Park Bikeworks
Conversion of derelict building into offices, bike hub and café
Derby City Council put out a tender for a company to handle the design and build contract for a centralised bike hub in the city centre. We secured the project. The building had previously been used as storage by Bennett’s department store but water had leaked in during almost 20 years of disuse.
The city council’s idea was to offer secure, free bicycle parking in a city centre location to encourage people to cycle to work and for recreation. Cyclists can also pay for servicing on their bikes and there is a café and a bike showroom selling new and reconditioned bikes.
We carried out all the structural repairs to restore the derelict building and give it an exciting new lease of life. We designed a commercial kitchen for the café and ensured that lots of natural light could flood into the bike showroom. All the mechanical and electrical systems were installed by us.
We overcame issues around lack of access and parking for vans in that part of the city, but the biggest challenge was that the project was set to overrun its original budget. Our solution was to look at collaborative value engineering solutions. This means using different products and solutions to bring down the price without impacting the quality and scope of the finished building. The project was delivered on time and on budget and was well-received by the city council.
Sector:
Public sector
Form of Contract:
JCT 2015 Design & Build
Client:
Derby City Council
Duration:
Eighteen weeks
Project Manager:
Rob Allen
Completion Date:
May 2014
Architect:
MMA Design Ltd
Value:
£450k
Location:
Full Street, Derby