Piccadilly Tower

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Piccadilly Tower

Render of how the tower is expected to look when completed.
Information
Location Manchester
Coordinates 53°28′42.96″N, 2°13′50.88″WCoordinates: 53°28′42.96″N, 2°13′50.88″W
Status Under construction
Estimated completion 2010[1]
Use Residential, hotel and car parking
Roof 188 m (617 ft)[1]
Floor count 58[2]
Cost £220 million[2]
Companies
Architect Woods Bagot[1]
Developer Ballymore[2]

The Piccadilly Tower (also known as Eastgate and previously known as Inacity Tower)[2] is a major development designed by Woods Bagot[1] which is currently undergoing site preparation in Manchester city centre, England. The development will provide a 58-storey skyscraper with a height of 188 m (617 ft).[1] When complete the building will become the tallest building in Manchester[2] and the tallest building in the UK outside of London[3] (a title currently held by Beetham Tower Manchester but likely to be inherited by Lumiere in Leeds).

The tower will provide 420 residential units and a 220 bed hotel,[2] as well as a fitness centre, conference facilities, restaurants and bars.[4] New public walkways will be constructed along the Ashton Canal, which is adjacent to the site.[1] A car park will be constructed in the three underground floors, with 349 residential spaces and 400 spaces in a NCP car park. There will also be a 17-storey "East build" section at the side of the main tower, with retail/commercial/residential occupancy on floors -2 through to 1, and residential units on floors 2 through 17.[4]

The site was previously an NCP car park[2] on a railway viaduct located to the rear of Piccadilly Station[3] between Store Street and Ducie Street. It was purchased by Inacity for £14 million in 2003.[5] The proposal for the building was submitted by Inacity in 2004[6] and was approved one year later, in March 2005.[2] The total cost of the development is expected to be £220 million.[2]

The project was originally a joint venture between Inacity and Merepark, but the venture has since been sold to Irish property developers Ballymore, with Inacity retaining a small share. This will be Ballymore's first development in the Manchester area.[2][7] The top four floors of the building will be occupied by Wayne Mellor, the chairman of Inacity.[2]

Groundwork for the tower started in January 2008,[8] and is expected to be completed in August 2008. The work consists of demolishing the 8 m tall arches currently occupying the site, the redirection of a sewer passing through the site, and the construction of a 19 m deep concrete retaining wall to the north, where the site is adjacent to a canal.[9]

The site for Piccadilly Tower in February 2008

The site of Piccadilly Tower in April 2008

Proposed height of the completed Piccadilly Tower, compared to the height of other existing and approved tall buildings in Manchester.


[edit] References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
  1. ^ a b c d e f Piccadilly Tower, Manchester. Emporis (2008-02-17).
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Barry, Chris. "Piccadilly Tower Boost", Manchester Evening News, 13 September 2007. Retrieved on 2008-02-17. 
  3. ^ a b Building - 331 - Piccadilly Tower - Manchester. SkyScraperNews.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-17.
  4. ^ a b Inacity Tower Official Website. Retrieved on 2008-02-18.
  5. ^ "Ballymore targets 620ft Eastgate Tower development in Manchester", Irish Times, 12 September 2007. Retrieved on 2007-02-17. 
  6. ^ News: 60-storey proposal for gateway site in Manchester (13 December 2004). Retrieved on 2008-02-17.
  7. ^ Inacity Sell Manchester Tower Plan To Ballymore. SkyScraperNews.com (30 August 2007). Retrieved on 2008-02-17.
  8. ^ Work Starts On Piccadilly Tower. SkyScraperNews.com (29 January 2008). Retrieved on 2008-02-17.
  9. ^ Work Starts On Piccadilly Tower. birsecl.co.uk (26 March 2008). Retrieved on 2008-03-26.
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