Work set to start on landmark Castlefield scheme
A building firm has been appointed for a £26m landmark scheme in the Castlefield area of city centre Manchester.
Mulbury has appointed GMI Construction as the main contractor on it Excelsior Works scheme.
The eight-storey development of 108 flats, being marketed for private sale, will transform the former Excelsior Mill printing and book binding works next to the Bridgewater canal. It is one of the last available sites in the popular area.
Remediation work on the site, off Hulme Hall Road, has already been completed and GMI will start construction in June.
Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Leeds, GMI Construction is an £80m turnover business which has completed projects across a wide range of sectors, including residential.
GMI opened its North West office in Manchester last year and is currently on site with the Dakota Deluxe hotel and Burlington House residential schemes in Piccadilly Basin.
GMI has previously delivered the Hatbox Residential in Ancoats.
James Alderson, head of Mulbury City, said: “It’s great to be getting work underway at Excelsior Works which will offer a great location for people wanting to live and work in Manchester.”
Marc Banks, commercial director for GMI, said: “We’re delighted to be Mulbury’s construction partner for the Excelsior Works project. We’re looking forward to working with the project team and successfully delivering this prestigious development.”
Designed by Tim Groom Architects, Excelsior Works will offer a mix of one, two and three-bedroom flats.
Some of the apartments will have balconies and access to a communal roof garden, while basement parking will be available.
Excelsior Mill, which formerly occupied the site, was one of the largest book binding works in the UK and employed hundreds of workers.
The mill had been unoccupied for many years and had to be demolished in 2015 following a partial collapse of the structure.
It is one of the last vacant sites on this stretch of the Bridgewater canal to be redeveloped.
In February, Mulbury secured a £20m funding deal with Wellesley Group to build out the site. Completion is scheduled for the end of 2019.
