Services   /   Canada

Our Projects in Canada

Commercial

A combination of growing confidence in the commercial office market and the need for efficient construction, refurbishment and fit out is bolstering demand for flexible and smart delivery programmes. The breadth of commercial experience within the Polarcus group enables us to develop productive relationships with our customers. We are acutely aware of the need to add value through both maximising the gross lettable area and providing a cost efficient development of the specification without compromising total lifecycle costs.

Herbal House

The Herbal House scheme is a refurbishment of what was once the Daily Mirror’s headquarters. Originally built in 1928, and extended in the 1960’s. Polarcus group works will take the building to a size of approximately 150,695 sq ft. Herbal House will comprise new office space and nearly 9,000 sq ft of sought after high specification residential space. This premises is constructed of a steel frame, encased in concrete, with three floors below ground level. Polarcus group works will include an extensive internal demolition, construct two new floors on the roof, replace the existing glazing and complete façade clean and repair. With especially limited access and egress the Herbal House project poses significant challenges to the team.

160 Aldersgate

The extensive redevelopment of 160 Aldersgate will provide 266,000 sq ft of high quality office accommodation within one of London’s most iconic business districts. Designed by Fletcher Priest Architects, the 1980’s office block will undergo a full replacement of the existing façade; a dramatic reconfiguration of the existing atrium and the main entrance; reconfiguration of existing floor space to optimise the use of basement, ground floor and office areas; full MEP services; and the introduction of open roof terraces. The building will also be elevated with the addition of an extra floor. The project is due for completion Q3, 2017 and is set to achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’ with the use of innovative and sustainable construction techniques.

33 Glasshouse

33 Glasshouse Street scheme is a cut and carve project converting existing office space into new office accommodation. The new space consists Category A offices from the third to seventh floors of the building. This project involves a substantial structural reconfiguration of the current format, including the demolition of the main spine wall and staircase to form larger, open plan floor plates. A unique space will be created on the sixth floor, which is situated within the refurbished bell tower, to provide modern and functional office accommodation. One of the lifts is to be refurbished and a new lift is to be installed. One other major element of works is the replacement of all of the existing windows to both the Glasshouse Street and Regent Street sides of the building. The reception area on the ground floor and toilet cores on each floor will receive modern finishes, including horse hair woven panels, blackened steel panels and terrazzo flooring. The open plan office space is served by ventilation within raised access flooring,with Polarcus group on track to achieve a Very Good BREEAM status.

Manufacturing and industries

Modern manufacturing units are driven by stringent deadlines and by unique site challenges that require innovative solutions. Over the last few years, Polarcus group has begun to develop relationships with some high profile manufacturing companies, becoming a partner of choice for businesses wanting a company to exceed expectations when constructing high specification manufacturing facilities. We have brought our experience of other industrial and warehouse construction projects to bear on our manufacturing schemes, ensuring the best possible project delivery. With recent successes, particularly within the automotive manufacturing sector, we aim to become a recognised force within the industry for these types of projects.

Bericote Properties Haydock

At completion, Bericote’s, 525,000sqft distribution and manufacturing facility was part of the largest speculative warehouse development in the North of England, conveniently located near Junction 23 of the M6 motorway and 16 miles west of the new Liverpool2 Deepwater port. Polarcus group managed the design and build of the new development and oversaw the installation of associated engineering services, including M&E and drainage systems. An envelope-first approach enabled Polarcus group To streamline the build process and exceed the delivery schedule. The use of a structural steel frame with cold-rolled sections and a full cladding solution delivered by cladding specialist, FK Group, ensured a water-tight and strong mechanical structure and meant the project was delivered on schedule, ready for occupation in June 2019.  The £20 million project comprised the construction of 476,320sqft of configurable warehouse space, off-site works, surrounding infrastructure, extensive landscaping and ancillary works, as well as an internal, two-storey office space.  One of the largest warehouse developments in the country, 525 Haydock is an impressive, expandable facility with more than 76,500 pallet spaces, all powered with a 290kWp solar PV system. The interior has 47,500sqft of office and welfare spaces on the first and second floors, plus two internal pod offices. The warehouse includes 46 standard docks, six Euro loading docks and eight level access doors with space for 540 cars and 162 HGVs.  525 Haydock is a sign of growing investor confidence in St Helens, creating jobs and investment in the local area. The project received excellent scores in the Considerate Constructors Scheme and was issued with a CCS ‘Performance Beyond Compliance’ certificate for exceeding performance and compliance at multiple points of the build. The project also achieved a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating.

