East 59th Leeds
The Challenge
East 59th is a New York–inspired rooftop bar and grill located in Leeds, offering contemporary American dining by day and transforming into a vibrant Manhattan-style cocktail venue by night. The dual-purpose nature of the venue placed significant demands on both the design and delivery of its building services.
Hensall was appointed to undertake a full mechanical and electrical fit-out ahead of the venue’s opening, delivering a complex package of services within a high-end hospitality environment. A key challenge was ensuring that all systems could support two distinct operating modes—casual daytime dining and a high-energy evening bar atmosphere—without compromise to performance, comfort, or ambience.
The mechanical scope required the integration of air conditioning throughout the venue, alongside specialist restaurant and kitchen ventilation systems, including both supply and extract solutions. Public health systems had to be installed across all sanitary areas, while refrigeration systems were required to support kitchen and bar operations. All services also needed to be fully integrated with a Building Management System to ensure efficient and responsive environmental control.
From an electrical standpoint, the project demanded a fully coordinated approach from the outset, including project management, design development, and the production of working drawings. The scope included the establishment of main and sub-distribution systems, containment, and full lighting installations with emergency lighting provisions. Lighting control systems were critical in enabling seamless transitions between day and night settings, supporting the venue’s evolving atmosphere.
Additional complexity was introduced through the integration of small power, external lighting and controls, data wiring, fire alarms, security systems, disabled alarms, AV system wiring, and disabled refuge provisions. These systems all had to be carefully coordinated within a constrained rooftop environment while maintaining aesthetic quality and operational efficiency.
Delivering a fully integrated, high-specification fit-out within a busy city-centre rooftop location required precise planning, close coordination, and careful sequencing to ensure all systems could be installed and commissioned in line with the programme and design intent.
Our Solution
Hensall delivered a fully coordinated mechanical and electrical solution for East 59th, taking responsibility for the complete electrical project management, including full design development and working drawings. The programme was tightly constrained, with the venue required to be fully operational for staff training four weeks prior to opening, demanding precise planning and disciplined execution to meet the 14-week fit-out period.
On the mechanical side, Hensall installed a complete comfort cooling and heating system to support the venue’s dual-use operation. A comprehensive ventilation package was implemented, incorporating air movement strategies, plenum grilles, diffusers, and louvres to ensure effective air distribution throughout the restaurant. Full domestic pipework and sanitary ware installations were also completed across both front-of-house and back-of-house areas.
A key element of the mechanical solution was the integration of a Building Management System (BMS), enabling intelligent control of ventilation, heating, cooling, and domestic services. The system was designed for ease of use and efficiency, with full building controls accessible via a 10-inch touchscreen mounted on the BMS panel, allowing precise environmental management across all operational modes.
The project presented significant logistical challenges due to the restaurant’s fourth-floor location within Victoria Gate Shopping Centre. Restricted access for large equipment meant that much of the installation had to be carefully broken down and assembled on site. Through detailed planning and sequencing, Hensall successfully overcame these constraints and maintained programme continuity.
From an electrical perspective, Hensall collaborated closely with the lighting supplier to design and install a sophisticated lighting and dimming control system, enabling a wide range of scene-setting options to suit the venue’s transition from daytime dining to evening rooftop bar. A combination of LED, halogen, and bespoke luminaires was utilised to achieve the desired aesthetic while maintaining high energy efficiency.
Despite the access limitations and tight programme, Hensall delivered the project successfully, providing a high-quality, flexible, and energy-efficient installation tailored to the operational needs of this dynamic rooftop venue.
| Length of Job | 7 Months |
| M&E Value | £384,000 |
| Completed Date | October 2017 |
| Client | EAST 59TH |
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