Portsmouth based construction company, Brymor Group, has won the contract to refurbish and reinvent the Montefiore Block Halls of Residence for students at the University of Southampton.
Built in the 1960’s, Montefiore Blocks A & B are the oldest blocks of accommodation at the University’s Wessex Lane Campus. While the buildings remain structurally sound, the facilities that they provide have reached the end of their design life, and the continual maintenance issues do not reflect the standards of accommodation that the University wishes to provide to new first year students when the buildings are re-opened in 2021.
Stephen Morton, MD of Brymor commented: “While this project is a refurbishment rather than a complete re-build, the plans are no less meticulous and have been carefully devised to ensure the blocks are modernised, functional and comfortable for new students. The University of Southampton is crucial to the thriving culture in Southampton, and we understand how important it is that the students being welcomed to the University feel at ease in their new home from home.”
The project, due to start this month, will see the complete refurbishment of the bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen facilities and communal spaces, with additional improved kitchens to be added and communal washrooms converted into self-contained pods. Alongside internal works, landscaping, paving, footpaths, signage and lighting will be considered to improve the exterior of the buildings.
“Brymor construction were selected to undertake this project because of our excellent logistical planning and management skills, alongside our ability to understand the sensitivities of managing a site existing within a live residential setting. We couldn’t be happier to be working with the University on this project and we are confident that our work will allow the University to put these halls back on their campus as a desirable and state of the art location for student living.”
The re-opening of these halls in 2021 will not only attract new students to the University of Southampton but will also provide the University with a boost in income, as currently the buildings are unoccupied.
