Big role for Scudder in university project

Scudder Demolition, part of the Carey Group, has completed soft strip and demolition works at Northgate House in Oxford, United Kingdom, as part of a £36 million (US$ 46.8 million) redevelopment project by Oxford University’s Jesus College.

Contracted by principal contractor BAM Construction, Scudder was hired to deconstruct and demolish the 20^th century property, which was previously leased to several businesses and four public houses (bars).

Scudder said that the site’s city centre location and tight footprint required close liaison with Oxford City Council and local businesses to ensure the smooth running of the site.

The works saw the company strip all non-load bearing partitions, remove all walls, floor finishes, fixtures and fittings and demolish all floors to foundation level.

Due to the presence of live commercial establishments next to the building, the specialist company undertook most of the work to the structure’s party walls by hand. Larger slabs within the party walls, which measured up to 10 m (32 ft), were demolished using a Brokk machine.

Scudder said the project saw around 30 loads of material removed from the site each day, with the main demolition works generating around 500 loads of waste material in total.

The company worked with the local council and contracted a local waste management facility and haulier to ensure efficient vehicle movements.

The Northgate redevelopment project is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2021, to coincide with the college’s 450^th anniversary.