About a year ago I began taking panorama pictures of the Eastside area, to try to capture the area before all the new development began. I posted many of the pictures here:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1024483

Since then of course many of the Eastside projects have gone on hold (or been cancelled) due to the HS2 rail link.

So I have decided to broaden the project out a little to try to capture some other areas of central Birmingham before major projects change the areas for ever.

So I have created this topic where over the coming months I will post various Birmingham panoramas.

The way things are going many of these areas may not change for years, so these pictures will be my small attempt to capture what Birmingham looked like at a point in time.

Any suggestions for areas to include in this topic are more than welcome.

One area due for major redevelopment in the future is Paradise Circus and the site of the "old" library.

The new library being built in Centenary Square is due to be finished in 2013, and after that date the "old" library will probably be knocked
down and Paradise Circus redeveloped.

Here is the web site for the project

http://www.paradisecircus.co.uk/

So I have begun to take a few panorama photographs of the existing Paradise Circus site.

Here is the first one (I will call this "View 1"), taken from the central reservation of Broad Street, from the West of the site, looking roughly East.
A wide panorama so you may need to scroll across to see it all.

This picture was taken on Monday 30th August 2010.

On the very left you can just see the Hall of memory (white building) and behind that the red and black building is the Cropthorne Hotel. We
then see the huge bulk of the library (partly hidden) and in the centre another black and red building which is Chamberlain House (mainly
council offices). Just to the right of that we see a light grey building which is a Birmingham City University building.

View 1 - Birmingham Library complex from the West

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/Lib01S.jpg

Now another picture of the Paradise Circus site, this time from the South of the site, looking North. I will call this "View 2". This picture
was taken on Monday 30th August 2010.

A wide panorama so you need to scroll across to see it all.

I am the other side of Suffolk Street Queensway, near the end of Holliday Street.

On the very left you can just see part of Baskerville House (white building with glass roof). Then we see the red and black building
which is the "back" of Chamberlain House. The light grey building which runs across most of the picture is a Birmingham City University
building, and the dark grey building that runs underneath is Fletchers Walk, a small shopping mall.

On the right you can just see the clock tower on the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG), and on the far right part of the
Town Hall (with the columns).

View 2 - Birmingham Library complex from the South

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/Lib02S.jpg

Another view of Paradise Circus, this time from the South East, looking roughly North West. I will call this "View 3". I am
standing at the rear corner of the Town Hall. A wide panorama so you need to scroll across to see it all.

This picture was taken on Monday 30th August 2010.

On the very left you can see Alpha Tower (part of the Arena Central redevelopment - more on that some other time).

On the left the low dark grey building is Fletchers Walk (you can see the sign) a small shopping mall. The light grey building
just behind it is part of Birmingham City University. As you move round you see the huge bulk of the library (partly hidden
by the trees).

As you continue right you can see the steps outside Birmingham library (with the red flowers above the library entrance) then
on the very right a small part of Birmingham town hall.

View 3 - Birmingham Library complex from the South East

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/Lib3S.jpg

Great shots, we had a thread like this a while ago.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=245958

:)

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/Lib02S.jpg

This is one of my least favourite vistas in Birmingham, driving along Suffolk Street Queensway towards the library, it makes the city appear soulless.

This is one of my least favourite vistas in Birmingham, driving along Suffolk Street Queensway towards the library, it makes the city appear soulless.

One could argue much of the site is rather soulless, that is Brutalism for you.

While taking the pictures on Monday I went round the back of Fletchers Walk (where the small garden is) and found it a little frightenng, even at 9.30 am in the morning.

If you dont know where the garden is, see my second panorama above, it is in the centre, behind the large trees.

There were loads of discarded cider bottles, beer cans and other rubbish (loads of peanut and pringles packets for some reason).

There was one "tramp" there scavaging through the litter bins.

I found the whole thing rather sad.

They do make a point of the soulless nature of the existing site on the "new" Paradise circus web site, see here:

http://www.paradisecircus.co.uk/connectivity/

In fact following on from my append above about the garden, I took a couple of pictures of the garden on Monday.

While the garden itself is very pleasant, it is surrounded by concrete walls and lots of dark "areas" behind.

If you look at the second picture for example, the garden in the foreground looks very nice, but look at all the dark threatening
areas in the background.

Hardly the place you want to sit on your own and have your lunch.

If you look in front of the flower bed below you can see some of the discarded beer cans and beer bottles (there were many more
around that I chose not to photograph).

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/Garden1.jpg

Garden in front is nice, but look at all the dark places in the background

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/garden2.jpg

Another view of Paradise Circus, this time from the South, looking roughly North. I will call this "View 4". A wide panorama so you
need to scroll across to see it all.

