New home for Black Cultural Archives - Raleigh Hall

[Rushy]

I'm referring to refurbishment 'to any decent standard', rather than cosmetic refurbishment aimed at maximising revenue as quickly as possible.
In the mid-nineties, maybe a bit later, the residents commissioned the Evergreen Trust (I think it was) to come up with plans for refurbishment. It was a big, serious piece of work, paid for by the council (one of the very rare occasions when they did something constructive).
Their estimate was £130K per flat, for a 30-year specification. £170K per flat for a 50-year spec, with energy-efficiency extras.
Of course, there's been 15 years further neglect since.

The costs which you say the residents were quoted are ridiculous but typical of large corporate feasibility studies. Given the 22 flats averaged just over 60sqm each that's approx 2,800/sqm. Totally nuts.

Even the ever cautious RICS has build costs guides of £950 (standard quality)-1550/sqm (excellent quality) for small build projects - let alone projects with the economies of scale available on an intensive site like this one.

Whatever your opinion of Lexadon, they hold their properties long term so have no nothing to gain from doing work to anything but a decent standard. I would guess they managed a good job for 60-80K per flat using their own regular building team and cutting out lots of professionals who work on percentages.

I looked around the site after it was repossessed - it was way beyond a cosmetic overhaul.

 

[Crispy]

I have been in one of the redeveloped Rushcroft Rd. flats and the everything is done to a reasonable standard. They didn't replace the windows, though.

 

[Rushy]

I have been in one of the redeveloped Rushcroft Rd. flats and the everything is done to a reasonable standard. They didn't replace the windows, though.

I thought that was a bit shit but they are not required to as it is a refurb rather than conversion. Clifton has replaced all the windows with double glazing.

I thought they did a pretty good job on the Rushcroft one cutting out the blown brickwork and replacing it. They could have skipped a lot of that. But why oh why did they leave the institutional entrance doors? Unbelievable.

 

[Crispy]

Might be a conservation area thing. Maintain existing external appearance as much as possible?

 

[Rushy]

Might be a conservation area thing. Maintain existing external appearance as much as possible?

They are not the original doors though. Or if they are they have been boarded and meshed over.

 

[Crispy]

Oh hang on I know the ones you mean. Yes that is bizzare.

 

[Rushy]

I mean - WTF?
And where's the fanlight?
The hall and staircase behind this is fantastic.

 

[leanderman]

I thought that was a bit shit but they are not required to as it is a refurb rather than conversion. Clifton has replaced all the windows with double glazing.

I thought they did a pretty good job on the Rushcroft one cutting out the blown brickwork and replacing it. They could have skipped a lot of that. But why oh why did they leave the institutional entrance doors? Unbelievable.

From a distance, the new Clifton windows looked like nice sash-style ones.

 

[leanderman]

They are not the original doors though. Or if they are they have been boarded and meshed over.

Was the road not used in the Hour?

 

[Rushy]

From a distance, the new Clifton windows looked like nice sash-style ones.

They are.

 

[leanderman]

Not as far as I know - though from that recent photo they are probably going to have to completely rebuild the corner where the downpipe got stolen and water has been running down for eighteen months.

Just had a look and, from the artist's drawing, they may have intended removing the Windrush-side corner that is now ... removed. That is the corner of the building to which a new block is to be attached.

 

[Rushy]

Just had a look and, from the artist's drawing, they may have intended removing the Windrush-side corner that is now ... removed. That is the corner of the building to which a new block is to be attached.

Yes - I was thinking that this afternoon.
The curved bay doesn't half look precarious standing on its own like that!

 

[Brixton Hatter]

As it is, decades of neglect and negligence by the council have reduced them to a dreadful state.
The cost of refurbishing Rushcroft and Clifton to any decent standard would be enormous - far more than the cost of demolition and building new housing

nonsense

 

[leanderman]

They appear to be cracking on now. This really might happen

 

[editor]

I didn't realise they were putting up a big new building in front of Raleigh hall.

 

[snowy_again]

It's part of the court yard plan isn't it?

There's a photo here, but the relevant pages of their website appear to be down:
http://www.bcaheritage.org.uk/programme/

 

[Crispy]

Main entrance in the corner of the new courtyard, or off Saltoun road. The new wing is for temporary exhibitions/events on the Ground floor, and research space for the archives themselves on the first.

 

[snowy_again]

The grass is never going to look as green as it is in the BCA mock up - it's all fag butts and dust at the moment.

 

[leanderman]

I didn't realise they were putting up a big new building in front of Raleigh hall.

View attachment 34218

you can see the new building in the picture on the hoarding

 

[editor]

you can see the new building in the picture on the hoarding

I took a look just now. I didn't realise how much of the original building has been demolished. vast chunks of it have gone!

 

[leanderman]

I took a look just now. I didn't realise how much of the original building has been demolished. vast chunks of it have gone!

it's going to be rebuilt though. must have been unsafe

 

[editor]

it's going to be rebuilt though. must have been unsafe

I figured that but - Lordy - huge chunks of the place have gorn. I'll post up some pics tomorrow.

 

[Crispy]

Yeah, the pics in the design statement showed the interior was just a rotting mess of old timbers and lath. Nothing worth salvaging.

 

[editor]

Yeah, the pics in the design statement showed the interior was just a rotting mess of old timbers and lath. Nothing worth salvaging.

I've just dug up a few of my photos from 2000. I'll post them later tomorrow.

 

[editor]

Here's some current pics.

More: http://www.brixtonbuzz.com/2013/06/black-cultural-archives-in-windrush-square-brixton-takes-shape/

 

[leanderman]

Excitingly, the work is really making progress. Roofs on, lighting going in etc

 

[Tricky Skills]

An extra £214,000 has been requested to "overcome a predicted shortfall in the budget."

In particular:

"Additional costs have arisen due to necessary structural stabilization of the building, substantial variations and associated professional fees."

 

[leanderman]

An extra £214,000 has been requested to "overcome a predicted shortfall in the budget."

In particular:

"Additional costs have arisen due to necessary structural stabilization of the building, substantial variations and associated professional fees."

No stopping it now though surely?

 

[Gramsci]

An extra £214,000 has been requested to "overcome a predicted shortfall in the budget."

In particular:

"Additional costs have arisen due to necessary structural stabilization of the building, substantial variations and associated professional fees."

Do not understand this.

Wouldn’t that have to be covered by the contract with the building firm who took on the contract to do the works?

 

[Rushy]

Do not understand this.

Wouldn’t that have to be covered by the contract with the building firm who took on the contract to do the works?

The contract will have specified specific stabilisation works based on the original survey by the architects and engineers. In the course of the works the contractors have may found, for example, that assumptions made in the original survey about the quality of the existing foundations were incorrect and all main walls need underpinning. These would be additional to the contract.

Variations referred to are when the client changes their mind about something in the contract, or maybe something specified proves inadequate - e.g. I want a second bathroom, polished concrete instead of timber floors, more lights, building control requires additional insulation, etc..

Most contracts specify a contingency amount to cover these these changes / unexpected complications - usually about 10%. On this contract they allowed about £350K and predict this will be £95K short.

On top of this BCA has said they are unable to afford to pay their own contribution due at the end of the contract because of the additional administrative costs and loss of forecast revenue stream to them caused by the delay resulting from the previous contractor going bust. The council has offered to stump up the £119K for this.

Overall the project has costs a staggering £5.6million.