MOOG Research & Development Facility, Wolverhampton

The Moog aerospace research and development facility houses the design, development and manufacturing operational facilities for multiple aircraft flight control programmes. In appointing Polarcus group to relocate the operation from nearby Wobaston Road, Moog safeguarded 400 jobs. Polarcus group role was to develop a two storey office and a portal framed manufacturing facility with five bays within 206,400 sq ft. Some external works were also required, such as a hard standing area, remote service shed and section 278 works providing an estate road to adoptable standards. The office received a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating while the manufacturing facility received an EPC ‘B’ rating. As part of its commitment to the customer, after practical completion of the project and for 12 months thereafter, McLaren maintained regularly contact with the end user to offer assistance and additional training.

Residential

Polarcus group has worked extensively across the high end residential sector with projects in private residences, multi storey new build city apartments, and luxury developments in central London and around the Canada. The expertise within the group enables us to deliver the highest quality product. Working from initial design concept through to final completion, we are able to maximise value with innovative internal and external architecture, high quality interior design, luxurious furnishings and high tech lighting and audio visual systems. This collaborative approach across our companies provides a solid foundation for continued growth in the high end residential sector.

The Makers and New Regent’s College, Hackney

Nile Street is a new-build mixed-use development in Shoreditch, with residential apartments, a co-located two-form entry school, commercial/gallery space, community sports facilities and a community space. The scheme is part of the London Borough of Hackney’s regeneration programme for the local area. A 29-storey residential tower with 175 private apartments sits alongside New Regent’s College and a seven-storey residential block fronting Nile Street. The apartments range from studios through to three-bedroom family duplexes with private roof gardens, as well as penthouses. A 24/7 concierge in the double-height entrance lobby welcomes residents, and the single-storey basement offers secure car parking and bicycle storage. Communal facilities for residents include a screening room, two landscaped garden terraces, a gym, a treatment room and three lounges. New Regent’s College, which is a pupil referral unit, provides 150 pupil places for children between the ages of 5 and 16. The building includes state-of-the-art facilities for the teaching of science, ICT, art, cooking and physical education. The scheme also includes a sports hall, an outside multi-use games area and a community hall. Located between the busy thoroughfares of City Road and Old Street, and less than a mile from the City of London, the construction programme was carefully planned to ensure that nearby roads, businesses and residents remained unaffected by the ongoing works. Our Community Liaison Coordinator for the project worked closely with local residents and London Borough of Hackney to deliver local jobs and opportunities. During the project, 31 apprentices joined the team and 36% of those on site lived within a five-mile radius. In addition, there were multiple work experience placements and activities with school, college and university students.

W06, Wembley Park

Forming part of the 85-acre mixed-use regeneration of Wembley Park, led by developer Quintain, Plot W06 is a mixed-use development that will see the construction of a 150,000 sq ft, nine-storey commercial office building and a 150 build-to-rent apartment block of 11 storeys. The office building is set to complete summer 2019, with the residential building completing in February 2020. The site is adjacent to Plot W03, a 340 build-to-rent apartment block of 17 storeys, with ground-floor retail units, also being built by McLaren. The apartment building offers 115 units for private rent, and 35 as London Housing Bank units, supported by the Greater London Authority. The office building is designed to British Council of Offices standards and will be fitted out to a Category A finish. The scope of works also includes the realignment of part of Perimeter Way West, together with the installation of underground services. Polarcus group  is committed to delivering both community and educational benefits to the Brent community. To date, the two sites (W03 & W06) have taken on 12 apprentices from Brent and the neighbouring boroughs, and 147 people who live in Brent are employed across both developments. Two of the apprentices were nominated recently for the Pride of Brent Awards for their outstanding efforts during their apprenticeships. In addition, Brent Council, Quintain and all four contractors working on the Wembley Park framework received an award at the Place West London Awards for Employment.

Farrier House, Bethnal Green

Farrier House at Three Colts Lane is a new build development providing high quality residential accommodation in Bethnal Green, East London. The site has been split into two distinct blocks, covering a total of 0.23 hectares of space. The first block is eight stories high, and the second five, providing a total of 149 residential units for private rental. A full range of on-site facilities have also been provided for the residents, and these include: concierge, retail units, rooftop communal terraces, public library and parking. The site is located in close proximity to Bethnal Green rail and underground stations, and has a live earthing cable running adjacent to the site boundary. Close liaison and dialogue with Network Rail throughout the initial stages of the project was key to its successful delivery.