The first skyscraper ever built in Manchester has gone up for sale.
The CIS Tower is a familiar pillar of the city centre skyline, standing in the NOMA development near Manchester Victoria and the Northern Quarter.
The 26-storey building was previously home to Cooperative Insurance but is currently vacant.
Built in the 1960s, the Grade II-listed tower was briefly the tallest building in the UK.
Last year, the building was relaunched as ‘vertical community’ Society, promising to deliver the ‘best working environment in the city’.
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The CIS Tower in Manchester city centre, now known as Society. Credit: Geograph
The CIS Tower in Manchester city centre, now known as Society. Credit: Unsplash
The hunt is now on to find a new owner for this landmark commercial property, which will have food, drink and retail space at street level as well as 143,527 sq ft of workspace in the tower, and a further 207,379 sq ft in the podium element.
Marketing materials from Castlebrooke Investments, BSB (Bampton Satchwell Bull) and Colliers state: “Society has been designed to provide a vibrant stimulating working environment at the heart of Manchester’s most exciting district.
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“The design philosophy has been to respond to occupiers needs and aspirations – both “work and play”, and create a “vertical community” that connects to the wider community and is accessible to all.
The CIS Tower in Manchester city centre, now known as Society. Credit: SocietyMCR
“The creation of such an iconic building whilst cognisant of technical and operational needs in the form of best design guidance – has responded to create a place of enjoyment and fulfilment which will help in attracting and retaining talent and a place that occupiers customers and partners will enjoy.”
A spokesperson from Castlebrooke said: “Castlebrooke has worked strategically alongside core stakeholders to put measures in place to deliver what is now believed to be the best ‘oven ready’ redevelopment opportunity in Manchester.
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“The global prestige and iconic reputation of the former CIS Tower, alongside Castlebrooke’s compelling vision for the scheme, has brought about interest from investors/developers across the globe.
“As such, we believe now is the right time to offer the opportunity up to one of the many interested parties to take the asset forward.”
At the time the Society plans were revealed last year, Sir Richard Leese, then-leader of Manchester City Council, said: “This is a landmark site with a proud history which has been honoured through Castlebrooke’s sympathetic redevelopment programme.
“Society complements the established neighbourhood of vibrant communities in this part of the city and marks an exciting new era for the building and a creative re-imagining of an established working environment, which Manchester’s business community will no doubt embrace.”
Featured image: SocietyMCR
Property
New images give sneak peak at £210m redevelopment plans for ‘eyesore’ Manchester hotel
Emily Sergeant
New images giving a sneak peak at impressive £210 million plans to redevelop a Manchester city centre hotel once branded an “eyesore” have been released.
The former Renaissance Hotel is undoubtedly one of the most divisive buildings on Deansgate, was notably once labelled an “eyesore”, and had been facing demolition since 2018 – but plans were eventually unveiled to redevelop it into a part-office, part-hotel, and part-residential complex a few years back.
The brutalist structure is set for a whopping £210 million makeover, which is being overseen by Property Alliance Group and Starwood Capital.
Developers have now released a handful of new images showing what the new offices will look like.
New images give sneak peak at £210m redevelopment plans for ‘eyesore’ Manchester hotel / Credit: Property Alliance Group
According to redevelopment plans, the offices within the building will be spread over four floors and be around 36,000 sq ft in size.
With work expected to begin on the building by the end of next month, plans also show that there will be a communal roof terrace, a wellbeing studio, bike store, and showers with changing rooms, as well as flexible office space.
Speaking on the redevelopment plans, Alex Russell – CEO at Property Alliance Group – said the project is as “important” to the company as it is to the city of Manchester.
“It demands best-in-class for design and amenities to maximise its riverside location [and] we cannot wait to relaunch this vibrant and engaging destination for the city’s residents and visitors.”
Will Lewis, who is the founder of OBI, which is the company that’s been tasked with “bringing the commercial space to market” added that he wants to see both large and small companies rent office space within the building once redevelopment is complete.
“New build office development of this nature is unique, as it enables both large corporates seeking a self-contained HQ and SMEs to take space on a floor-by-floor basis,” he explained.
“The building will boast an array of high-quality amenities including a vibrant ground floor coffee offering, wellbeing space and a stunning roof terrace and pavilion.”
Featured Image – Property Alliance Group
Property
Huge 55-storey ‘tombstone’ Oxford Road skyscraper to go ahead despite objections
Emily Sergeant
Plans to build a massive skyscraper dubbed the ‘tombstone’ in Manchester city centre are to go ahead despite objections.
The imposing 55-storey tower containing 850 student flats, which is on top of a car park off Oxford Road in the heart of the city centre, was approved all the way back in July 2021, and was soon dubbed the ‘tombstone’ by local residents who opposed the project and lodged an appeal to the Hight Court.
More than 750 letters of objection were said to have been received by planners, the MEN reports.
Local residents from the neighbouring Macintosh Village opposed the plans for the new skyscraper based on environmental grounds, and raised issues on possible exposure to contaminated construction dust, as well as querying how often a crane would go over a car park and how this would potentially prevent access to their parking spaces.
Complaints about GMS Parking Limited’s proposal for the skyscraper ranged from issues to do with its height and design, to the overall impact.
Huge 55-storey ‘tombstone’ Oxford Road skyscraper to go ahead despite objections / Credit: Glenn Howell Architects
Residents said they believed the skyscraper could impact on their mortgages and their health.
The lawsuit brought to the High Court by Mackintosh Village Management Ltd, which represents nearly 500 tenants in the development, cited six grounds which the group believed showed Manchester City Council had acted unlawfully – which included allegations that local authority officials had “seriously misled” the planning committee.
Residents believe they were misled by the planning committee advising them on parking restrictions during the demolition and construction phases – particularly during the erection or dismantling of tower cranes.
More than 750 letters of objection were said to have been received / Credit: Glenn Howell Architects
But Mr Justice Fordham at the Hight Court said this week that there was not enough evidence to overturn the approval decision, and therefore ruled against the Macintosh Village residents, as well as rejecting an application by the management company for permission to amend the pleas.
Daisy Jackson -
28th June 2022 
