100 & 101 Embankment

The building under construction on the right above, is 100 Embankment. It is the second half of a development on the site of the former Exchange Railway Station. After the station was demolished, the site became a car park. This development was designed by the architectural practice of Flanagan Lawrence and they explain that, "... The scheme is arranged on a series of levels, with a Grade 2 Listed sandstone viaduct forming a grand base for two office buildings which will sit at plinth level, 9 metres above. The modern steel and glass office buildings appear as lightweight highly polished jewels, sat above the robust historic façade of the railway embankment."

The website for 100 Embankment says that, "... This is the next episode in a wonderful success story. 101 Embankment hit the right note for Manchester businesses, and 100 will do the same. Rising above this exceptional site, the magnificent nine-storey building will be ready to move into in June 2020. Inside, you’ll find 166,000 ft² of Grade A office space, with largely column-free 19,663 ft² floor plates. Inspirational quality and flexibility make 100 Embankment very special, and every floor offers stunning views across the River and city. Outside, you see even more – from a tiered roof terrace overlooking Manchester Cathedral. An altogether superior outlook for your business."

Seemingly "out of order" it was Embankment 101 that was completed first.

"Sitting alongside 100 is the award winning 101 Embankment office building, now home to Swinton Insurance. Comprising 165,000ft² of Grade A space, this first phase of the Embankment scheme has created a new civic centre and an enviable new business location for the city. A 442 space Q-Park car park and Sainsbury’s Local was also completed as part of this phase."

"The existing and newly created perimeter arches are retail units, intended to revitalise the public realm, while the interior of the podium contains a state-of-the-art multi-decked car park."

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Below are some images taken during the construction phase of 101.

The images below were taken in November of 2015

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This was once the site of Exchange Station.

It was located across from Manchester Cathedral at the end of an "approach" that spanned the River Irwell.

1. Exchange Station	2. Chetham's Hospital School	3. Victoria Station	4. Once - Manchester Grammar School
5. Manchester Cathedral	6. The Corn Exchange	7. Oliver Cronwell statue	St. Mary's Gate Gardens

Opened by the LNWR in 1884, it served Liverpool; Huddersfield and Leeds; and Warrington, Chester and North Wales. Platford 3 at Exchange Station ran out of the station building over the bridge that crosses Victoria Street and connected to platform 11 at Victoria Station. For a time it was the longest railway platform in the world. It closed to passengers in 1969 and was later demolished.

The next two images, shown with the permission of Ben Brooksbank, were taken in the station during the 1960s.

Today the "approach" to Exchange Station and the station forecourt are a car park.

If you walk up to the location of the old station you will find this footbridge that is one of the few remnants of this once bustling passenger station.

The following link will take you to the Disused Stations Web Site