Birmingham-based building services provider J S Wright has put its hands to the pumps to support one of the UK’s biggest city centre developments.
After being appointed to carry out all the enabling works by principal contractor Carillion, the Aston firm has started work installing chilled and low pressure hot water heating pumps and distribution pipework for Paradise Birmingham.
The systems will serve the Adrian Boult Hall and Birmingham Conservatoire and enable the demolition of the old Birmingham Central Library to be completed to make way for a two-storey car park at the £500m office, retail and hotel scheme.
Both buildings, which will remain in use for two years before they too are demolished, have had their services supplied through the Central Library’s plant room whose utility circuits are now being isolated and dismantled by J S Wright.
The award-winning company, which also has offices in Bristol and London, is to carry out the enabling works contract, valued at more than £600,000, across the entire 17-acre city centre site with completion scheduled for early 2017.
The package extends to isolating all existing heating and chilled water circuits, removing existing air conditioning and gas suppression systems, modifying building management system controls, and testing all existing systems.
David Cook, J S Wright Associate Director, said: “This is a challenging brief because our work is not only for the demolition of the old library but also to enable the future demolition of other buildings that will remain in use for another two years.”
Marcus Aniol, Managing Director of J S Wright, commented: “We are delighted to be playing such a key role in the regeneration of Birmingham city centre and to be working again with such a prestigious partner as Carillion, having most recently worked with the company in the construction of Aston Student Village.”
Paradise Birmingham, a joint venture between Birmingham City Council and Hermes Real Estate, is being developed by Argent across 10 new buildings.
J S Wright, which was founded in Birmingham in 1890, specialises in the design and installation of mechanical services for the hotel, residential, social housing, student accommodation, leisure and commercial sectors.
The company was awarded the title of Building Services Contractor of the Year in its 125th anniversary year in 2015 and has been nominated in seven categories in this year’s industry awards.
J S Wright won its biggest-ever contract worth over £27m last month to equip the new luxury 441-home Keybridge development, incorporating Britain’s tallest brick residential tower, in the Vauxhall district of central London.