- Site name: VITA
- Address: 93 Portland Crescent, Leeds, LS1 3AY
- Contract Value: £475,000.00
- Steel recovery: 123 tons
- Combined Non-ferrous recovery: 2 tons
- Programme: 32 weeks
- Date: September 2018
In 2015 a precast concrete frame had been constructed up to the 11th floor and partially built on the 12th. Unfortunately, the main contractor and developer underwent serious financial hardship, and the site was mothballed. In 2018 Vita Group took control of the site, with a view to transforming the partially constructed concrete frame into a student accommodation high-rise residential block.
Due to the partially built structure having been left to the open elements, with various steel ties left to perish, along with concrete jointing grouting tubes, left open to a substantial amount of freeze and thaw damage, which in turn caused large amounts of cracking and defects within the concrete frame.
Kayedem were instructed to demolish the 12th and 11th floor due to the defects being irreparable. Kayedem’s package also included the removal of various precast concrete staircases, vertical columns, precast wall panels, removal of 60 prefabricated bathroom pods, and also to the formation of a series of apertures through the building 330mm thick core walls, along with various service penetrations throughout the remaining floors.
Due to poor access surrounding the building and also the works were partial demolition, with a view to ensuring the remaining floors were left in situ and undamaged, as they were going to receive a substantial amount of remedial works, Kayedem had to propose an unorthodox method of demolition to ensure we met our brief.
Kayedems engineers and site management used a reverse process method. A tower crane was used to lift sections to be demolished floor sections away from the building. The entire floor plates were back propped to ensure there was no risk of an uncontrolled collapse, the precast concrete sections were slung and supported by the tower crane whilst Kayedems operatives used Track saws to cut each section free. The sections were lifted down to the ground floor and removed from the site on low loaders and flatbed HGVs where they were hauled off-site for processing.
Bobcat loading shovels and Mini diggers with hydraulic breakers were lifted onto the floor plates to assist in the removal of various upstand concrete walls and columns. Cantilever decks were installed to allow the tower crane to place skips on each floor plate.
News article - https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/demolition-starts-failed-leeds-arena-hotel-site-ahead-new-development-564533
