Casino and hotel plan for vacant office tower

PLANS to revitalise a city centre office block into a mixed use development including a casino and 183-bed hotel, have been revealed.

Manchester developers Property Alliance Group want to invest significantly in 55 Portland Street, a 13-storey office block on the edge of Chinatown and the city’s Gay Village.

Built in 1961, as Telephone House, the building is currently largely vacant after the Co-operative Group left five years ago.

City Council planners are backing the proposed redevelopment, which will go before the planning committee on Thursday.   

A 30-page plan drawn up by Stephenson Studio says the revamp will also include ground florr retail, a bar, restaurant and underground car park.  The plan involves re-cladding the building, adding an extra storey on top, as well as building a new smaller, wedge-shaped hotel extension onto the side.

It states:  “55 Portland Street no longer caters for the needs of today’s commercial office marketplace. The condition of the building is deteriorating and urgently needs intervention to ensure the structure can be redeveloped and brought back into active use. The proposed scheme will achieve this.”

“The development presents a unique opportunity to deliver growth in the city centre’s  economy and ensure this gateway site provides a significant and positive contribution to Manchester’s cityscape.”