Bid submitted to re-position prime city centre office block 

Luxembourg-based private equity firm, Parthena Reys, owner of One Hardman Boulevard in Spinningfields, has lodged an application to re-position the nine-storey 350,000 sq ft office building, formerly home to Natwest.

CGI of Hardman Boulevard atrium

Parthena Reys acquired the building from Natwest in December 2023, for an undisclosed sum – believed to be in the region of £70m – and has  worked up a new scheme for its asset.

The building will be re-launched as The Metropolitan and is being converted to create a multi-tenanted, modern workspace building featuring active ground floor uses, three impressive feature atria and a large external roof terrace.  It will also offer best-in-class wellness facilities.

The significant investment being made into one of Manchester’s largest office buildings, featuring single floors of 39,000 sq ft, will provide a much needed boost to the city’s prime office market.

The feature of the development is a widening of the central core and turning the three large building atria into a series of juxtaposed terraces and meeting pods bathing in natural light, with the option of linking floors via internal staircases.

From an ESG perspective, The Metropolitan will perform exceptionally well, says the owner. By repurposing the existing structure the embodied carbon benefits will be far superior to that of a new-build development.

CGI of One Hardman Boulevard atrium

Jonas Mallard, of Parthena Reys, said: “Our proposals for the building will ensure a building brimming with personality and activity – the ground and first floors will be fully adaptable to meet tenants’ need of hospitality, wellness, meeting rooms, collaboration areas, events and workspace.

“The link between terraces and the lower floors will create a ‘village community’, aimed to fostering the perfect working environment for today’s professionals.  Our building amenity and service will set a new standard for the city.”

Subject to planning approval, construction work is expected to start mid-2025 and will complete in 2026.

The project team includes Simpson Haugh Architects, Gardiner Theobald, Cundalls, OFR, Renaissance, Ashton Hale, Project 4 Safety and Hann Tucker. The appointed leasing advisors are OBI and CBRE.