Big Laois council funded transformation of old Portlaoise school into county music hub

Laois County Council has taken a big step forward in the process of converting a former school into a facility that will be a music and culture hub for Laois in the heart of Portlaoise.

Laois County Council is inviting companies to bid for a major overhaul of the former Scoil Mhuire primary school on Church Avenue. The building is now used by Music Generation Laois and the Laois School of Music.

The council began the process in July 2020 when it invited companies to prepare designs and tender documents for the refurbishment of the former girls school.

At the time the local authority said the refurbishment would likely include re-roofing of the building, energy efficient upgrades, replacement of existing lighting and heating service, general upgrading of finishes and redecoration of the building inside and out. Window replacement is also pencilled in.

The extent of the project is revealed in the roof works. There are five section of roof covering the old school totalling more than 700 square metres. A total of eight rooms will be overhauled inside the building alongside corridors and ancillary accomodation.

The latest tender outlines the plans in details. Apart form adding a new flat roof and overhauling the render, extensive investment will be made to update the inside of the school.

This will include new wiring, heating, ventilation and plumbing.

The works will be done in two Phases so that part of the school building remains live. The council wants the first three month phase will start in March 2022 with the second phase completed by August this year.

Laois based engineers, quantity surveyors and architects have been recruited to prepare plans for the council which also wants local labour to be hired for the construction works as far as is practicable.

Laois County Council says refurbishment is one of a number of projects relating to the development of a Cultural Quarter in the town.

These include: Fort Protectorate (two phases / one complete), the new public library, restoration of St Peter's Graveyard, Convent urban garden, new street to the Triogue.

The council says all of this forms part of a significant overhaul of the town centre with investment in 50 new homes and the refurbishment of other protected structures such as the former Presentation Convent building.

The council says there are 600 regular users and 1,300 other 'service users' of the former primary school. When complete the centre will be the base for 30 tutors and four administrative staff, including co-ordinators and Laois Arts Office staff.

Work is ongoing on the building of a multi-million euro new library for Portlaoise on the corner of Church Avenue and Main Street.

The estimated value of the latest contract is not revealed in the tender documents.