The move puts Ocon in the same building as the firm’s parent company, The Opal Property Group.
Originally built in 1867, The Place was one of four warehouses built by the rail companies and is the only one to have survived. Given Grade II listed status in 1998, the building was sympathetically refurbished during the same year, becoming an apartment hotel and commercial offices. It remains a cultural landmark in close proximity to Manchester Piccadilly Railway Station and the city centre.
Managing director of Ocon, Andrew Barker, was also project manager on the £27 million Piccadilly Gate scheme, which saw the company strip back the out-dated ten-storey office building to its concrete frame and complete a stunning refurbishment.
Andrew comments: “I was hoping for a room with a view and my office has a fantastic view of Piccadilly Gate, a showpiece project for Ocon and a landmark office building for Manchester. “The Place” is steeped in history and the attention to detail that characterises Victorian buildings will inspire our team to maintain our own high quality standards. This is a significant move for us into premises that provide scope for further expansion as we build on our geographic spread and realise our strategic growth plan.”
Andrew adds: “Ocon’s projects are spread as far north as Dundee and as far south as Exeter but Manchester is our home. Finding the right base from which to begin the next chapter in our development was really important to us and with its central location, striking architecture and rich history, The Place fits the bill completely.”
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