Artisan Heights is a 32-storey, 603-bed student accommodation development delivered for Unite Students. Located in a challenging city centre environment, the client faced a constrained site and complex logistical, structural, and design hurdles, including proximity to the River Medlock, Manchester’s Oxford Road Station viaduct, and live rail lines.
K2CM were appointed to meet a crucial commercial objective – the September student intake deadline, as missing it would result in the loss of an entire year’s rental revenue.
K2CM’s focus on early, comprehensive stakeholder engagement (including Network Rail, River and Canal Trust, local authorities and utility providers) was pivotal. The pre-emptive resolution of potential obstacles ensured that vital regulatory approvals were secured efficiently, preventing costly delays.
How K2CM delivered for Artisan Heights:
K2CM’s comprehensive stakeholder engagement from the project inception built a collaborative environment, proactively mitigated and managed risks and helped to ensure the client’s financial interests were safeguarded.
The project’s non-negotiable target was to meet the September student intake deadline. Achieving this was critical to safeguarding a full year’s rental revenue for Unite Students, preventing a significant financial setback.
CM fostered continuous communication and efficient issue resolution, cultivating strong working relationships and trust. This collaborative nature ensured problems were addressed immediately on-site, maintaining alignment among all project parties and reinforcing K2CM’s long-standing partnership with Unite Students.
Value of K2CM to the Project:
-> Secured revenue stream: The CM approach ensured the project met its crucial September student intake deadline, directly safeguarding a full year’s revenue for Unite Students.
-> Minimized financial risks: Proactively managed stakeholder relationships and secured vital approvals, averting costly construction delays and protecting the client’s investment and financial outcomes.
-> Enhanced cost certainty: The integration of CM expertise and early risk identification resulted in superior cost control, improving the client’s financial planning and return on investment.
-> Strengthened client relationships: The successful, commercially driven CM approach reinforced K2’s long-standing relationship with Unite Students, building trust and securing repeat business.
-> Proactive problem-solving: CM expertise identified and managed key risks upfront, preventing costly delays during construction.
-> Streamlined approvals: Understanding construction processes allowed for proactive stakeholder engagement, efficiently streamlining regulatory approvals.
Why the client chose K2CM:
-> Critical time sensitivity: The non-negotiable September student intake deadline, with severe financial penalties for missing it, made early collaboration with stakeholders essential to hitting key milestones.
-> Complex urban environment: The challenging city-centre location, bordered by a canal, railway and the involvement of Network Rail, River and Canal Trust and local authorities demanded a method that facilitated proactive engagement and problem solving and early issue resolution, essential for navigating these complexities.
-> High commercial imperative: With the direct risk of losing an entire year’s rental revenue, the client required a project delivery method capable of minimising financial risks and ensuring robust cost certainty. K2CM’s open approach to managing risk and transparent cost control capabilities were crucial for safeguarding this investment.
-> Need for proactive risk management: Given the project’s complexity and strict deadlines, the client required a method that could proactively identify and mitigate potential roadblocks and unforeseen challenges from the outset. K2CM provided active risk management and on-site problem-solving.