Case Study: St George’s Town Hall E1 Refurbishment

Overview

St George’s Town Hall is a Grade II listed building located in the heart of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The property is significant in the community and has a long association with many residents and politicians.

The original Council instruction was to develop an options report to review the existing use of the building and business case to support investment for improved use. The business case was approved, and OCG were instructed to project manage the refurbishment of the building to become the new home of Tower Hamlet’s Registry Office.

The Challenge

Bringing a historic building back to its former glory has its challenges, especially during a pandemic. From hidden openings in walls, to hazardous staircases, the refurbishment of this Grade II listed building to become the new Registry Office for Tower Hamlets was never boring.

Project Objectives

OCG were responsible for decanting the existing tenants and relocating them into suitable premises within the Borough, supporting LBTH with the procurement of professional service providers to lead on the design and the main contractor to undertake the refurbishment programme, project management of the refurbishment and relocating the Registry Office from Bromley Public Hall in Bow, to the new building in Shadwell.

The Process

Having worked with LBTH on a number of projects, OCG had a good insight into the client’s requirements and following extensive research into the local workspace and commercial lettings market we were able to present several options, which met the overall client objective of asset maximation and also ensuring the building retained its community focus.

Once the refurbishment project kicked off, OCG quickly established a good working relationship with the technical consultant and main contractor through virtual and face to face meetings where government guidelines allowed. Our ongoing communication and consultation with the Superintendent Registrar ensured the Service felt included in all key decisions and that the design was adapted to future-proof the Service’s requirements and incorporate their ever-changing needs due to COVID guidance.

The Solution

The Project Team’s detailed understanding of the procurement process and governance structure meant that the technical consultant and construction companies could be appointed quickly and without delay. The Project Team built strong relationships with the Registry Service, architects and construction team which enabled open and honest conversations which were vital to manage expectations during a global pandemic.

The results

The building is now a hive of activity, allowing the Registrars to meet their existing demand whilst providing the opportunity to grow their wedding packages.

“Waltham Forest instructed OCG to carry out a review of our Facilities Management service. The team were professional, and engaged with our staff and stakeholders in a manner that meant everyone felt comfortable and at ease in discussing what works well and not so well. OCG provided regular project updates, had a flexible approach and a delivered a detailed report with improvement opportunities that everyone could understand and follow. We were very happy with the outcome and look forward to working with the team again in the future”.

Craig Egglestone – Waltham Forest Council

The Facilities team at Tower Hamlets have worked with Consultants from OCG on many different projects over the past 10 years or so. This has included Procurement support, service review, the implementation of the Corporate Landlord operating model and Asset Management software advice and services. The Consultants are professional, knowledgeable, thorough and easy to work with.

Sam Brown – London Borough of Tower Hamlets

OCG have been appointed by Croydon to support the delivery of a range of projects over the past few years. Projects have included drafting the Asset Strategy, delivering our property review programme and the delivery of capital projects. The team are diligent, professional and work with all stakeholders to deliver excellent outcomes for the Council.

Steve Wingrave – Head of Asset Management and Estates