Chris Turnbull, director, Avison Young and project manager on the East Pilgrim Street, Newcastle major regeneration scheme, provides an insight into a key happening last weekend.
The tower crane to facilitate construction of Bank House, the 120,000sq.ft. 14 storey, first phase building by Taras Properties (Reuben Bros) was successfully erected by the contractor B+K over the weekend. The crane which is 72m high with a jib of 55m (total length 127m) is now towering above the city, signifying the visual arrival of the real Pilgrim Street transformation.
Traffic Regulation orders were put in place by B+K to close roads and divert traffic and pedestrians from 00:00hrs on Saturday 10/4 until 23:59hrs on 11/4 with additional workforce and security in place throughout. Activities went as planned over both days with huge plant dominating Pilgrim Street. The erection of the tower crane was complete by 20:30hrs on Sunday with 3 hours to spare.
Events generated much positive interest with the site team taking the time to explain what was happening to many intrigued passers-by.
With demolitions, utility diversions and piling activities largely complete, the public will see the reinforced concrete cores emerging from the ground through the summer months, once the basement and ground floor slabs are poured.
Joint agents Tony Wordsworth, Avison Young and Patrick Matheson, Knight Frank stated: “Bank House will provide a best in class workplace on a strategic gateway site in the city centre. It will offer unrivalled views over the city and respond directly to the increasing demand for high quality Grade A office space in Newcastle.”
Commercial, Planning, Project Management and Property Management advice is being provided by Avison Young, with architectural design by Ryder Architecture and Cundall providing engineering input.
CGI of Bank House project (Credit: Ryder Architecture)
