Rylands revamp: CGIs revealed

The former Debenhams in Piccadilly Gardens is set to be transformed into a mixed use office, retail, and leisure complex.

Russell WBHO has been appointed main contractor of the project which is set to get underway this year. The team is known for its specialist heritage refurbishment projects across the North West, having delivered numerous listed building refurbishments including Manchester’s NOMA heritage regeneration programme and the Municipal Hotel in Liverpool.

The project includes creation of a ‘winter gardens’ on the sixth floor, multiple roof terraces and a four-storey upwards extension.

It will be refurbished and upgraded to BREEAM Excellent and NABERS five-star accreditation with air source heat pumps, solar panels, modern Crittal style glazing on windows, and a mixed-operation heating and ventilation system installed.

The Rylands Building was originally built in the 1930s and has been vacant since the department store closed.

The revamp has been designed by Jeffrey Bell Architects and will see more than 300,600 sq ft of workspace created along with 36,700 sq ft of ground-floor retail, and nearly 40,000 sq ft of employee amenities such as changing and shower facilities, an exercise studio, a wellness suite, and cycle storage, in the basement.

OBI has been appointed agent for the workspace lettings, with offices across 10 floors ranging from 6,103 sq ft to 42,915 sq ft.

Barker Proudlove is the project’s retail agent, with space on offer from 130 sq ft to 16,170 sq ft.