Building construction work

Tender description

Principal Contractor to deliver a wide range of proposed refurbishment and improvement works to an existing, large, purpose-built sheltered housing scheme within the centre of Derry. The purpose built, city centre scheme was originally constructed during a single phase of development in and around 1997-1998, but comprises 2 separate, adjoining demises — The much larger Jack Allen Court, as well as the smaller Whitehall House, which overlooks Hawkin Street. The scheme contains a hybrid of accommodation types, comprising, as it does, a total of 29 nr units of self-contained ‘sheltered’ accommodation within the Jack Allen Court element (as well as the usual ancillary accommodation for Tenants, visitors and staff) with a further 6 units of self-contained, ‘supported living’ accommodation then provided within the Whitehall House element. Accommodation within Jack Allen Court is set across four storeys, and is primarily allocated to persons aged 55 and over, in the first instance. The vast majority of the apartments (24nr) within JAC comprise single-bedroom units, for either 1 or 2 people; however, there are also four 2-bedroom units provided, whilst the integrated, former-warden's accommodation — A five-person, 3-bedroom dwelling — has now been let to a social housing Tenant, via the NIHE common selection scheme. The scheme incorporates a bespoke design, with the result being that individual apartment layouts generally vary from unit-to-unit, with a total of fifteen different unit ‘types’, in total, confirmed throughout both JAC and Whitehall House. As mentioned within the opening paragraph, the 6 single-bedroom apartments within Whitehall House are jointly-managed with Choice partners First Housing Aid and Support Services. Those apartments managed in partnership with First Housing are occupied by vulnerable adults of varying ages, with support for Tenants provided on a ‘floating’ basis. The package of multi-element improvements proposed will comprise kitchen replacement works (inc. M&E), upgrades to the scheme's communal lighting, the replacement of suspended ceiling tiles throughout, rainwater goods clearance, cleaning down of external uPVC-clad elements, as well as minor internal alterations to improve accessibility to the scheme's refuse store.