New creative neighbourhood to breathe life into derelict Piccadilly East buildings

A huge new creative neighbourhood is being planned for Manchester.

The 200,000 sq ft plot being developed is located between Store Street and Ducie Street.

It includes a die-cast foundry which dates back to 1870, and a larger modern warehouse from 1983, complete with high ceilings and corrugated steel exterior.

Following on from their sites on Swan Street (Ramona and The Firehouse) which renovated an old garage, the team intend to breathe life into the historic, derelict buildings in the Piccadilly East neighbourhood.

Formerly the Diecast Presbar Factory, one of Manchester’s biggest factories, it will feature a large beer hall and brewery, as well as a night market for independent retailers, a bakery, offices and expansive green gardens in the centre of the city.

During the daytime, the Store Street corner of the building will be transformed into an artisan bakery, deli, coffee shop and tap room, while a Barbecue Open Kitchen will serve simple, rustic street food cooked on the wood grill.

Outside, the gardens which line the canal front will feature long tables with a herb garden and bee hives; “a city centre place to sit in nature”.

A Very Inc, headed up by directors Joel Wilkinson, Adelaide Winter, Dan Mullen founders of Mission Mars and the people responsible for Albert Schloss, Deaf Institute, now Ramona and The Firehouse, are behind the project, looking to transform the huge site into a new creative neighbourhood.

More details will be announced soon. Follow @diecastmcr to keep up to date with the project.