Here we can see the full Southern aspect of the site. This is similar to View 3 above, but you cannot see the Library in this picture.

This picture was taken on Monday 30th August 2010.

On the very left you can see Alpha Tower (part of the Arena Central redevelopment - more on that some other time).

On the left, the dark grey building running across most of the picture, is Fletchers Walk a small shopping mall (you can see the sign).
The light grey building just behind and above it is part of Birmingham City University.

As you continue right you can see the steps outside Birmingham library (with the red flowers above the library entrance) then on
the very right a small part of Birmingham town hall. You can just see the Chamberlain Memorial sticking out above the bus stop.

You can also clearly see the Post Office tower.

View 4 - Birmingham Library complex from the South / South East

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/Lib4S.jpg

Yeah that garden is a haven for dodgy business. I've seen people getting beaten up there, a hooker servicing a client, and drugs being sold. It's an absolutely awful spot.

Now a view with which we are all familiar.

Another view of the Library, this time from the East, looking roughly West. I will call this "View 5". A panorama so you need
to scroll across to see it all.

This picture was taken on Saturday 4th September 2010.

On the very left (just out of picture) is the Town Hall, then you can see Alpha Tower (part of the Arena Central redevelopment
- more on that some other time).

Across the bulk of the picture is the Library.

In front of the Library is the Chamberlain Memorial,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamberlain_Memorial

You can see the steps in front of the Library (with the red flowers above the library entrance) then on the very right
(covered in scaffolding) part of the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG), which also includes some council offices.

I believe the white bird on the side of the Library has been painted recently.

View 5 - Birmingham Library complex from the East

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/Pan11S.jpg

After the view above with which we are all familiar, now a view with which we are all probably less familiar.

Another view of the Library, this time from the North, looking roughly South. I will call this "View 6". A panorama so you need to scroll across to see it all.

This picture was taken on Saturday 4th September 2010.

On the very left you can see part of the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG), and there are council office in this part of the building as well.

As we pan right we see the Library joins on to the BMAG building, and most of the left of the picture is the grey concrete of the "back" of Birmingham
Library.

Much of this side of the library is called Paradise Place, a more inappropriate name I cant imagine (and more on that later).

As we move round to the right we see the Black and Red building which is the Cropthorne Hotel (you can see the sign on the top).

Then standing in isolation in terracota with a grey roof and side is 77 Paradise Circus. I believe these are government and council offices.
Poking out behind the roof of 77 Paradise Gardens are two cranes, currently being used to build the new library.

Between the Cropthorne Hotel and 77 Paradise Circus you can see a small part of Baskerville House.

View 6 - Birmingham Library complex from the North

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/Pan6S.jpg

Another view of the Library, this time from the North West, looking roughly South East. I will call this "View 7". A panorama so you need to scroll
across to see it all.

This picture was taken on Saturday 4th September 2010. Unfortunately there is a huge advertising sign obscuring much of the view, but I will
add the picture here for completeness.

On the very left you can see part of the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG), and there are council office in this part of the building as well.

We then see the Library building joining on to the BMAG building, but then the bulk of the library is obscured by the advert. Just to the right of the
advert we see a small section of the Black and Red building which is the Cropthorne Hotel. To the right of that, in terracota, is 77 Paradise Circus.
I believe these are government and council offices.

On the very right you can see a small part of Baskerville House.

View 7 - Birmingham Library complex from the North West

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/Pan7S.jpg

Another view of the Library Complex (although you cant actually see the library), this time from the top of the car park in Cambridge Street.

This is from the North West, looking roughly South East. I will call this "View 8". A panorama so you need to scroll across to see it all.

This picture was taken on Saturday 4th September 2010.

On the very left we see a parking area, and then as we pan right we see terracota building with the grey edge which is 77 Paradise Circus. I
believe these are government and council offices.

As we pan round we see the red and black building which is the Cropthorne hotel, then we see the bridge that links the library complex with
Centenary Square.

Then on the far right is another red and black building which is Chamberlain House, which contains council offices.

View 8 - Birmingham Library complex from the North West

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/Pan9S.jpg

Another view of the Library Complex, and the last in this series (I have posted 9 pictures from all sides of the Library complex). Note panoramas
of other Birmingham areas are to follow.

This is from the West, looking roughly East. I will call this "View 9". A panorama so you need to scroll across to see it all.

This picture was taken on Saturday 4th September 2010.

On the very left (white building) we can just see a small part of Baskerville House, and then as we pan right we see a small section of a
terracota building which is 77 Paradise Circus which contains government and council offices.

As we pan round we see the red and black building which is the Cropthorne hotel (you can see the sign on the roof), then the huge bulk
of the library.

Then on the far right is another red and black building which is Chamberlain House, which contains council offices.

