JCC Ventures Ltd has appointed BAM Construction to build London’s first purpose-built Jewish Community Centre. BAM won the main construction contract for this £25million state-of-the-art building project at the beginning of August and has already started work on site.
Designed by award-winning architects, Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands, the building – which will be open to people of all faiths - draws its inspiration from successful examples from around the world, in particular the Jewish Community Centre in Manhattan’s Upper West Side in New York.
The scheme, located on the Finchley Road in Hampstead, North London, comprises a 35,000 sq ft building housing the Community Centre, as well as a 10-storey residential building containing 14 two-bed apartments, and an external piazza.
The Community Centre will include a large multi-purpose hall, a screening room, a cafe/bar/freelance hub, a resource centre, drama/dance studios, an arts and crafts workshop, meeting and learning rooms, a demonstration kitchen, offices and a full daycare nursery.
The building is set back from the main road by a sheltered, landscaped courtyard; the main entrance is reached by a bridge from the Finchley Road which spans across this semi public space.
BAM is scheduled to finish the construction in early 2013. A ground breaking ceremony, to be attended by Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, is being held in early October. BAM’s Project Manager, Simon Gray, said: “We are delighted to bring our experience and expertise to this important project to provide state-of-the-art facilities for the Jewish and local communities in North London.”
