McAleer & Rushe Project Manager Paddy Connolly was honoured with the Irish Construction Industry’s prestigious Construction Project Manager of the Year Award 2024. Paddy successfully delivered the challenging Bruce Street, Belfast student accommodation project, which was also nominated for the Contractor Residential Project of the Year Award.
All the leading lights from Ireland’s construction industry assembled in Dublin’s Conference Centre for the 2024 ICI Awards on Thursday, November 7th. Industry-leading Design & Build contractor McAleer & Rushe picked up a hat trick of awards on the night, having been shortlisted for no fewer than four awards. The firm claimed the awards for the Construction Project Manager of the Year (Paddy Connolly), International Project of the Year (Canada Water Plot K1, London) and impressively for the Project of the Year (Canada Water Plot K1, London). There was also a nomination in the Contractor Residential Project of the Year (Bruce Street, Belfast) sector. These awards reflect McAleer & Rushe’s uncanny ability to consistently deliver even the most complex and challenging Design & Build projects on time, within budget and to the highest standards.
A case in point being Bruce Street, Belfast – a complex £20m project comprising 269-unit ensuite student residences in a 15-storey building with incredibly high demands such as the short 86-week strict delivery programme and construction contract value against the market challenges.
Simply put, the successful delivery of Bruce Street, Belfast – already a multiple award winner, having scooped the RICS Award for Residential Building of the Year 2024 and the Construction Employers Federation (CEF) Multiple Occupancy Project of the Year Award 2024, to mention just a couple – represents a remarkable achievement, both for PM Paddy Connolly and the entire team.
Paddy’s attention to detail, excellent communication skills and ability to anticipate and resolve issues were to the fore throughout and served to make a complex project look relatively straightforward. Paddy’s involvement in the project started at the pre-construction stage in November, 2021 and he developed the construction programme that had to be delivered within an extremely tight duration of 86 weeks, between January 10th, 2022 and August 31st, 2023, in time for university student intake for the 2023/24 term.
It goes without saying that Paddy is delighted that both he and the project itself have made their respective shortlists for coveted ICI Awards, although he is not slow to observe that construction is a team game: “It’s nice to get this recognition but I’m very conscious of the fact that I didn’t deliver this project – it was the team around me. They are the ones who deserve all the credit. Be it our own office-based or site-based teams, the architect or the client’s interior designer, who worked closely with our own design team, and also our trusted supply chain, everybody came together to make this happen and it was a total team effort. For me, it was an honour to be part of that team.”
Delivery of the Bruce Street project required all of the key project management skills – leadership, a calm and measured demeanour, clear communication, organisation, programme coordination, risk mitigation and technical construction and sequencing knowledge – to achieve a successful outcome. Paddy displayed all of these skills in abundance.
The programme was challengingly tight and this was made considerably harder as the project encountered 3rd Party delays, which affected the Ground Works and erection of the Tower Crane, which meant the ground floor slab only being completed in August 2022, leaving 12 months to complete a 15 storey building, fitout of 269 Studios and communal areas. Bearing in mind the complexity of the façade, the city centre location (with restrictions on delivery times and logistics), the high quality and intricacy of the interiors package and the limited site size, the professionalism, innovation and leadership displayed by Paddy when meeting these challenges was exemplary. The PM’s involvement did not end at PC, as he maintained a site presence for the next 6-8 weeks working in conjunction with the client’s General Manager and facilities management team to ensure all teething issues were dealt with promptly, with no impact to the students’ daily routines. Beyond the initial aftercare assistance post PC, Paddy remained involved as Senior point of contact for the Client and Operator during the 12months Defects Liability Period.
As Project Manager on the Bruce Street project, he applied a variety of management skills, provided strong leadership, technical support and guidance to the site management and office-based teams.
Through hard work, dedication and commitment by the site team and the McAleer & Rushe team, and through the close working relationship formed with the client, Bruce Street proved to be a very successful and enjoyable project to be involved in – one that ranks at the top of Paddy’s career achievements to date. “The biggest challenge was definitely the tight programme,” confirms Paddy, who has been in construction for 26 years, working his way up from graduate engineer to site engineer, site manager, project manager / planning & pre-construction manager to his current role (as of April, 2024) of Contracts Manager.
Very much a hands-on leader who leads from the front onsite, Paddy has a vast wealth of experience across myriad sectors including planning, pre-construction, demolition & façade retention, hotel, residential, office, refurbishment & fit out, education, care home, PBSA and basement construction. Some of the stand-out projects from his CV include the 170-bed Posthouse Hotel & Health Club and Park Avenue Apartments on Ormeau Avenue, Belfast; the £65m 264-bedroom (plus conference suites) Jurys Inn Hotel along with 109 atrium apartments, a 75,000 square feet office block, basement carpark and five retail units at Waterfront Plaza, Nottingham; the 184-bedroom Crowne Plaza Hotel and Conference Suite plus 96-unit Falcons View apartments in Blanchardstown, Dublin; and the 298-bed Holiday Inn Hotel (including demolition of the existing building) on Aytoun Street, Manchester.
