Development work starts on Ancoats office scheme

Work has now started on site at Two Express, with an expected completion date of September this year.

Located behind the former Daily Express Building on Great Ancoats Street, Express Networks was acquired by Philip J Davies (Holdings) in 2017.

It is made up of two properties, which have been rebranded as One Express and Two Express.

Two Express, which totals 12,600 sq ft, is being refurbished first.

The refurbishment work will see the existing entrance replaced with a new, larger, entrance facing onto George Leigh Street, providing a better focal point and a more contemporary finish.

In addition, the ground floor entrance area will also be refurbished.

Further improvements will include the lift being replaced and the first floor will be stripped out to provide high quality office space.

Glazed partitions will help to retain clear views of the surrounding streets and buildings.

The refurbishment and general finishes will reflect the Art Deco feel of the building.

In4m are the property consultants for both One and Two Express, with Stephenson Studio the architect for the scheme and OBI and Daniel Harris the leasing consultants.

One and Two Express are the latest additions to PJD Holdings’ city centre portfolio, sitting alongside Sevendale House in the Northern Quarter which was redeveloped in 2014 to offer 65,000 sq ft of offices and 30,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space.

Their portfolio also includes buildings in Manchester city centre including Murray House, 31/31A Tib Street and 19B Quay Street, along with a number of other properties located in the North West.

Mark Davies, director of PJD, said: “As a location, Ancoats has really started to flourish in recent years, attracting a real mix of businesses to the area.

“Two Express will provide modern, attractive, space, while retaining the character of the building and we’re confident it will appeal to a range of companies, from entrepreneurs, to small and medium size businesses.

“As a company we are attempting to be able to offer some collaborative workspace, resident desks and standard office suites to enable our tenants to grow within our estate.”