Piper Demolition have started an exciting new Demolition project this month.
Work has commenced on this Grade II listed former hospital. This extensive and ornate site was originally built in 1879 by George Rake. This gothic inspired Asylum served the community of Portsmouth and surrounding areas.
The hospital evolved over the years originally purposed to house and rehabilitate Mentally ill patients it changed with the needs of the community. The site became a sanatorium for infectious diseases such as TB and grew in size in 1895 and 1908 with the addition of new buildings. In 1914 St James diverse building took in casualties from WW1 and WW2. Its believed that it provided care to soldiers wounded in the D Day landings. As well as a functioning war hospital, many American soldiers set up base in the grounds and buildings of the hospital, creating a home from home. Archives even claim that our allies created a baseball court in the extensive gardens.
The hospital then became a NHS site and provided care to the community for the next few decades. Sadly with the introduction of new modern medical facilities throughout Portsmouth, more and more of the Hospital became redundant. In 2019 the building stepped up again for the community providing a Covid 19 vaccination site. This was St James final purpose and the site was then sold.
This historic building is set to be revamped into fantastic residential dwellings and the site is set to included lush gardens and cycle paths. The new owners of the site are a prestigious, experienced developer, who’s passion is to keep the heritage and integrity of historic buildings, while sympathetically and carefully marrying old architecture with new. We are proud to be part of this buildings history.
Our team arrived on site at the start of February. Our tasks on site are to carefully clear the buildings ready for renovation. This includes removing any hazardous materials from site including Asbestos. As always any waste will be removed and disposed of in accordance to all regulations and waste removal laws. We also will carefully strip each area and save any architecture that is included in the modernisation of the building. Our team will demolish and clear any structures that are not included in the final plans for the site. Carefully salvaging and storing materials that are to be kept and reused.
This is a fabulous and imposing site and we are looking forward to the challenge of this project. Piper Demolition has a great relationship with the client and have worked with them on numerous buildings and projects of this nature in the past. Helping to successfully deliver the clients vision for their sites, resulting in strikingly beautiful properties that are a magical mix of old and new.
We are looking forward to seeing this site evolve and we will keep you updated with our progress.