The largest building in Nottingham’s historic lace market has undergone a comprehensive internal makeover delivered by local building and maintenance partner, J Tomlinson Ltd.
The Grade II* listed Adams Building, which forms part of Nottingham College’s city campus, has received a high-quality makeover to help create new, inviting spaces for existing and future students to undertake their studies.
Works undertaken by J Tomlinson, whose head office is situated in Beeston, comprised of two phases and included significant internal alterations, repairs and maintenance works across the 7-storey building, including the relocation of the College’s hair and beauty salon facilities from its Beeston and Clarendon campuses.
This highly anticipated scheme saw J Tomlinson’s refurbishment and engineering department work closely with conservationist specialists to deliver a sympathetic refurbishment and restoration project across the 1800s-built Adams Building whilst retaining its striking exterior and interior features and preserving its exalted heritage status and aesthetic.
The scheme commenced in late spring 2020 and marks the first awarded to J Tomlinson via Crown Commercial Service’s Building Works & Minor Associated Works framework, which was established in 2019 to facilitate the delivery of best value efficient building and civil engineering projects for central government and the wider public sector. Open to all UK Public Sector Bodies including Local Authorities, Health, Emergency Services, Education, Housing, Charities and Devolved Administrations the framework is the government’s recommended mechanism for the procurement of best value construction schemes via a streamlined process.
J Tomlinson was commended by the client and wider project team for their ‘efficient, positive and cooperative approach’, which saw the first phase of works (handed over in summer 2020) delivered ahead of programme and in time for the College to welcome students at the start of the new academic year.
Works were carried out in a Covid-safe manner, with strict adherence to with both the College’s and J Tomlinson’s own robust health and safety standards, helping to ensure the safety and protection of building occupants, the project team and members of the public.
Gary McGinty, director of estates and facilities at Nottingham College, commented: “A huge thank you to everyone involved – the age and Grade II* listed status of the building made this a challenging project with a fantastic outcome for all involved. J Tomlinson’s excellent management and co-ordination of the major refurbishment of our celebrated Adams Building has resulted in an exceptionally high-quality finish, whilst retaining the key elements that make the building so very special – both to the College and to the city of Nottingham itself.”
“We are very excited to welcome students and teaching staff back to their newly-refurbished facilities when government lockdown restrictions lift.”
Iain Davies, managing director of J Tomlinson’s refurbishment and engineering division, added: “We’re delighted to have completed works at the iconic Adams Building, which benefits from vibrant new teaching and studying areas specially designed to inspire innovation and aid personal and professional development for Nottingham College students. It was a pleasure for J Tomlinson to be involved in the latest chapter of the Grade II* listed building’s history, which is situated in our organisation’s revered home city.”
The Adams Building is the latest Nottingham city-centre-based redevelopment project delivered by J Tomlinson, with previous schemes including the refurbishment of Broadway Cinema, as well as the landmark redevelopment of the National Justice Museum (formerly the Galleries of Justice), which was greatly instrumental in helping the attraction achieve the milestone of becoming Nottingham’s first national museum.
The 1950s-founded company, which has extensive experience delivering sympathetic upgrades and refurbishment works across heritage buildings, also undertook an internal refurbishment scheme across the Grade II listed William Booth Museum in Sneinton, which was created in testament to Nottingham’s most famous preacher and social reformer and founder of The Salvation Army, Mr. William Booth.
In 2019, J Tomlinson’s construction and regeneration teams managed the conversion of the Grade II listed, 18th-century Dagfa House building in Beeston as part of a wider scheme student accommodation construction and refurbishment project.
