Tenders closing on UQ Ipswich stage two
Tenders close on March 10 for the second stage development of the University of Queensland's 25-hectare Ipswich campus, following the opening of the $17 million first stage next week.
The 121-year-old campus opens for Orientation activities on Monday, February 15, with the inaugural cohort of students settling into stage one of the project.
Six building firms have been invited to tender for the second stage.
They are Abigroup Contractors Pty Ltd, Barclay Mowlem Construction Limited, Concrete Constructions Group Limited, John Holland Construction and Engineering Pty Ltd, Baulderstone Hornibrook Pty Ltd and Multiplex Constructions (Qld) Pty Ltd.
The successful builder will be announced late March and construction will begin in early April. Stage two is due for completion in time for first semester, 2000.
University Construction Manager Peter Sampson of the University's Property and Facilities Division said stage two would develop buildings in the campus centre.
"The objective is to create a ?village' to serve as the social and administrative heart of the campus, which is expected to accommodate 2000 students by 2001," he said.
Stage two is to the south of the stage one works and includes the adaptive reuse of the central building complex of the old Challinor Centre.
Mr Sampson said stage two would provide the University with an additional 5000 square metres of usable floor space, in addition to stage one, which yielded 4000 square metres of floor space.
It requires rehabilitation of eight buildings in a heritage precinct, including the earliest buildings on the campus, and construction of a twin block new general purpose building.
Project Manager Lucas Kallinosis said the stage two development involved sympathetic compatible use of the heritage site. The one new building in the project would replace the disused former nurses' quarters which were not heritage listed.
The new four-storey building has been split to form two connecting wings to reflect the radial planning philosophy of the original site and provide visual continuity between the existing heritage-listed buildings. It features a cloister to its western side, picking up the theme of the University's cloister at its St Lucia campus.
Other major buildings in the second stage of the development include:
o Building 13, the former administration block, which will become a faculty building;
o Building 28, the former hospital building will also be adapted as a faculty building with academic and administrative offices; and
o Building 14, the former recreation hall, which will become a multi-use space for teaching and learning activities.
The former laundry will become the student refectory; the former kitchen will be adapted as two seminar rooms, and the former bakery will be reused as a seminar room.
Mr Kallinosis said building 22, the former boiler house and engine room which had been unused for some years, would be secured at this stage.
"The University will evaluate incorporating the Babcock and Willcox boilers for future re-use of the building," he said. "The building has the potential and character for recreational, performing arts or jazz club use. Its tall brick chimney is a local landmark."
The development extends to the re-use of open areas of the site, including landscape rehabilitation of the formal gardens and continuation of site services, roadworks, pedestrian parkways and associated parking.
Mr Kallinosis said heritage landscape elements included the circular drive to building 13 and the forecourt to building 28; stands of major trees, stone kerbing material, the ha ha wall footprint (a European-style trench wall to retain the view), the reunion garden and flagstaff, and retaining walls.
The University has appointed several key consultants for construction of stage two. They include Devine Erby Mazlin (architects and planners); Landscan Pty Ltd (landscape architects); Bruce Buchanan (heritage architect); Gutteridge Haskins and Davey Pty Ltd (hydraulics engineers); MultiTech Solutions Pty Ltd (mechanical and electrical engineers); Rawlinsons (quantity surveyors); Ove Arup (structural and civil engineers); and EMF Griffith (lift engineers).
Media contacts: Mr Sampson, telephone 07 3365 1113, Mr Kallinosis 07 3365 7409.
