Brief Overview of Project:
The scheme comprised of high specification residential apartments over 3 levels together with retail areas covering 37,000 sq ft (8 levels) including a new bookshop for Foyles.
Scope of Works:
- The design of new block work walls forming plant room and retail space to new and existing basement/ground floor areas
- A new 3 storey rear extension which as a combination of new block work walls, Metsec metal framing and insulated render
- Construction of 3 new floors of Metsec and facing brickwork forming the shell of Saint Martins Loft Apartments incorporating a white glazed brick atrium and light well
Challenges:
- Location; Charing Cross Road which is a one way street with limited space for deliveries and only one access point
- Material access was extremely challenging as the existing and new structures were on split levels with a goods hoist serving the east side of the project. Therefore, materials for the west section had to be manually handled or lifted with the site tower crane
- There were no lifts or personnel hoists on the project so the stairs had to be utilised for accessing all levels
- The site itself is in the heart of Soho occupying the former Central Saint Martins College of Art site. All materials once off loaded needed to be taken immediately to point of use and on some occasions our Consolidation service at Barking, Essex (provided by MSK our sister company) was utilised and a “just in time” delivery process was established
- The white glazed bricks which formed the new atrium and light well were extremely challenging to lay particularly over the winter months when the majority of the facing brickwork was completed. The end result is a credit to the quality of the Lesterose team of craftsmen involved on the project