NOMA achieves practical completion at Dantzic

NOMA, the 20-acre mixed-use neighbourhood in central Manchester, has completed construction at Dantzic, a Grade II-listed building that has been transformed into 45,000 sq ft of high-quality office space.

Finished two months ahead of build schedule, Dantzic will help meet soaring demand for workspace in Manchester, as the city’s booming economy continues to attract occupiers not just from the UK but across the world, too.

Situated on the corner of Dantzic Street and Hanover Street, the 1930s building offers excellent transport links and connectivity, being just a short walk away from Manchester Victoria station.

Dantzic also overlooks Sadler’s Yard, Manchester’s newest public square and home to The Pilcrow, a hand-built community pub.

The revamp of the Grade II-listed building – built in 1937 – is the third of four NOMA projects undertaken by Russells Construction, a Manchester-based contractor.

Nearby Hanover, which was completed in October, will house the first Amazon UK HQ outside of London, while work started on-site at Redfern earlier this year.

Construction work at Dantzic consisted of removing the outer facade, taking the building back to brick and revealing the original plasterwork and parquet flooring which had been covered by carpet for decades.

Heritage features like these have proven popular with creative and tech firms across the globe.

A new staircase was also added, linking the two basement levels with each of the seven floors above ground, along with new bathroom facilities on each floor.

Suspended ceilings were removed, allowing the full height of each window to be revealed, enabling plenty of natural light to enter.

Practical completion at Dantzic comes soon after NOMA unveiled plans for 4 Angel Square, a new Grade A office building that will help unlock further development.

The 200,000 sq ft commercial scheme will be speculatively developed by NOMA, representing a huge vote of confidence in the Manchester market.

In total, NOMA will provide 2.5 million sq ft of both new-build and renovated office space at various price points, situated alongside housing, public realm as well as retail and leisure opportunities.

Hermes Investment Management, the £33.5bn manager, is the investment manager of NOMA, with MEPC acting as development manager.

Stephen Bradley, senior asset manager at Hermes Investment Management, said: “We have invested significantly in the listed estate at NOMA, helping preserve Manchester’s built heritage for future generations while ensuring the buildings are suitable for the workforce of today and tomorrow.

“With loft-style office space that has proven popular in cities worldwide, we anticipate strong interest in Dantzic.”

Paul Pavia, head of development at MEPC, said: “Practical completion at Dantzic marks another chapter in the progress we have made at NOMA, and we look forward to taking the rest of the listed estate forward while also delivering the new-build element, helping meet soaring demand for high quality office space in Manchester.”

Gareth Russell, director at Russells Construction, said: “The standard of refurbishment and restoration of these listed buildings is a real testament to the whole project team, but particularly the client and their deep commitment to seeing the heritage preserved.

“Together, we have again created a stunning, contemporary internal space, complemented by heritage features and a beautifully enhanced external façade.”