ISG has secured its latest
project under a framework partnership with
Manchester City Council – a £270K fast track
refurbishment scheme at Urbis, Manchester’s
exhibition centre of city life. The landmark
structure in central Manchester attracts thousands
of visitors every year who come to explore urban
culture and city life within this award winning
Millennium building.
Work has commenced on remodelling the second floor
at Urbis to deliver more flexible open plan
exhibition space, creating the fourth and final
temporary exhibition space in Urbis, which will also
be the largest. ISG is carrying out internal
demolition work to remove a number of structures on
this level and then installing a new raised access
floor and upgrading existing electrical services.
ISG will also replace an internal water storage tank
located in the basement as part of this project.
The refurbishment programme provides Urbis with
greater flexibility to stage a comprehensive range
of exhibitions within this space and provides
significant gains in overall floor capacity. Gary
Hughes, regional construction director at ISG Totty
Building, commented: “Working across a live site,
with limited access and a reduced construction
programme does present a range of challenges for the
team at Urbis. Adopting a flexible working approach
is essential, both to limit the impact we have on
customers visiting the building and their enjoyment
on their visit, and for one tenant housed there,
regional TV broadcaster, Channel M. We are working
closely with the station to ensure broadcasts are
uninterrupted by our presence on site.”
Urbis Chief Executive, Vaughan Allen, added: “This
is the final piece in the jigsaw of our
redevelopment, which will enable us to become an
exhibition centre with five floors of completely
refreshable content, giving our customers more
reasons to come back to find out what’s on. I would
also like to say a big thank you to our customers
who have beared with us so patiently whilst this
work has been going on.”
The construction work is scheduled to be completed
by early October, after which Urbis will be the
venue for a grand scale prestigious fashion event,
Fashion Weekend Manchester (4 - 7 October 2007),
which will take place across all 5 floors of the
building.
Email:
nick.hann@isgplc.com