Historic Dockyard Building Gets America’s Cup Refit
IslandStats.com
In a case of the right time in the right place, the West End Development Corporation (WEDCO) has been able to restore one of Dockyard’s historic buildings and find an America’s Cup tenant to call it home.
Badly damaged by hurricanes, the refurbished Building #9 now houses the gym, sail loft and offices for ORACLE TEAM USA (OTUSA), thanks to the contributions of multiple local contractors over the last several months.
“WEDCO has an ongoing plan to upgrade the buildings in Dockyard,” says Andrew Dias, General Manager for WEDCO. “The beauty of the America’s Cup is that we had an instant tenant and we’ve been able to accelerate the process of restoring this and other buildings.”
ORACLE TEAM USA Team members now utilizing the space include administrators, designers and the sailors themselves.
“It’s a really nice spacious facility and it’s pretty unique,” says Ian Stewart, Operations Manager for ORACLE TEAM USA. “We feel privileged to be here and hopefully we’ll be leaving behind something of value for the people of Bermuda.”
The renovations to the building, including roof and window repairs, were to first make the building water tight, then repair some interior water damage and fit the building out for occupancy, including all plumbing, electrical, flooring, fire systems and more.
“As with the other work being done in Dockyard for the 35th America’s Cup Match presented by Louis Vuitton, the restoration of Building #9 has been carried out by a large number of local sub-contractors,” says Mike Winfield, CEO of ACBDA. “Of course in the restoration of a historic building like this there is the double benefit of providing economic opportunity to Bermudian businesses and at the same time creating a legacy benefit to Bermuda as a whole.”
Building #9 is located directly behind the Clocktower building in Dockyard and is the same size as its more famous neighbor. The original architectural and maritime features have been retained and restored, preserving the historical value of the building.
“The work that has been done, both on the exterior and the interior, is second-to-none,” continues Mr Dias. “I think it is something that all Bermudians will be able to take pride in.”
