In addition, the job involved the deconstruction of listed facades and cataloguing of the structure for future reinstatement.
We designed and installed façade retention to pick up and support the world-famous Piccadilly Lights enabling us to demolish the structures at the back of the lights, all without incident. There was a risk of hefty penalties for damage to the lights and loss of advertising had any incidents occurred.
The works took place above Barclays bank, Boots Pharmacy, Gap, Jamie’s Italian and in close proximity to Piccadilly Theatre. The Boots in Piccadilly Circus is the busiest branch in the UK, and Barclays is the busiest branch for cash dispersals. Another challenge was the fact that Piccadilly Circus London Underground Station was adjacent to the site and the escalator barrel dove under the site
Due to the extensive and complex nature of the works, several temporary works items needed to be implemented. Façade retention to Piccadilly lights and 20 Denman Street was needed along with party wall support, underpinning, top-down construction for design development of the basement and a review of the construction of existing structures.
Due to the varied nature of construction within the Sherwood Street development, safeguarding of businesses including Jamie’s Italian Restaurant, Jewel Bar (façade retention), GAP, Boots and Barclays bank was a priority.
Live fire alarms, fire sprinklers and escapes routes were maintained for Barclays, Boots and Gap. Complex phasing also needed to take place to open the site up for logistics and access while continuing to give Boots access to their loading bay.
In addition to this, the iconic Piccadilly Lights advertising board was to remain in operation throughout the works.
As the development was focused around the Piccadilly Lights and surrounding businesses, a robust Mechanical & Electrical works plan was put in place. Intensive desktop studies and evolutionary works plans were implemented to ensure that any required service diversions, isolations and relocations were carried out with minimum disruption to any stakeholders and ensuring the iconic billboard remained live at all times.
We required the use of both a Liebherr telescopic crawler crane and a Wolff Luffer Crane to carry out the works. The crane was delivered to the site, offloaded and then tracked to its required location. Due to the size of the crane, the lorry entered London under a plant movement order and was subject to a section 61 notice due to early morning movements being unavoidable. The tower crane was erected on-site and on the Denham Street ground floor slab, and back-propped to take the crane’s weight and associated outrigger loads.