The union men of HBG Construction
At the University of Leeds, construction has less to do with a centre of educational learning and more to do with students' social life studies – the HBG team here is extending and modernising the Student's Union building, and providing new bars and a concert hall.
The £4 million project started in June 2000 and is due for completion in August this year. It involves the demolition of an existing extension to the back of the Union building and its replacement with the new facility, which extends to three floors and a basement. The basement houses a 1,500 square meters concert venue and associated bars [which will reputedly be the biggest live concert venue in Leeds when completed]. Above this, the steel-framed building includes a first floor accommodating a newsagent, a supermarkt and games room, and a secondfloor lounge bar, with the top floor providing offices for the Union secretariat.