Two tenants commit to longer leases at canal-side premises

Two engineering companies will expand their space at Carvers Warehouse in Manchester, near the Northern Quarter.

Civic Engineers, and Renaissance, have both agreed new terms with building owner Town Centre Securities (TCS). Collectively, they now occupy almost 7,500 sq ft.

Structural, civil and transport engineering business, Civic Engineers has occupied Carvers Warehouse since 2009, first as Stockley Broster O’Malley, and then, from 2013, as Civic Engineers.

Under the new arrangements, it has expanded into 5,300 sq ft of accommodation on the ground and lower ground floors on a new 10-year lease.

Civic Engineers operates a 160+ strong team with studios in Manchester, Leeds, London and Glasgow.

Structural and civil engineering consultancy Renaissance has expanded into 2,196 sq ft of space from part of the second floor to the fourth floor on a new two-year lease.

TCS said part of the second floor, comprising 1,534 sq ft of prime accommodation, is now available to let.

One of the oldest surviving stone-built warehouses in Manchester city centre, Grade II-listed Carvers offers 22,000 sq ft of space over four floors in a canal-side setting. The building was sensitively refurbished in 2020 to deliver prime accommodation including break out areas, meeting pod, communal areas, shared workspace, cycle storage and shower facilities, as well as an on-site café/deli and parking.

TCS associate director, Chris Collins, said: “The commitment of these expanding businesses to Carvers is testament to the prime quality space we have to offer in the heart of Manchester’s flourishing Piccadilly Basin.”

James Bruce, Civic Engineers director, said: “Civic Engineers has a long history with Carvers Warehouse. It is a building we are extremely fond of and as it was one of our engineering projects, we are incredibly proud of it, too.

“Given the business was founded here, it seems fitting that as we grow we have been able to take more space and adapt and refurbish the studio to fit our growing team and the new ways of working and active travel that we have embraced as a result of the pandemic.”