£6.5m scheme converts city centre office building to homes

A VACANT office building in the centre of Liverpool has been brought back to life and transformed into stylish apartments in a £6.5m project.

Skelmersdale, Lancashire-based building group Construction Partnership UK’s Special Projects division, which specialises in city centre, multi-storey projects and logistically challenging sites, has completed the scheme at 2 Moorfields.
 
It is just one of several refurbishment and new-build schemes it is working on in both Liverpool and Manchester city centres.
 
2 Moorfields has been converted into 136 studio apartments for developer Miler Services. The 30-year-old building’s transformation was designed by architects Falconer Chester Hall.
 
Throughout construction the CPUK team worked within the constraints of a busy city centre. The site is near to Moorfields railway station as well as city centre offices, businesses and hotels.
 
CPUK Group managing director Steve Burke said: “Due to our collaborative approach on a previous Miler Services development in Oldham this project was negotiated.  
 
“This 1970’s building has a part listed façade and is located in the heart of Liverpool’s commercial centre and conservation area on Dale Street.  
 
“Our work included the strip out of the existing office space on four floors and part demolition to the rear of the façade to allow new curtain walling.
 
“The existing office space was extensively refurbished to provide the fully fitted out studio apartments.
 
“Some of the construction methods employed in this fast track programme included the use of offsite constructed bathroom pods and kitchens, which were craned in through the rear of the building.
 
“The overall result is a sympathetic conversion of the building into apartments that are ideal for people looking to enjoy city centre living in the heart of Liverpool.”
 
He added: “Our Special Projects team used all their skills and knowledge to deliver this project with the minimum disruption to what is a very busy part of Liverpool city centre.
 
“That work included liaising with the NHS Blood and Transplant Donor Centre which occupies the ground floor of the development to ensure it continued to operate throughout the construction period.
 
“Directly under our site are two underground rail lines and close liaison has been maintained with Merseyrail throughout the project advising them of what works were being undertaken at any given time to ensure no disruption to their passengers and the service they provide.
 
“In addition we liaised on a regular basis with Liverpool City Council’s Conservation Officer as the building is partly listed.
 
“Due to the confines of the site there were many logistical difficulties associated in the construction of the project and these were all successfully managed.  
 
“Storage space was very limited and therefore throughout the project we ensured that deliveries of materials were fully co-ordinated to meet both programme requirements and the requirements of our neighbours.”