Construction firm GRAHAM has partnered with Grand Union to transform Junction Works, a Grade II listed building on Fazeley Street, Digbeth, Birmingham.

Homes England granted the lease and a funding package comprising £500,000 was secured from Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership's Local Growth Fund and Growing Places Fund, £25,000 commercial sponsorship from Stoford Development and £150,000 private investment.

The first phase of works, starting this summer, will renovate the front part of the building, creating four new office suites for regional creative sector businesses by the beginning of 2022. Homes England has been working closely with Grand Union to pump prime this project. It will eventually see the charity’s gallery and artist studios relocate from their current home in Minerva Works.

Junction Works is located in the Warwick Bar conservation area, at the junction of the Grand Union and Digbeth Branch canals. It has been empty for several years after suffering fire damage in 2004.

Many Birmingham property sector businesses are providing a huge amount of support and expertise for the project. Bruntwood Works, the workspace and leisure provider behind Cornwall Buildings and Cornerblock in Birmingham, is leading a project team including Associated Architects, DW Consulting, Robinson Low Francis, and Ramboll UK. BPN Architects and Fieldfisher Law Firm have also provided significant support to the project. Construction company, GRAHAM, which has recently completed the renovation of The Grand Hotel in Birmingham, will be delivering this first phase of refurbishment of Junction Works.

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Grand Union's fundraising campaign, with a target of £2.6m to undertake Phase Two works, will see the opening of a brand-new public gallery space, cafe, events space and artists’ studios in this stunning heritage building.

Grand Union opened in its current site in 2010, providing much needed high quality, affordable workspace for artists and a public gallery that has built an international reputation for presenting cutting edge contemporary art and supporting artists at pivotal points in their careers. Last year it hosted Jamie Crewe’s exhibition Love & Solidarity which received a Turner Prize Bursary in 2020. Grand Union’s Programme Director Kim McAleese has been part of the panel of judges for the 2021 iteration of The Turner Prize launching at The Herbert Gallery, Coventry later this year. Grand Union also has an innovative approach to working collaboratively with communities in the city. They have recently launched a mini documentary about The Growing Project, a community-led growing scheme bringing artists and people who are vulnerably housed to transform unloved spaces into active shared gardens.

Ronan Hughes, GRAHAM Regional Director, said: "We are delighted to be working in partnership with Grand Union to deliver this first phase refurbishment project at the Junction Works, which will create contemporary space to fire the imagination of Birmingham's next generation of creatives. GRAHAM has established a strong presence in the city, and in line with our commitment to ‘delivering lasting impact’, we are looking forward to strengthening our relationships with local subcontractors, community groups and charities in the completion of this exciting project."