PROJECT DESCRIPTION
We were appointed Principal Contractor to undertake the conversion and restoration of Old Antrim Courthouse, a Grade A listed building. It was converted into an Auditorium, Tourist Information Centre and cafe/bar area. The Auditorium now hosts plays, concerts and cinema screenings, as well as conferences, lectures and public meetings.
The building was derelict and structurally unstable. Due to the listed status of the building, a lot of the structure had to be salvaged. Therefore a temporary support structure was installed in the interior of the building to allow the roof to be dismantled and structural elements to be worked on. We completely replaced the first floor as this required extensive repairs and the joists and beams could not sustain the new design loading for a public hall. We installed new staircase and undertook dry rot treatment. Works also included the installation of all M&E services and the replacement of rainwater goods.
Extensive stone repair was carried out using lime mortar and sandstone quarried nearby. We undertook repairs to structural cracking. We installed new stone floors. We used our own in-house fully trained stone masons with extensive experience in listed buildings to carry out the works. We restored window frames and stone surrounds.
We re-plastered all internal ceilings using lime plaster on new timber laths. We restored original joinery in our manufacturing premises. We carried out draft proofing of all windows including traditional timber sash in case windows in this historic Grade A listed building to comply with NIEA requirements. These were manufactured in our workshop and transported to site for installation.
Extensive work was undertaken to restore the stonework and repair the elements of the roof including the Copala which required extensive repair and leadwork. The Copala was removed, transported to our workshops and extensive repair work carried out to restore it.
Built in 1726, the Old Courthouse, Antrim, is the oldest court house still standing in Northern Ireland.
