More than 150 staff from the University’s Student Services and Operations teams have become part of an exciting new chapter for the historic E.G. Stone Building.
The site is now the headquarters of the University Service Network (USN) following completion of the first stage of an $11 million refurbishment.
Built in 1923, the Stone building is named after engineer Edward Giles Stone and originally served as a locomotive repair space that formed part of the Launceston Railway Workshops.
It now features 163 staff workplaces that bring multiple teams together along with meeting rooms, phone booths, kitchenettes, an open central staircase, storage rooms and lockers.
The refurbishment has been made possible through the Northern Transformation Program. It’s a partnership between the University, Local, State and Federal governments as part of the Launceston City Deal to help improve educational access by establishing a new campus within proximity of the CBD.
University of Tasmania Vice-Chancellor, Professor Rufus Black, said the building had undergone a huge transformation to make it a modern, environmentally-friendly workspace.
“From its high-carbon past as a massive concrete factory for coal-fired steam trains, it has become a symbol of our work to create an inclusive knowledge and skills driven economy as part of the larger transformation to a sustainable Tasmania,” Professor Black said.
“These terrific new spaces for our professional staff are part of our commitment to a vibrant Inveresk Precinct, which all members of the University can call home, and of our commitment to a substantial and strong professional team in the North of the State.
“The building speaks to its industrial history and through modern sustainable design, celebrates what can be done to refurbish spaces to bring people together for many years to come.”
Local construction firm Fairbrother led the 12-month stage one refurbishment, which saw 274 individuals working on the project, including 71 apprentices. BVN Architecture and Xsquared Architects were also engaged on the design.
This collective partnership has resulted in the unique revitalisation of an industrial building on the edge of Launceston’s CBD that will serve the University and community’s needs into the future while contributing to the vibrant culture of the shared Inveresk Precinct.
Stage two of the Stone Building refurbishment is expected to be completed in 2025 and will see more areas of the University transitioning to the site as part of the campus relocation from Newnham.