I know many of these views are known to us all, but hopefully if this whole complex is redeveloped these will become useful records of what the site was like in 2010.

View 9 - Birmingham Library complex from the West

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/Pan10S.jpg

Thanks for all these views Guilbert, they will be fascinating to look at compared to the same views after the redevelopment :)

A new development announced recenrtly is Spiceal Street, a small development of restaurants at the back of the BullRing.

You can read more about it on the official web site here:

http://www.spicealstreet.co.uk/

It is being discussed on Skyscraper city here:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1210595

Here are three panoramas I have taken of the area so we can see some "before and after shots" when it has been completed (in roughly a years time).

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/Pan1S.jpg

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/Pan2S-2.jpg

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/Pan7S-1.jpg

I created this topic last August to post Panorama pictures of various Birmingham sites that are due to be developed as a sort of historic
reminder of how they looked before development.

So far I have posted pictures of the Paradise Place / Old Library site, and the BullRing Spiceal St development.

Now I am turning my attention to the Beorma Quarter development in the Digbeth area (very near Selfridges).

I have posted 7 panoramas of the site, covering it from every angle. I will start with a view from the North and go round the whole site
anti-clockwise.

Note most of these are wide panoramas so you may need to scroll across to see it all.

The first picture below is taken in Park Street, with my back to Selfridges. This is the Northern most edge of the site.

On the very left (just out of view) is the BullRing / Moor St car park. The dark building in front is an old disused Music Hall.

View 1 - Beorma Quarter site from the North

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/Pan7B_Small.jpg

Moving round the site in an anti-clockwise direction we come to this view. Wide panorama so you may need to scroll across.

This is where Digbeth meets Park St, and I have the church right behind me.

This is roughly the North West view of the site. On the left you can see the BullRing car park, then the old music hall (and the modern pub
added on the corner), then various buildings, and finally on the very right Digbeth Cold Storage (better pictures of that to follow).

View 2 - Beorma Quarter site from the North West

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/Pan5B_Small.jpg

As we continue to move around the site we come to this view. Wide panorama so you may need to scroll across.

This is taken from Digbeth and is roughly the Western view of the site.

You can see Selfridges on the very left, then various buildings, then the huge bulk of Digbeth cold storage in front of us.

View 3 - Beorma Quarter site from the West

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/PanB4_Small.jpg

Continuing anti-clockwise round the site we come to this view. This is roughly the South West view of the site.

This is where Digbeth (on the left) meets Allison Street (on the right).

You can see Selfridges on the left, then the various buildings along Digbeth, then the side of the Cold Storage building.

In front of us is Hennessey's, then as you continue right you can see along Allison Street.

Note Hennesseys has just closed own and moved further along Allison St (near the railway bridge on the right of the picture)

View 4 - Beorma Quarter site from the South West

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/PanB1_Small.jpg

Moving round anti clockwise we come to this view. Wide panorama so you may need to scroll across.

This is taken on the corner of Allison St where it meets Digbeth and is roughly the Southern view of the site.

You can see the various buildings along Allison St.

Just to the right of Hennessey's is Orwell Passage, currently blocked off. This passage is due to be retained as
part of the development and will open up into a new small square called Orwell Place.

View 5 - Beorma Quarter site from the South

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/PanB8_Small.jpg

Continuiing anti-clockwise we are now in Allison St and see the South East view of the site.

Wide panorama so you may need to scroll across.

The road going off to the right is Well Lane (a dead end)

Along Allison St we see Hennessey's on the very left, then assorted buildings (including a Polish supermarket), then a car park.

The modern building in Well Lane, on the far right with the curved roof, is the "Centre for voluntary action - BVSC"

In the distance you can see the back of the various buildings along Digbeth, including the Cold Storage building.

View 6 - Beorma Quarter site from the South East

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/PanB10_Small.jpg

Final view of this collection, and as far as I can go as the BullRing / Moor St car park is in the way (it is right behind me).

Wide panorama so you may need to scroll across.

This is taken at the very end of Well Lane, and is the North Eastern view of the site.

As you can see, most of it is car park, and to be honest the whole area here has a very "run down" feel top it. You would not
think it is yards from Selfridges and the BullRing.

To the right of the large bush you can see the back of the Digbeth Cold Storage building.

View 7 - Beorma Quarter site from the North East

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/PanB12_Small.jpg

http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv10/guilbert53/PanB4_Small.jpg

great photos as always. Never noticed this G.Make Peace building before, it looks very interesting.

great photos as always. Never noticed this G.Make Peace building before, it looks very interesting.

I took shots of it in Oct 2009. G Makepeace (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4012456582). The shops were vacant when I took shots of it, but in Guilberts panoramic they look in use.

It dates to 1913 (according to Pevsner Architectural Guides: Birmingham).