Proudly in business over 50 years, Summerhill Construction Co Ltd in Donoughmore, Co. Cork was delighted to win the ‘Education Project’ category at the recent 2023 Irish Construction Excellence Awards.
The family-run business was also nominated in the ‘Commercial or Industrial Up to €10 million’ category for Citigate Plaza Block B. Their second nomination saw them win the overall ‘Education Project’ category for the Tyndall Institute of Technology UCC, Phases 1&3 respectively.
Founded in 1993, the Irish Construction Excellence Awards (ICE Awards) are the original and premier recognition of performance excellence for the contracting sector in Ireland, and provide an opportunity for the industry to showcase and reward best practice across the full range of construction disciplines and project categories.
“We were thrilled with the two nominations and delighted to pick up an award,” Summerhill contracts director Dan O’Sullivan said of the ICE Awards gala event on April 27 at The Convention Centre in Dublin.
“We were up for an ICE Award before in 2019 and it was a great night. It’s an opportunity to show our appreciation to our staff for their efforts and the top-quality work they do on a daily basis. We are lucky to have very committed and talented people who take tremendous pride in their work. The nominations are all down to them. It’s a real team effort.”
Summerhill combined with JCD Group (John Cleary Development Group) to bring over 40,000 sq. ft. of Grade A world-class office and retail space designed to gold LEED standard to Mahon, Cork as part of the successful City Gate Portfolio. Consisting of one of two blocks which are four and three-storeys over ground, and designed by award-winning architects Henry J Lyons and structurally designed by Murphy Matson O’Sullivan engineers, City Gate Plaza offers the opportunity to embrace and maximise the very latest working practices. It combines a superior level of specification with an unrivalled attention to detail, creating a workplace that is not just functional, but inspirational.
“This project surpassed our high expectations from beginning to end,” Dan says.
“The drive and passion of every person involved was amazing. There was a great sense of pride and team spirit with this project because of its unique design and high-standard finishes. Every division engaged in different elements of this build became passionate about creating the very best results.
“The Citygate Plaza is much more than just an office structure. It has now become part of the community and a landmark for people passing on the main road from Cork city centre to Mahon Point Industrial Centre.”
Tyndall Institute of Technology UCC Phase 1&3 is another outstanding example of Summerhill’s capabilities. Block A Phase 1 involved refurbishing two areas on the second and third floors, and included moving two electronic characterisation labs from the first and second floors of the adjacent Block C building. The Phase 3 office refurbishment consisted of upgrade works to one of the older buildings in the Tyndall National Institute.
The brick structure was constructed in 1903 and was originally a kiln building and part of the Maltings complex until its conversion into a three-storey office building in the last 50 years. It is adjacent to the boundary with Presentation Brothers Secondary School and the River Lee. This sustainability project exceeded the contractor’s highest expectations. The specialist subcontractors assigned by Summerhill achieved remarkable results which led to the building receiving an SEAI Award for sustainability. The engineers were Horgan Lynch (Phase 1) and Curtin’s (Phase 3), while the architects were Butler Cammoranesi (Phase 1) and Scott Tallon Walker (Phase 3).
Established in 1968, Summerhill Construction Co Ltd is a successful building and civil engineering company with a proud reputation for quality and excellence. Acquired over two generations and across a wide spectrum of industry sectors, the family business boasts a wealth of knowledge, expertise and talent that is second to none. It is this experience that underpins Summerhill’s ability to deliver a service and product that truly reflects the individual needs of its clients.
Summerhill has a proven track record for tendering and negotiating projects for a variety of clients. Its client portfolio ranges from large multinational corporations and private companies to local and state authorities. As a result, the Cork operation has become synonymous with the consistent delivery of highly complex projects, on time and within budget in the residential, commercial conservation, fitout, healthcare, hospitality and education sectors.
The company’s dedicated team excel at working hand-in-hand with external design teams to provide a seamless and highly professional turnkey service to each and every client, no matter how exacting the brief or how challenging the timeline. Its management processes are tried, tested and proven, ensuring smooth coordination throughout all phases of your project, including mechanical and electrical services along with other specialist services.
Summerhill’s ability to meet client parameters and exceed expectations has helped to build an impressive portfolio of loyal, long-term clients whose ongoing repeat business constitutes a significant proposition of its overall project pipeline. In addition to being CIRI registered, Summerhill is a Safe-T-Cert company which operates with an unwavering commitment to Health & Safety at every level. This is evidenced by an insistence that all site management team members be trained and accredited to the highest standards, while health, safety and welfare at work are primary considerations in the procurement and appointment of its chain suppliers.
A programme of ongoing investment in the latest systems, technology and equipment ensures that clients can expect industry-leading levels of time and cost efficiencies throughout all aspects of their project, from inception to completion.
“We’re a family-run business employing 70 people directly and a further 150-200 on a subcontract basis,” Dan explains.
“I run the company jointly with my brother James, who is operations director. Our father Jim, set it up in 1968 and it has gone from strength to strength ever since. We have some great clients, including JCD Group, Kennedy Wilson, UCC, RTÉ, HSE, Aramark,Mater private hospital , Bus Éireann, Laya Healthcare, Janssen, Department of Education, CIT, Starbucks and Geaney Property Developments. Repetitive work has been the key to our longevity and success.”
Some of Summerhill’s completed high-profile projects include the Victoria Hotel refurbishment, UCC Centre of Executive Education, Ireland’s largest Jaguar / Land Rover showroom, Ireland’s first Starbucks drive-thru café and the full refurbishment of the landmark Metropole Hotel in Cork along with multiple high standard buildings to Blarney Business Park.
“We’ve just started a new build for Dunnes Stores in Bishopstown and a Cath lab installation in the Mater Private Hospital in Cork where we’re working within a live environment. We’ve also got another large project happening in Little Island which will be a Data Centre on completion for a confidential client. We’ve a very positive year ahead of us.”
Committed to delivering all projects efficiently, effectively and to the highest industry standards, Summerhill would like to take this opportunity to thank its clients, suppliers and design teams for their continued support as well as its staff and subcontractors for their hard work, dedication and skill.
Here’s to the next 50 years and more!
Summerhill Construction Co Ltd
Donoughmore,
Co. Cork.
Telephone: +353 (0)21 733 7078
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.summerhillconstruction.ie
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, July 2023, Vol 9 No 7
