First tenant for revamped former CIS offices | Offices.org.uk

First tenant for revamped former CIS offices

Posted on by John Cronin

A first letting has been secured at a speculative scheme in former CIS offices in Manchester.

55 Portland StreetAgents Matthews and Goodman, acting on behalf of landlords AXA Real Estate, have secured the initial letting at the 55 Portland Street office redevelopment.

Languages school Alliance Francaise has signed a 10-year lease on 5,283 sq ft of space on the 3rd floor of the 11-storey block. The school will be relocating from offices at Churchgate House in Oxford Street. The rental price has not been disclosed.

The Portland Street building was previously owned by Cooperative Insurance Services (CIS), now part of the Cooperative Group. CIS also own the Grade II Listed office building in Miller Street known as the CIS Tower. When completed in 1962 it was the third-tallest office building in Europe. In 2005 the building was clad with photovoltaic tiles (image) with the electricity generated fed into the National Grid.

Having undergone a full interior refurbishment programme over the last 12-months, 55 Portland Street now offers 68,480 sq ft of Grade A rated floor space. Suites are available from 2,500 sq ft upwards. Floor plates are approximately 5,400 sq ft.

Commenting on the deal, Rob Peill, leasing agent at Matthews & Goodman said: “The quality of the refurbishment and competitively priced rental levels have generated strong early interest in the building from a diverse range of occupiers.”

The Co-operative Group is a major occupier of Manchester office space and also has ambitious plans for an £800m mixed-used development in the city. The company has proposed the NOMA 53 scheme which is to include a new 326,000 sq ft company headquarters office building, due to open in September 2012.

Joint agents for the 55 Portland Street scheme are Matthews Goodman and WHR Property.

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