Proposals to "breathe new life" into a listed vacant Victorian showroom in Manchester city centre could see it turned into 89 new flats and offices.
Dating back to 1879, the Armitage showroom and workshop on Laystall Street could be transformed by housebuilder McCaul Developments, with the scheme set to house 8,000sq ft of workspace.
Situated close to Piccadilly, Ancoats and the Northern Quarter, the Grade II-listed building was first constructed to serve as the head office for the terracotta and fireclay firm John Armitage and Sons.
But according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the building's ornate brickwork and terracotta exterior has crumbled since falling out of use.
Under new plans, the showroom would be extensively refurbished and given a modern extension to the corner of Laystall Street and Pigeon Street to provide extra office space.
McCauls also wants to build a nine-storey apartment building, containing 28 one-bed and 61 two-bed flats, and a courtyard behind the showroom.
However 'significant' refurbishment costs of around £1.6m means that no affordable housing would be built as it would make the scheme unprofitable.
A financial viability assessment commissioned by McCauls also recommended against making a payment towards providing affordable housing elsewhere in the city.
If approved by Manchester council the Laystall Street development would be the third to be delivered in the city centre by McCauls.
Last year the developer completed Warehaus Ancoats, a converted warehouse on George Leigh Street, while it was also responsible for luxury flats at The Point in New Islington.
The firm's director Joe McCaul said: "We are delighted to bring forward plans to breathe new life into the old showroom by creating a unique office space within the listed building and create new homes at the rear of the site."
"The site is in a fantastic location being a two minute walk to the Northern Quarter and Piccadilly respectively and will be a perfect location to live and work.
"There is also exciting regeneration planned around the Piccadilly Basin area and we look forward to playing our part in this."
