GSA (Global Student Accommodation) has announced the appointment of Bennett Construction as the contractor on its purpose-built student accommodation project in Brunswick Street, Dublin 7. The two companies are already working together on the 491-bedroom student development at Kavanagh Court in Gardiner Street, Dublin 1.
Featuring 21,000m2 of predominately student accommodation incorporating 571 en-suite rooms, it is expected that construction will be completed in the middle of 2018 with the first students moving in during the autumn of 2018. There will be 650 jobs created during the building phase with an estimated 75 jobs ongoing post-completion.
The student accommodation will be operated by GSA, the global student accommodation specialists, under their Uninest Student Residences brand. Providing study and leisure space, the building will offer expansive common areas, including a gym, games rooms and cinema. There will be 3,700m2 of retail space at ground level.
Mola Architecture has been engaged on the development of the Brunswick Street complex. Mola previously designed the 101-bed student accommodation development at Broadstone Hall in Dublin’s North Inner City and subsequently repositioned Broadstone Hall during the summer of 2016 following the acquisition of the building by GSA.
“We are delighted to be commencing work on the Brunswick Street site and look forward to welcoming the first students through the doors next year,” said Aaron Bailey, Head of Construction Europe, GSA. “We are committed to supporting jobs for the local community and worked with the Grangegorman Development Agency to ensure full compliance with the local employment charter.”
Paul Bruton, Joint MD, Bennett Construction, added, “It is a great endorsement for Bennett that GSA Group has partnered with us for the second occasion in Dublin, on the Brunswick St Project. Some 650 direct jobs will be created during the building phase which will filter down through local employment agencies and labour charters which we at Bennett are always committed to. We look forward to delivering a high quality product which hopefully leads to further projects with GSA as they expand into the Irish market.”
GSA has a commitment to invest €250 million in student accommodation in Dublin to provide much-needed homes and new accommodation choices for students studying in the city. In addition to Brunswick Street & Kavanagh Court, Gardiner Street, GSA, alongside joint venture partner Harrison Street Real Estate Capital, is developing a 400-bedroom purpose-build student accommodation at the New Mill, in Mill Street, Dublin 8.
