Work on the first phase of a £100m development in Newcastle has taken a move forward following the arrival of a 236ft-high tower crane.
Billionaire real estate entrepreneurs Reuben Brothers are behind the huge project to build Bank House, a landmark 14-storey office block on the site of the demolished Bank of England building in Newcastle’s Pilgrim Street.
The plans from Taras Properties, the development vehicle of the Reuben brothers, will provide a catalyst for the wider transformation of East Pilgrim Street to replace derelict and dilapidated buildings with news offices, bars, restaurants, and more.
Having completed work to break out the vaults that lay beneath the former bank, work can now start on installing reinforced concrete cores - work which will require the use of the tower crane that has now arrived at the site, next to the Swan House roundabout.
Two cranes, weighing 500 tonnes and 50 tons apiece, were used to offload and assemble the tower crane.
Images show how the crane, standing 236ft (72m) high, with a jib of 55m (180ft) and total length of 127m (413ft), is now towering above the city.
Chris Turnbull, director at Avison Young and project manager on the Newcastle major regeneration scheme, said roads were closed over the weekend as the crane was successfully erected by the contractor B+K.
He said it will prove to be a key piece of equipment in the construction of Bank House, the 120,000sqft office development.
Mr Turnbull said: “Activities went as planned over both days with huge plant dominating Pilgrim Street. The erection of the tower crane was complete by 8.30pm last Sunday with three hours to spare. The events generated much positive interest with the site team taking the time to explain what was happening to many intrigued passers-by.”
Demolitions, utility diversions and piling activities have now been largely completed, paving the way for reinforced concrete cores to be erected through the summer months, once the basement and ground floor slabs are poured.
Joint agents Tony Wordsworth, Avison Young and Patrick Matheson, Knight Frank, said: “Bank House will provide a best in class workplace on a strategic gateway site in the city centre. It will offer unrivalled views over the city and respond directly to the increasing demand for high quality Grade A office space in Newcastle.”
Commercial, planning, project management and property management advice is being provided by Avison Young, with architectural design by Ryder Architecture and Cundall providing engineering input.
