Unsurprisingly for a company that celebrates its centenary this year, Dublin-based PJ Hegarty has a long and proven track record of delivering high quality projects in a variety of different sectors across the whole of Ireland. This market-leading reputation was recently further reinforced following its work on the Block N1 Central Park development in Leopardstown, which has been nominated for an Irish Construction Excellence Award within the ‘Commercial Over 30m’ category.
“We are absolutely delighted that the Block N1 project has been shortlisted for this prestigious award,” explains Seamus Sheahan, Regional Director. “It’s great that our hard work and ability to deliver excellence in construction in Ireland has been recognised.”
PJ Hegarty was appointed as main contractor on the project in May 2021 with overall responsibility for delivery and commenced construction works in the summer. Work was practically complete by late 2024.
Designed to be a 100% carbon-free building targeting LEED Gold, Block N1 Central Park involved the construction of a 19,318 sq m CAT A office building consisting of eight floors of office space with landlord areas, including a quadruple reception and eight-storey atrium, all above a 23,400 sq m double basement. Access to the floors is via three stair cores and eight lifts, including two high-specification scenic lifts.
The basement covers most of the site and was built to cater for two final phases, N2 and N3, respectively. The superstructure is an in-situ concrete frame with internal stair cores of reinforced concrete walls, landings and precast stairs. The structural frame to the scenic lifts consists of 50 tonnes of bespoke architectural steel installed to high tolerances.
The façade consists of various typologies including unitised glazing, stick curtain walling, stone cladding and frameless glass to the scenic lifts and reception areas. Three of the four elevations are further enhanced by large structural steel sections consisting of 200 tonnes of architectural steel which forms a large brise soleil. This structure hangs from gallows brackets that are cast into the roof slab and cantilevers to where it pivots to the floors at level 1.
While the Block N1 contract is fairly typical of the work PJ Hegarty has specialised in over the years, having completed a substantial number of office contracts in the likes of Dublin and Cork, the project wasn’t without its challenges, as Mr Sheahan outlines: “There were certainly a few issues to contend with but the most significant were the time and financial impact relating to Covid and managing the fast track nature of the design to ensure it met our construction programme.
“In terms of how we overcame these challenges, continually communicating with the client on the impact the various issues were having was crucial in finding solutions to each problem as they arose. This high level of collaboration ensured the project was completed with the implementation of cost-effective solutions that didn’t compromise on quality. This proactive and fair approach to monetary management, coupled with value engineering as required, allowed us to deliver a phenomenally successful and very high-quality project without exceeding budget.
“The design of Block N1 was completed in elements as the project progressed. We were aware of this challenge so put structures and procedures in place to ensure the design was completed on time and to the right quality. As such, we were able to appoint our supply chain on time with a completed design to meet our overall programme. This was challenging but through efficient design and project management we were able to meet each critical milestone on the development.”
Given the complexity of the project, regardless of its previous track record and excellent reputation, PJ Hegarty still learnt a great deal from the process. “All projects are different in terms of design, the location, site challenges and the people involved so there’s always lessons to be learned.
“A number of different elements had to come together to make this project a success, but it mostly came down to a few key areas. Firstly, we have an excellent relationship with the client and design team that led to a real sense of collaboration, openness and a ‘can do’ problem solving attitude. They all recognised that the entire construction industry is going through a difficult period, which was evident in their working arrangements with us.
“We also had an excellent and loyal supply chain and without them the project would not have progressed as smoothly as it did. Those supplier relationships have been built up over many years.
“Finally, our highly skilled staff and their commitment to the project, from beginning to end, also played an essential role. Our staff are often the go-between linking the design team and the supply chain, so they were critical to the overall success of the project.”
Although the Block N1 development is now attracting award recognition with the project having been completed around a year ago, PJ Hegarty has never been one to rest on its laurels and has been quick to switch its focus to the other contracts it has in the pipeline.
“We’re quite busy at the moment and we have our eye on a couple of large and complex projects,” outlines Mr Sheahan. “We carry out all facets of construction in Ireland. We are heavily involved in the industrial, data centre and pharmaceutical sectors, while we will of course continue to carry out office building work in our city centres.”
Given that it has 100 years of operation under its belt and continues to construct award-nominated projects, this confidence moving forward is more than justified, as PJ Hegarty begins to write the next chapter in its already impressive history.