Square Gardens

This article is about the mixed use development in Manchester, England. Not to be confused with Madison Square Garden.

Square Gardens
Former names	Downing Living First Street Plot 11 First Street South
General information
Status	Under construction
Type	Residential high-rise, commercial, leisure, retail
Location	Manchester, Greater Manchester, England, United Kingdom
Coordinates	53.47156°N 2.24464°W / 53.47156; -2.24464
Construction started	2022
Completed	Phase 1: August 2024 Phase 2: March 2025[1]
Cost	£400 million[1]
Owner	Downing
Height	Building D: 139 m (456 ft) Building B: 82 m (269 ft) Building A: 71 m (233 ft) Building C: 52 m (172 ft)[2]
Technical details
Floor count	Building D: 45 Building B: 26 Building A: 22 Building C: 17
Floor area	90,112 m^2 (969,960 sq ft)
Design and construction
Architect(s)	SimpsonHaugh[3]
Main contractor	Downing
Website
squaregardens.com

Square Gardens is a co-living development in Manchester, England. The first phase of the scheme, Acer Tower, comprises 1,187 beds across 716 units which opened in 2024.[4] The Fernley, a 45-storey residential building with 525 units, is expected to open in Spring 2025. The development will also provide 17,000 sq ft (1,600 m^2) of commercial, leisure and retail space.[5] If fully constructed, the development will feature around 2,200 residential units in total across four buildings, which were designed by SimpsonHaugh.[6]

Once completed, the 45-storey tower will become the ninth-tallest building in Greater Manchester.

History

Planning

The planning application for four buildings of heights varying from 10 to 45 storeys was submitted to Manchester City Council in January 2020,[7][8] with planning approval obtained in September 2020.[6]

Construction

Enabling works on site started in January 2022, with construction commencing in March 2022.[9] Installation of the buildings' façades started in May 2023.[10] Completion of phase one is scheduled for August 2024, with phase two expected in March 2025.[1]

Facilities

The development will include a 3,000 sq ft (280 m^2) café and 14,000 sq ft (1,300 m^2) gym located within an amenity building which will be open to the public. Its landscaping proposals include the planting of 140 trees.[11]

See also

• List of tallest buildings in the United Kingdom
• List of tallest buildings and structures in Greater Manchester

References

1. Kilgannon, Laurence (4 May 2023). "Milestone As Co-Living Scheme Named By Developer". Insider Media. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
2. "Downing Living". Skyscraper Center. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
3. "First Street South". SimpsonHaugh. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
4. Valentine, Charlie (18 September 2024). "Phase one of Downing's £400m Square Gardens co-living project complete". Place North West. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
5. Patel, Bea (10 May 2023). "Square Gardens co-living scheme marks major milestone". BTR News. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
6. Whelan, Dan (23 January 2023). "Downing secures £227m loan for Manchester cluster". Place North West. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
7. "Planning – Application Summary 125573/FO/2019". Manchester City Council. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
8. Middleton-Pugh, Jessica (28 January 2020). "Gallery: Downing submits plans for 45-storey co-living tower". Place North West. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
9. Morby, Aaron (21 January 2022). "Enabling works start at £400m Manchester First Street". Construction Enquirer. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
10. Sell, George (5 May 2022). "Construction milestone for £400 million Manchester coliving scheme". Urban Living News. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
11. Timan, Joseph; Davies, Ethan (1 January 2023). "New towers, a groundbreaking arena and loads of homes: The big list of what's coming to Manchester in 2023". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 31 July 2023.

External links

• Official website
• First Street South at SimpsonHaugh