Avison Young appointment at Manchester’s Ducie House

Avison Young’s property and asset management team has been instructed by Town Centre Securities (TCS) to provide a full management service for Ducie House in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.

The team will be responsible for looking after the building which is home to more than 50 tenant companies.

The appointment comes after Avison Young’s office agency team advised TCS on its £9m acquisition of the 33,000 sq ft building earlier this year.

TCS is undertaking an extensive refurbishment programme of Ducie House which will be re-designed to offer modern office space on a flexible basis for growing companies.

Avison Young is also retained as letting agent and is marketing 9,475 sq ft of vacant space in the building.

Anna Main, Avison Young director, said: “Ducie House is home to some of the city’s leading small businesses in its office and studio complex and we are very proud to have been charged by Town Centre Securities with maintaining the high standard of facilities offered in the building.

“We have recruited three more people into the asset management team to accommodate the growth we have seen in recent months and it’s great to have Ducie House in our portfolio.”

Chris Collins, asset manager at TCS, said: “Town Centre Securities’ acquisition of Ducie House in July 2018 was another significant milestone in us further establishing a strong portfolio of properties across the North West.

“We are delighted with the initial interest in Ducie House and are, therefore, already looking at plans for additional investment in the building.”

The landmark property was transformed from a petticoat factory into loft-style workspaces two decades ago by its previous owner, Urban Splash.

It has a 63-space car park and 64 office suites, ranging in size from 82-3,900 sq ft.

Over the years it has been occupied by iconic Manchester groups such as 808 State and Simply Red, as well as firms like ANS, UK Fast, Ask Developments and Ear to the Ground.

Town Centre Securities owns the adjoining Piccadilly Basin, Urban Exchange, Carver’s Warehouse and Burlington House.