University News Last updated 25 September 2014
Birmingham City University’s £260m campus investment programme took a major step forward with the ‘topping out’ of The Curzon Building, a state-of-the-art facility opening to students in September 2015.
The £63m project, housing a new library, student hub and the University’s Schools of Business, Law, English and Social Sciences, includes the complete restoration of a Victorian pub, The Eagle and Ball, which will offer a unique new home to the Students Union.
The topping out ceremony was led by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Shafique Shah, Birmingham City University’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Cliff Allan, and Peter Owen, Willmott Dixon's Managing Director for the Midlands - the company developing The Curzon Building.
Mr Owen said partnership with Birmingham City University
had enabled 140 students to gain practical experience of construction and architecture, with two graduates now employed permanently by Willmott Dixon, and “adding a lot of value to our business”.
Discover more about The Curzon Building on our dedicated page.
Professor Allan welcomed the learning opportunities for students and graduates to get high quality employment experience, and added:
“This, and the other recent developments, are more than just buildings. They will help us to transform the experience of everyone who will be occupying them, students and staff, enabling us to transform the way we teach and learn and undertake research.
“This whole area is coming together and will truly become an Eastside learning quarter at which Birmingham City University will be at the heart.”
Mr Owen also offered a swathe of facts about the construction of The Curzon Building:
- There are around 350 operatives on site at any one time – that’s around 4.5 million staff hours over the course of the 12 month project to date
- There have been no reportable accidents and only 8-10 cuts and bruises
- £28m has been spent on the local economy – within a 25 mile radius of the site
- 140 Birmingham City University students have had practical construction
- Four students have just finished summer placements
- Two Birmingham City University architect graduates are now full-time Willmott Dixon employees
- Young people have had a combined 900 weeks of employment experience, through partnerships with the Construction Youth Trust and Budding Brunels.
About the pub’s restoration:
- The Eagle and Ball pub was built between 1840 and 1850
- It was known as The Moby Dick when it closed in 2007
- Its old name will be restored and the Students’ Union will become the main tenants when it reopens in 2015.