retail and leisure agents for Noma, while JLL and Colliers are the office agents.
Stephen Levrant Heritage Architecture is heritage consultant.
Other developments within Noma include Moda’s 36-storey residential scheme Angel Gardens, as well as Federation, which provides 71,000 sq ft of workspace.
