Award Winning Grade 2 Listed Renovation Project
On July 1st at the ICC we received our Award as Winner in the ‘Restoration and Conversion Category in the Regional Built in Quality Awards 2011’ from the Lord Major of Birmingham. The Grade 2 Listed project is at 159 Warstone Lane on the old Zimmerman factory site just down the hill from the clock tower.
The Award is the culmination of well over three years ‘labour of love’ hard work to change a previous white washed battered building with broken hideous windows into the present contribution to the Jewellery Quarter.
It has hand-made sash and traditional windows throughout, with slate roof, metal drainpipes and ‘penny jointed’ original exposed brickwork with arches, corbals and all.
The central courtyard, which once was the shop floor for 150 working men, including a nightshift, now has ornate front doors to family houses on three floors with handmade ironmongery on balconies and walls.
The high spot of works was trying to remove a ‘nuclear bunker’ style safe/vault about 20 feet square with monstrous door and twisted steel embedded in concrete – a lot of hammering and lots of wheelbarrows!
All but three of the nine luxury town houses, four apartments and two offices have sold. Visitors most welcome!’
Ross McMillan. Cedar Homes (UK)Ltd, www.cedarhomes.org.uk.
