Located on Bridge Street between the Masonic Hall and the Civil Justice building is a rather plain office block called Manchester House.  The building was originally called Scottish Life House.  It was designed by Leach Rhodes Walker and built in 1965.  According to John J. Parkinson-Bailey in "Manchester - An Architectural History" the construction was quite novel.  "the .. approach was first to erect the central core of steel columns and then cast the eight floor slabs individually on the ground, one on top of the other, each floor separated by a layer of resin to stop them sticking together - all rather like a large liquorice allsort.  When all the floors had been cast, they were individually hoisted into position."

There was a plan to demolish Manchester House and replace it with the Manchester Hotel, part of the Spinningfield development.  The Spinningfield website says of it, "The Manchester” is set to become the premiere four/five star hotel and luxury residential address in the City and will complement the premium offering of signature fashion and fine dining within the Spinningfields development. .... The Manchester’s’ lower 12 floors will be dedicated to a full service, 200-room premier hotel complete with conference facilities, restaurant, bar and lounge as well as Spinningfields only spa and health club. The upper 12 floors will be occupied by some 200 private residential apartments with private entry but full access to all hotel services." 

HOWEVER, as you can see from the image above taken in December 2010, the podium of the building is undergoing a refurbishment and Waitrose have already moved into the Bridge Street side.