Albany Crown Tower
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox building
|name = Albany Crown Tower
|image =
|image_size = 250px
|caption = Render of how the tower was expected to look when completed
|location =
|coordinates = {{coord|53|28|44.4|N|2|14|2.4|W|region:GB|display=inline,title}}
|status = Approved
|start_date = 2027
|completion_date =
|est_completion = Unknown
|opening =
|building_type = Hotel / Offices / Residential
|antenna_spire =
|roof = {{convert|150|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|top_floor =
|elevator_count =
|floor_area =
|architect = Ian Simpson
|structural_engineer=
|main_contractor =
|developer = Albany Crown
|owner =
|management =
|references =
}}
The Albany Crown Tower (or the Crown Building) was a planned development on Aytoun and Auburn Streets in Manchester England.{{cite web | url=http://www.skyscrapernews.com/news.php?ref=501 | title=Albany Assets Buy Crown Tower Site | publisher=SkyScraperNews | date=7 December 2005}} It would have fronted onto the Rochdale Canal{{cite web | url=http://www.metronews.co.uk/news/s/603862_city_towers_aim_higher_and_higher | title=City towers aim higher and higher | date=10 May 2007 | accessdate=2008-02-23}} not far from Piccadilly Station and been one of the tallest buildings in Manchester projected to cost £83 million.{{cite web | url=http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=1873 | title=Building - 1873 - Crown Building - Manchester | publisher=SkyScraperNews | date=23 July 2007 | accessdate=2008-02-23}} It was designed by Ian Simpson,{{cite web | url=http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=244703 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060524024806/http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=244703 | url-status=usurped | archive-date=24 May 2006 | title=Albany Tower, Manchester | publisher=Emporis | accessdate=2008-02-23}} for Albany Crown.
Planning permission was given in 2005 but construction never commenced and the developer entered administration in May 2010.
History
The mixed-use tower's proposed height was 131 m (430 ft), it had 44 floors, providing 35,298.00 square metres of space. The ground floor comprised retail space, while floors 1 to 23 (140,000 square feet of space) would be a hotel and floors 24 to 41 residential, with a penthouse on the top two floors.{{cite web|url=http://www.albanycrown.com/ |title=Albany Crown - Manchester (Official site) |accessdate=2008-02-23 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225183354/http://www.albanycrown.com/ |archivedate=2008-02-25 }} In total there will be 237 flats. In May 2007, Albany proposed adding a further 10 storeys increasing its height to 160 m (525 ft). Adjoining the tower was a smaller, 11-storey structure, at 49 m (160 ft), with approximately 14,500 square metres of space to be occupied by retail and offices.
A planning application was submitted in February 2005.{{cite web|url=http://www.publicaccess.manchester.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=IC9DLZBC30000 |title=Manchester City Council: Planning Application Details (074821/FO/2005/C3) |accessdate=2008-02-29 }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Albany then purchased the site in October 2005{{cite web | url=http://www.skyscrapernews.com/news.php?ref=965 | title=Crown Building Faces Troubled Times | publisher=SkyScraperNews | date = 13 June 2007 | accessdate=2008-02-23}} for £6 million. Planning permission was approved on the 11 November 2005.
The site was occupied by five-storey offices designed by David Thomson in 1936 and built between 1948 and 1951 when the architect E H Montague Ebbs took over the project,{{cite web | url=http://www.theskyliner.org/aytoun-street-employment-exchange | title=Aytoun Street Employment Exchange | date=2014 | accessdate=2015-08-05 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160117201221/http://www.theskyliner.org/aytoun-street-employment-exchange | archive-date=2016-01-17 | url-status=dead }} and occupied by a Labour Exchange, part of the Department of Employment.{{cite web | url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/business/s/191/191255_albany_wins_a_towering_6m_project.html | title=Albany wins a towering £6m project | publisher=Manchester Evening News | date=13 December 2005 | accessdate=2008-02-23}} It was proposed to be demolished in early 2006 but demolition started in 2014. A hotel run by Holiday Inn is currently under construction on the site.
The project stalled due to the failure of Albany Assets to sell apartments in its other developments.{{cite news | url=http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/business/business-local/tm_headline=albany-in-administration-as-property-sale-collapses&method=full&objectid=19257426&siteid=50061-name_page.html | title = Albany in administration as property sale collapses | publisher=Liverpool Daily Post | date=7 June 2007 | accessdate=2008-02-23}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}
Albany Crown entered administration in May 2010 and the construction of the hotel finally put paid to the chance of the skyscraper ever being constructed.{{Cite web |title=Albany collapse threatens tower bid |url=https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/buildings/sectors/albany-collapse-threatens-tower-bid-10-05-2010/ |work=constructionnews.co.uk |date=10 May 2010 |accessdate=27 September 2010}}
References
{{reflist|35em}}
{{UKSkyscrapers |P/UC}}
{{Manchester B&S}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Unbuilt buildings and structures in the United Kingdom