Manchester-based developer Argent and JV partner, the Greater Manchester Property Venture Fund, have whittled the bidders down to BAM, Carillion and Kier.
The firms are vying to redevelop the 14-storey One St Peter’s Square into a 273,000 sq ft landmark office building offering cultural space for public exhibitions at ground floor level.
The building has been designed to achieve a BREEAM ‘excellent’ rating and will incorporate office floorplates of up to 22,500 sq ft.
Development manager, James Nicholson, said: “We are very pleased to be making this announcement because it will enable us to commence the next stage of the development at One St Peter’s Square.
“If we are successful in securing a pre-let, we could be on site by the end of the year.”
The new building is a key feature in the planned £20m remodelling of Manchester’s St Peter’s Square. City centre chiefs hope to transform the landmark square by August 2014.
Plans include pedestrianising it, creating the largest public space in the city, and installing a monument to the Peterloo Massacre.
Further building enhancements, include the Odeon cinema site which will be demolished and rebuilt, and the 1960s Peterloo House to be rebuilt as modern offices.
Benmore Developments plans to build a 250-bed fives hotel above the Theatre Royal to complete the restoration of St Peter’s Square.