In his capacity as Contracts Manager, Paddy is currently involved in various projects which are either at construction stage, including a significant commercial fitout of a new-build office development in Belfast, and also pre-construction stage, including for several future Student Accommodation Developments and recently for a new-build Hotel Project in Dublin which has now commenced on site.
At the peak of the Bruce Street project, there were up to 160 tradespeople on site. “I can’t stress enough the importance of the extended team,” Paddy reiterates. “We appointed excellent subcontractors and every one of them pulled their weight. The outcome could have been different in terms of PC date if they hadn’t. We held weekly meetings with all the foremen and there was constant engagement and dialogue to ensure that everybody was on the ball with each element of those specialist trades.” Having a very collaborative and understanding Client was a big benefit to the Project, as through accurate reporting and communication they fully understood all Project complexities and risks and were able to help and support where necessary throughout the programme.
On the award-winning Bruce Street, Belfast project, Paddy displayed the many attributes that combine to make a great Project Manager. “Experience certainly helps,” he comments. “I have worked my way up from a graduate engineer and have earned invaluable experience working in many sectors of the industry over the years, as well as being involved in the planning and pre-contract phases and processes. “A good work ethic and always planning ahead is key. Being honest and transparent with your team and the various stakeholders is important and leading by example with a ‘can-do’ attitude,” Paddy concludes. “I’m not a dictator but have always taken a more-friendly approach to management, which for me achieved the same results and maintained harmony amongst the teams.
Exchange Square, Phase 2, Birmingham
Contractor International Project of the Year: McAleer & Rushe – Exchange Square Phase 2, Birmingham
Located to face the future HS2 station, The Silver Yard at Exchange Square Phase 2 is a dramatic residential building standing tall at 34-storeys atop a podium with a basement and mezzanine below. Completed in February 2024, the building delivers 375 Build to Rent Grainger apartments in a mix of one, two and duplex apartments, along with generous amenity spaces that include a yoga studio, gym, fully equipped kitchen within a private dining room and a spacious resident lounge with co-working space complete with booths and meeting pods.
The project seamlessly blends innovative construction methods with carefully chosen materials to create an exceptional living environment. These included adjusting the critical path of the concrete frame and precast façade installation works into two phases, reducing the overall installation programme by almost half and accelerating the internal finishes critical path. The main concrete lift and staircore were also slipped ahead of the superstructure, thus derisking and reducing turnaround by three days per floor.
This project exemplifies precision engineering, innovation, and exceptional quality, highlighting the collaboration of all involved throughout the development lifecycle in partnership with local authorities.
Canada Water Plot K1, London
Contractor International Project of the Year Winner: McAleer & Rushe – Canada Water Plot K1, London
Plot K1, also known as 7 Robert’s Close, is the first completed building of the 53-acre Canada Water Masterplan, uniquely located next to Russia Dock Woodland and Stave Hill Ecological Park. Developed by British Land in partnership with AustralianSuper, it provides 79 new affordable homes for Southwark Council, with 60 designated as council homes, helping to tackle the huge demand in the borough.
Achieving a Home Quality Mark Level 3 standard, the six-storey building is arranged in a C-shaped configuration around a central courtyard, offering dual-aspect views in every home and providing a communal garden for residents. Its façade design features a mix of precast brick slip panels in rich red tones with hand-laid white brick – symbolic of the area’s industrial heritage.
Sustainability is at the heart of Plot K1, achieving net zero embodied carbon and an astounding 866.4% Biodiversity Net Gain. The project is fully electric, water-efficient, and built to a zero-waste plan. The project created 70 local jobs and secured over 20 long-term employment outcomes, as well as providing two apprenticeships. Plot K1 exemplifies excellence in sustainable development, innovation, and community impact, setting a benchmark for future projects within the Canada Water Masterplan.
Bruce Street, Belfast
Contractor Residential Project of the Year: McAleer & Rushe – Bruce Street, Belfast
Bruce Street is an exceptional student accommodation scheme developed by MRP and constructed by McAleer & Rushe, providing 269 beautifully designed ensuite studio apartments in the heart of Belfast. Achieving full occupancy upon opening its doors in 2023 and representing Vita Student’s first venture in Northern Ireland, it not only raises the bar of student living, but significantly enhances urban living within Belfast city centre. The 15-storey building features extensive amenities, including a rooftop terrace with panoramic views, large hub spaces, private study and dining rooms, and a fully equipped gym, creating an environment that enhances the student experience by addressing wellbeing, learning, and social/community aspects.
Situated on the edge of the Linen Quarter in the heart of Belfast, Bruce Street’s design reflects the red brick Victorian warehouse buildings in this area, incorporating a lower five-storey podium and a 10-storey tower with a red brick traditional façade made up of 216,000 traditional bricks.
Achieving BREEAM ‘Very Good’ and EPC B Ratings, the building operates on electric heating and cooling systems. The project incorporated a biodiversity plan that increased the site’s ecological value from 513 m² pre-development to 820 m² post-completion, representing a 60% biodiversity net gain through the integration of biodiversity planters and green spaces. The development has been delivered to the highest quality standards and on budget within a remarkable 18-month delivery programme, ready for occupation in September 2023 through the use of innovative construction and supply chain efficiencies.
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, February, Vol 11 No 2
