Faithful+Gould has been chosen by Eastbourne Borough Council to project manage the restoration of the Congress Theatre façade, which involves installing specialist glazing and replacing window frames on the Grade II* listed building.
The firm is working with English Heritage to ensure that significant repairs needed to the façade are in keeping with the original 1963 style, and that existing support columns will remain and be protected.
Work is scheduled to start in August and be completed in spring 2015. The theatre will remain open while the repairs are carried out.
“This project is all about tackling the urgent repairs needed to the facade of this modernist theatre and retaining the building’s original aesthetics while also improving the internal environment of the foyer so that it is warmer in winter and cooler in summer,” Faithful+Gould principal conservation surveyor Richard Stocking.
Focus is the council’s project manager for the broader Devonshire Park masterplan to transform it into a ‘cultural destination’. The Focus team will manage the next stage of the design and business planning which incorporates the upgrading and layout of tennis courts.
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They will oversee the restoration of the listed buildings, including the next stage of the Congress Theatre improvements, and any new buildings needed to attract conferences and exhibitions, as well as new public realm in front of the Congress.
The detailed designs for the wider redevelopment, costing between £30m and £35m, will be finalised by March 2015 with work expected to begin in 2017.
Eastbourne Borough Council has also taken on conservation architects Purcell, to provide heritage advice.
Council leader David Tutt, said: “I’m delighted our masterplan for a new, vibrant Devonshire Park has taken another step forward. It is an extremely exciting project which will make Eastbourne an even more attractive place to live and visit for many years to come.”
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