NEWS ARCHIVE

TOWER CRANES ARRIVAL SIGNALS SOARING PROGRESS FOR BASKERVILLE HOUSE TRANSFORMATION | 09/03/05

Work on the stunning transformation of Baskerville House reached a milestone high this month as two giant cranes arrived on site - creating a new focus on the city’s skyline.

The two 10 tonne tower cranes will be used to help transform the historic city building into seven storeys of contemporary working space providing some of the largest floorplates in the city of over 25,000 sq ft (2323 sq m).

Ian Fox of developer Targetfollow said: “There has been much progress made to date on site behind the hoardings and the historic retained façade”.

“The arrival of the cranes does signify that the initial soft strip and major interior preparatory demolition work has effectively been completed and the main re-strengthening and construction phases are now underway. The construction programme will see two new atria punched through the existing floorplates and the creation of a dramatic glazed roof which will create an additional two office floors at the top of the building.”

Alfred McAlpine, leading a joint venture with Shepherd Engineering Services, are now 5½ months into the 96 week construction programme which will see completion of the building in July 2006.

The £30m conversion and refurbishment is England’s largest regional speculative office development currently underway and will be the only major office development to complete next year to address the city’s current lack of Grade A office space. The building has the additional benefit of 27 secure basement car parking spaces, together with 16 dedicated spaces immediately adjacent to the building and parking for 100 cars in an adjoining car park in Brindley Drive.

The Baskerville House Project Team includes: Project Managers, Mace Limited; Rolfe Judd Architects; Birmingham based Quantity Surveyor and Planning Supervisor, MDA; Structural and Civil Engineers, Buro Happold; Birmingham office of Hoare Lea for Building Services and Birmingham City Council Building Control.

Joint letting agents for the scheme are Lambert Smith Hampton and CB Richard Ellis.