The Prudential building is on the market with online property market operator Rightmove in which offers of more than £900,000 are being invited
The future of an iconic Grade II listed building in the heart of Oldham which was opened more that 130 years ago is still unclear as it remains up for sale.
The Prudential building on Union Street, known as “The Pru”, has been empty for years and it is on the market with online property market operator Rightmove in which offers of more than £900,000 are being invited.
The building is being billed as an investment opportunity for potential buyers.
Cousins Homes Ltd in Failsworth are acting as the agents for the property as it aims to find a new owner.
Its price was lowered to its current asking price on June 29 in a bid to attract more interest.
On Rightmove, the building is described as a “splendid Grade II listed building, a detached office block situated in a prime location adjacent to the metro station and Sainsburys”.
The description states: The building measures roughly 12,800 square feet, although we cannot verify this on four floors and would be ideal for various purposes (subject to change of use). Viewing is recommended.
The building was first opened in 1889 and was designed by the renowned architect Alfred Waterhouse, whose credits also include Manchester Town Hall.
The Victorian Society has commented about the state of “the Pru” in the past.
The organisation said: Prudential Assurance Company was wildly successful in the second half of the 19th Century and it commissioned offices for many of Britain’s newly wealthy industrial cities.
While varied in style, almost all are built in red brick and terracotta. Many of these prestigious buildings have been sensitively altered and reused, but the example in Oldham remains empty, unmaintained and deteriorating, it said.
