Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd - one of the UK's leading building and civil engineering companies - has won the contract to transform the iconic Marischal College into Aberdeen City Council's new corporate headquarters.

Andrew McAlpine (Director of Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd) with Councillor Kate Dean, Lord Provost Peter Stephen and Councillor Kevin Stewart. The firm, which has almost a century and a half of construction experience, has been awarded the £39.7m building contract by Aberdeen City Council. City councillors approved the tender bid unanimously at a full council meeting last month.

The total capital expenditure required for the Marischal College is now £68.3m - well within the original approved budget of £80.4m.

Sir Robert McAlpine director Andrew McAlpine said: "The company is delighted to be involved in the construction of new offices within this iconic granite building. This is not only an exciting project but also a wonderful opportunity to continue our valued relationship with the city of Aberdeen."

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City council leader Councillor Kate Dean added: "We are pleased and proud to have chosen a blue chip company like Sir Robert McAlpine to carry out the reconstruction of Marischal College, which is perhaps the most exciting project in Scotland.

"The company has a towering reputation for quality and it is entirely fitting that one of the best in the business should be carrying out the rebuilding of one of Scotland's finest structures here in Aberdeen."

Family-owned Sir Robert McAlpine was founded in 1869 and has a proud record of construction projects across the UK. They include - the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct on the West Highland Line and the Glasgow District subway in the 19th century; the old Wembley Stadium, London's Canary Wharf development and Hampden football stadium in the 20th century; and London's 02 Arena, Manchester's Imperial War Museum, the Eden Centre in Cornwall, and Arsenal FC's Emirates Stadium in the 21st.

The company is joining a Marischal Project line-up which comprises a design team of the Holmes Partnership as architects, Arup Scotland as civil and structural engineers, and building services engineers Wallace Whittle. Doig+Smith are the chartered quantity surveyors for the scheme, and Gardiner & Theobald the project managers.

Sir Robert McAlpine is expected to start on site this summer and complete their contract in spring 2011.

The scheme involves the demolition of the college interior, which will be replaced by a 21st century office building providing 174,000 sq ft of modern office space on six floors for up to 1,452 staff work stations and a customer services facility.

The conversion retains all the granite elevations, provides a high-quality public open space within the quadrangle, and delivers a predominantly open-plan interior of contemporary and sustainable design.

The programme target is for the new building to open during 2011.

(GK/JM)