The roof terrace on the fourteenth floor of Chancery Place is currently being transformed into a facility that all tenants can enjoy, not just those that can afford to lease the penthouse floor.
Five years ago, none of Manchester’s multi-let office buildings had a communal roof terrace. Now, there are around a dozen with more on the way.
There are over 350 multi-let office buildings in Manchester’s Central Business District (‘CBD’). Yet only a handful feature a communal roof terrace. But why is that? Is the weather in Manchester really that bad? And why are so many roof terraces now being opened up for communal use?
The communal roof terrace at Chancery Place will be complemented by a new business lounge and boardroom, both of which will have spectacular views over the city.
Traditionally, a roof terrace was a corporate status symbol mainly because the rent for the penthouse suite usually carried a hefty premium. But things appear to be changing, and the COVID pandemic might have something to do with it.
Understandably, both landlords and their corporate tenants want staff to return to the office as soon as it is safe to do so. That way, landlords get to maintain their rental incomes and tenants get to boost their productivity. Roof terraces appear to be one of several tools now being used to help motivate staff to return to the office.
Whether it is somewhere staff can socialise or simply get away from it all and enjoy some downtime, these spectacular open air spaces certainly offer something different to a cramped bedroom or home office. They could also offer staff some health benefits by helping them to top up their Vitamin D which in turn, could boost their immune systems. No a bad thing right now!
For those looking to embrace the concept of ‘agile working’, roof terraces provide an attractive alternative to the conventional work settings found within most corporate offices. In fact, many of the new communal roof terraces feature seating with built-in power sockets, free Wi-Fi and weather protected work areas to facilitate activity based working.
The latest communal roof terrace can be found at Aviva Investors’ 11 York Street which completed in December 2021.
Although Manchester (or ‘Rainchester’ as it is known to some) might not be blessed with the sunniest of climes, it does have some interesting architecture. And a lot of it getting taller by the day. The city’s skyline is therefore becoming more dramatic to look at. This may be yet another reason why an increasing number of landlords are looking upwards for inspiration.
The expansive roof terrace at Windmill Green where there is a real buzz in the air.
Finally, it is worth noting that not all roof terraces are created equal. At Windmill Green on Mount Street for example, you will find that beehives have been installed. This innovative feature certainly reinforces the building’s green credentials. In fact, it has helped it achieve a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ rating making it Manchester’s “greenest” building.
Apparently, tenants can enjoy the fruits of the bees’ labour at no extra charge. Now that is how to sweeten an office leasing deal AND create a buzz around your office!
If you would like more information on buildings that offer a communal roof terrace or on-site beehives for that matter, please call Martyn Markland at Tenant Advisory Group on 0161 457 1422 or email him at mm@tenantag.co.uk