Facilities, Residential and Commercial Services (FRCS) provides the first in a series of bi-monthly, high-level reports charting the progress of key capital and refurbishment projects, which may cause some disruption for staff, students and visitors to campus.
Abercromby Square The phased programme of re-roofing works to 19-27 Abercromby Square is now nearing completion. Scaffolding located at both ends of the terrace is scheduled for removal in June and the remainder by August 2023.
Central Teaching Laboratories FRCS has appointed the University of Liverpool Construction Company (Special Projects) Limited (ULCCO-SP) to carry out major external repairs to the roof and façade systems at the Central Teaching Laboratories (CTL). Site-enabling works are now taking place, with the main repair works scheduled for completion by December 2023.
Chatham Building A new phase of re-roofing works is currently underway which has seen the erection of scaffolding on the building and the creation of a site compound.
Department of Chemistry Refurbishment work is ongoing in both the Robert Robinson and Donnan buildings, including window replacements, roof repairs, upgrades to individual laboratories and improvements to the lighting, ventilation and heating systems. To facilitate this, site compounds on the Robert Robinson car park and the green space between MIF and the Donnan Building are planned.
District Heating Network Work to replace the District Heating Main in two locations – between the Whelan and Thompson Yates buildings and between Fingal’s Cave and the Central Teaching Hub – will commence on 25 June and complete by the end of September, avoiding noisy operations during the examination periods and the Open Days. The construction of a contractor compound will affect the car park located between blocks A and B of the Waterhouse Building, and parking spaces on the road between the Whelan and Harrison Hughes buildings.
Foundation Building The refurbishment of the linear wing is nearing completion, with floors being handed over on a phased basis to allow for the installation of furniture and IT equipment, ahead of reoccupation in June / July. The site compound located on the Hart Building car park will be removed in early July; and late in the summer, light touch refurbishment works to the ground floor of the linear wing and upgrades to the WC’s on all floors will be carried out.
George Holt Building The project for the re-roofing of the George Holt Building was completed at the end of May. All scaffolding will be dismantled by mid-June at the latest.
Guild of Students Whilst the majority of external refurbishment works at the Guild are now complete, the installation of new glass handrails in front of the sphynx will take place over the summer shutdown. Dates for the full renewal of the timber floor in Mountford Hall have yet to be finalised.
Leahurst Campus FRCS and ULCCO-SP have a number of capital works projects planned and in progress across the Leahurst campus to refurbish facilities including:
- Water Main Replacement – Excavation works to replace and upgrade the water main at Leahurst are approaching completion.
- Ness Heath Farm– Upgrades to the external drainage systems on the farm are now underway. This will ensure that all animal waste is stored in holding tanks to prevent it entering the main sewerage system.
- Leahurst Paths– A scheme to create new steps on to the Wirral Way so that students can walk safely from Leahurst to Woodpark Farm will be completed by September.
- Leahurst Yards – Schemes to replace asbestos and polycarbonate roofing to the animal yards will commence imminently. During the works, temporary horse boxes will be delivered to Leahurst so that there is no impact on animal care.
- Sandstone Cottage– The full refurbishment of Sandstone Cottage to create more teaching areas is due for completion by September 2023.
Ness Botanic Gardens The first phase of works to improve footpaths and bridges across the site, build an accessible scooter store, and create more inclusive and accessible facilities in the Visitor Centre are now underway and will run until July 2023. The second phase will run from October to the end of December 2023. The improvement works will be suitably segregated and signed to ensure minimal impact on staff, students and the visitor experience. Structural and waterproofing works on the area housing Ness’s electrical communications cabinets will commence shortly.
Public Realm Works All public realm works on University Square are now complete. However, minor works to install a new neuro-diversity ‘umbrella’ display over the Alsop building underpass are about to take place and will be complete in time for graduation. The public realm works on Ashton Street are ongoing and scheduled for completion by September 2023. Work to change the peripheral planting scheme on Peach Street is currently on hold until after graduation.
Sydney Jones Library Essential refurbishment works which began on 5 June and will run for up to 12 weeks, has meant the closure of the atrium and PC suite in the Abercromby Wing, together with the first and second floors of the Grove Wing. However, the main roofing works on the Abercromby wing are now finished, with roof lights and additional drainage to be completed over the summer. The Grove Wing re-roofing is ongoing, but was paused for the revision and examination period. The planned extension to the library is at the early design stage, with work scheduled to commence in October 2023 and to continue into late 2024. You can read more HERE.
School of Architecture Work has now begun on the foundations of the extension to the School of Architecture. Once this is complete, construction of the concrete framing will commence, which will involve the installation of a tower crane on site.
School of Environmental Sciences The redevelopment of the Derby and Hartley Buildings to create a new home for the School of Environmental Sciences is progressing to plan. All demolition work is now complete, and façade restoration works – pointing and masonry repairs – are about to commence.
Victoria Gallery and Museum Extended hoardings on the Brownlow Hill elevation of the VG&M have now been installed. Additional scaffolding on the Ashton Street elevation facing the Electrical Engineering and Electronics Building, will be installed in August 2023.
Wyncote Sports Grounds Work to refurbish the sports pavilion at Wyncote is now underway and will be completed by September 2023. FRCS is also in consultation with Sport England to discuss resurfacing the rugby pitch with artificial grass. This work will be put out for tender in anticipation of resurfacing commencing in May 2024.
Other works FRCS anticipates that work to replace high voltage electrical cables, which has been generating noise and causing some disruption to car parking and access roads at a number of locations across campus, will be complete by the end of June. Improvements to the drainage system outside the Tesco store on Brownlow Hill, which is likely to cause some disruption for pedestrians, is scheduled to commence on 31 July.
Further Information
If you have any questions, issues or concerns relating to any FRCS building or refurbishment works at the University, please email frcscomms@liverpool.ac.uk in the first instance.