Global Vision Building

Complete refurbishment of a fire damaged business college.

Global Vision Building | CASE STUDY DETAILS

KEY FEATURES

Tight Timescale
Busy City Centre Location
Avoidance of Disruption to Nearby Businesses

Restoring a Fire-Damaged Business College in the Heart of Manchester

Whitfield & Brown was appointed by Mayfield Developments Ltd to deliver the complete refurbishment and reinstatement of the Global Vision Building at 60 Charles Street, Manchester. Designed by Corstorphine & Wright, the project involved restoring a fire-damaged business college to its original condition through an intensive programme of strip-out, reconstruction and refurbishment works.

Located within Manchester city centre, the four-storey building and basement required extensive intervention following significant fire damage. The project demanded careful planning, detailed coordination and a disciplined construction approach to return the building to full operational use within a tight programme.

Collaborative Restoration Approach

Working alongside Corstorphine & Wright, Whitfield & Brown developed and delivered a comprehensive refurbishment strategy focused on restoring the building safely, efficiently and to a high standard of quality. Close collaboration between the client, design team and specialist subcontractors ensured the reinstatement works remained aligned with programme requirements while maintaining full compliance with current construction standards.

Complete Fire Damage Reinstatement

The scale of damage required the complete removal of all affected materials and building components throughout the structure.

Works included:

Removal of damaged floors, walls and partitions.
Strip-out of staircases and stair lifts.
Removal of ceilings and floor finishes.
Replacement of doors, frames and windows.
Renewal of fixtures and fittings.
Removal and replacement of sanitaryware.
Full replacement of mechanical and electrical installations.
Internal refurbishment throughout all floors and basement areas.

Once the strip-out phase was completed, the building was comprehensively rebuilt and refurbished to restore both its functionality and appearance.

External Refurbishment Works

Alongside the internal reinstatement programme, external works were undertaken to address fire damage to the building envelope. Damaged windows were repaired where possible, whilst new ground-floor windows were installed to restore the façade and improve the building’s overall presentation.

Delivering in a Busy City Centre Environment

One of the key challenges of the project was its location within a busy area of Manchester city centre. The project team implemented robust site management measures to maintain safe pedestrian routes and minimise disruption to neighbouring businesses and building users throughout the works.

Careful sequencing, logistics planning and programme management enabled the extensive refurbishment works to be completed within a 12-week programme despite the complexity of the reinstatement works.

Project Outcome

The completed refurbishment successfully transformed a fire-damaged property back into a fully usable educational and commercial building. The project demonstrates Whitfield & Brown’s capability in delivering complex refurbishment and reinstatement projects where technical expertise, careful coordination and programme certainty are essential to achieving a successful outcome.