When working on a historic building, one of the tricks of the trade is to try to maintain the building’s authenticity while enabling it to work in a modern and efficient way.
Our latest project is a perfect example of this old-meets-new combination.
Anyone who has entered the 1887 Glyndwr University Wrexham building on Regent Street will know how steeped in tradition it is. What they won’t know is the fact it is now a much more efficient building with a new heating, lighting and electrical system.
Staff and contractors from SWG Group have been working on the site over the summer holiday, upgrading it ready for the start of the first semester.
Some of the changes are obvious - internal demolition work to form a new café off the main entrance, and the building has been partially re-roofed, with the front sandstone portico repaired and cleaned.
Others are not so obvious. To maintain the authenticity of the building, cast iron radiators have been fitted and the lobby floor has been stripped back to the Terrazzo finish, repaired and polished.
In addition, SWG Group replaced a large amount of the heating pipework, lighting and electrical fuse boards and carried out joinery repairs and decorations in the building.
On the Bradley Road side of the University site we also completed some structural repairs and decorations.
We are incredibly proud of the role we have played in giving this building a new lease of life, making it fit for modern learning in an historic environment.
A large number of staff from various divisions of SWG Group came together to complete this project and we believe we have maintained the authentic look, but helped make the building work in a modern way.
The works completed by our staff and contractors will ensure this can continue to be a centre of excellence in training for another 130 years yet.
Paul Moran, Capital Project manager at the University, said the work had made an enormous difference.
“It is fantastic to see our Campus 2025 plans and investment in the University’s estate coming to life, and we are pleased with the work carried out by SWG,” he said.
“The progress being made with the project is matched by the excellent student satisfaction levels recorded recently in national surveys and table rankings – it has been a summer of good news for us here at Wrexham Glyndwr.”
For more information on Glyndwr University Wrexham, visit the website.
