MAJOR projects in Glasgow, including the renovation of a listed Art Deco building, have a Hillington-based contractor on track to hike its turnover by 30 per cent to £15 million in its financial year.
Project Management & Construction, formed nine years ago by directors Allan Cockburn and Allan McMahon, is currently working on the £1.7m refurbishment of the former Odeon cinema on Renfield Street.
The project involves the development of a restaurant in the ground floor of the A-listed Art Deco building, to be occupied by the Reds True BBQ chain, as well as office space introduced to the three floors above. Much of the building – beyond the façade – was demolished several years ago.
Mr Cockburn said: “It’s a really interesting project because you are working within the Art Deco section of the original building. That said, the guts of the building have been substantially removed.
“It’s just a fascinating project because there is a lot of hard, hard work involved, including major structural alterations. But it’s just a nice building. It is nice now and again to carry out an interesting project in an interesting old building.”
Mr Cockburn added: “We are particularly proud to be associated with a project to bring one of the most iconic city centre buildings back to life.”
The Odeon project, which is being carried out on behalf of property owner Stelmain, is one of several major contracts the company has lined up in Glasgow this year.
It is currently carrying out external refurbishment work at the former Thistle Hotel on Cambridge Street – currently trading as the Glasgow City Hotel but expected be relaunched under the Doubletree by Hilton brand.
The project, which involves the installation of new windows and roofing, is the first on which the company has employed steeplejacks.
Project Management & Construction, which directly employs 27 staff, has also landed a £1.1m contract to work on the external fabric of the Savoy Tower.
That work, which is due to start in the coming weeks and is being carried out on behalf of property owner Mercer Group, forms part of a larger scheme to revamp the 10-floor office block which is currently vacant. Steeplejacks will also be used on this project.
Meantime, on the south banks of the River Clyde, the contractor has been commissioned for further work on the South Rotunda building, which was last used as part of the 1988 Glasgow Garden Festival.
Phase three of the project – a contract worth £1.5m – will see Project Management & Construction carry out a full interior fit-out of the building. That comes after it completed external work and installed a new structural steel frame at the building, paving the way for new floors to be added. The building is set to be occupied by Marlin Marine Engineering.
Mr Cockburn, who noted the firm had recently completed work in St Andrews, Edinburgh and Birmingham, said it is gratifying to work on such high-profile buildings in its native west of Scotland.
He said: “It is always nice to walk through Glasgow and see so many sites with our signs on.”
Meanwhile, asked to comment on wider trends in the construction sector, Mr Cockburn said the number of opportunities open to the company is growing.
However he noted a degree of uncertainty occasioned by the forthcoming referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU.
Mr Cockburn said: “We are experiencing quite a good time just now, but I think there is a bit of hesitance out there in the marketplace, and I think it is probably directly related to the Brexit issue. I’m aware of some consultants who have got one or two English-based clients or funds who are looking carefully at what happens.
“That doesn’t mean an awful lot to us just now because if we are working on a job that’s funded that way, from the decision to go for a project to it becoming a tender can be 12 months anyway. I think we could see a dip at the start of next year… it depends on how the referendum goes. No-one really knows how it is going to affect us in the long term if it is an out vote.”
Mr Cockburn said the firm expects to post a further rise in profits this year after it booked an undisclosed profit in 2015.
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