Caddick Construction has been appointed with immediate effect on the £11m refurbishment and fitout of the iconic India Buildings on Water Street, Liverpool.
Work has already begun on the Grade II* listed building following the recent termination of the previous contractor. The new timetable and programme of the Category A fitout is due to complete early summer of 2020.
The programme of refurbishment across the 350,000 sq.ft of commercial space will include complex remedial work, façade repairs and cleaning, as well as renewal of more than 50% of office ceilings, re-lining of the cast iron drainage system, wholesale building services replacement, ornate window refurbishments, new roofs and roof lights. Caddick will also be installing five new lifts and refurbishing eight existing lifts, providing modern, Grade A office space.
India Buildings, with its principal entrance on Water Street, offers office accommodation as well as straddling the former Chorley Street (now the Holt Arcade) and an underground station entrance. Originally built between 1924 and 1932, it survived wartime bomb damage and was restored successfully by one of the original architects.
The 12-storey building occupies a whole block, and is surrounded by Water Street, Brunswick Street, Fenwick Street, and Drury Lane in the heart of the city centre. It also boasts a mezzanine, basement with parking facilities and a sub-basement.
Clad in Portland stone and with a roof of green Lombardic tiles, India Buildings is a well-known central landmark in a city known for its rich architectural heritage. Following a campaign by the Twentieth Century Society, it was awarded Grade II* listed status on November 5, 2013.
Caddick Construction Senior Project Manager Mark Walker said: “This is a prestigious building in the heart of Liverpool that has many unique facets to its design, both internal and external. We are delighted to be coming onboard for this challenging project that is anything but your run-of-the-mill refurbishment.
“We are working to quickly re-engage with the existing supply chain and are confident of a seamless handover to HMRC as existing anchor tenants early summer 2020.”
Brian Rabinowitz of India Buildings Development Ltd added: “The works are being delivered within a very short timescale and will be completed to a very high specification; providing a modern office environment that is sensitive to this important historical building. We are looking forward to working with the Caddick team to deliver this complex.”
Principal designers on the projects are Falconer Chester Hall, with engineering works by Curtins Consulting.