by Lumberjack

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7157/6413698687_7a997e220a_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6413698687/)
DSC02068 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6413698687/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr


http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7017/6413693031_ef0b277739_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6413693031/)
DSC02067 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6413693031/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr


http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7017/6413641501_3e6beff227_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6413641501/)
DSC02065 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6413641501/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

If they are waiting for this next recession to pass before they get started, we are really in for a long wait here.

this tower has been fully funded by developers as far as i am aware

not really lolz, perhaps i should get my eyes tested? :nuts:

Its done a bit its now says on the core- level 3 (I think)

X posting from the UK Forum
:cheers:

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6232/6424121063_83bbb00e0f_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6424121063/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6424121063/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7034/6424121629_5a79e9fa27_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6424121629/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6424121629/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6424123181_902428cbe1_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6424123181/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6424123181/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6031/6424122367_139601a461_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6424122367/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6424122367/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

Nice, the core has grown a level. :)

So is it currently rising at 1 floor every two weeks ?

And is it going to be a race between this and the Cheesegrater ? When these two are complete the City will look awsome! better than Canary Wharf!

So is it currently rising at 1 floor every two weeks ?

I hope it will go quicker then that once it gets into the swing of things seeming as the Shard's rose about 11 floors a mounth.

Having said that it is great to see it rising even a small amount! :nocrook:

by lumberjack.

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6119/6425132795_b48898be65_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6425132795/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6425132795/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7168/6425131205_30d066faed_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6425131205/)

Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6425131205/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7019/6425130237_84c22d4110_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6425130237/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6425130237/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7027/6425128659_f0be431f88_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6425128659/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6425128659/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7004/6425127577_8239fbf69f_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6425127577/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6425127577/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7145/6425181285_988c74beac_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6425181285/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6425181285/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7158/6425183923_a9797b21c3_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6425183923/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6425183923/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

Such an amazing tower, this one would deserve supertall rating, what a pity that they didnt added another 12 metres :ohno: .....But I´m happy to see rise this masterpiece at last :)

what a pity that they didnt added another 12 metres :ohno:

They had to cut 20m off the height in order to get planning permission to build it.

Because 20m makes all the difference between an aircraft colliding with this tower and not colliding with this tower..:|

Or to put it another way, the tossers at English Heritage wanted their pound of flesh in order to justify their utterly pointless existance:|

level 4 is visible now and we will see the level 5 very soon, this tower is going up!!!


pics by lumberjack
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7032/6429998271_eb3db51a20_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6429998271/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6429998271/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/)

Now it's definitely noticeable that it has grown. :cheers2:

12 meters dont make much of a difference in appearance. supertall is just a random title, because at one point you just have to draw the line :cheers:

I know in appearance it wouldn´t make such a difference, my point was that supertall sounds better, but I like this tower so much anyways and I´m very glad to see it growing :cheers2:

by lumberjack.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7006/6436582181_2cb13a4835_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6436582181/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6436582181/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6436584289_76ae474249_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6436584289/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6436584289/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7158/6436585385_4eab9853e1_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6436585385/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6436585385/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7006/6436587325_3d7627459e_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6436587325/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6436587325/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7144/6436595215_f65d542311_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6436595215/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6436595215/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7156/6436597475_05269e2ae0_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6436597475/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6436597475/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7001/6436627587_ed854ee0c3_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6436627587/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6436627587/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

by lumberjack.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7145/6441903631_8067c4e1bf_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6441903631/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6441903631/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7152/6441902943_d5d23d7fb6_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6441902943/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6441902943/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

fantastico :cheer:

Yay I was right it is rising! :banana::carrot::pepper::cucumber:

some pics taken today by Lumberjack

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7160/6448938743_87d9078f75_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6448934149_042d0187ed_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7028/6448928499_938630dcc2_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7164/6448923785_6e8e0cc2d1_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7018/6448919021_d407365f98_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7146/6448914575_d85832b2db_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7031/6448909113_74ae308149_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7009/6448894251_a1cb8bb915_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7023/6448887943_6d7cd725ff_b.jpg
by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/)

I like it but there are 3-4 towers really close in the city!

I like it but there are 3-4 towers really close in the city!

Nice and dense then, very good.

^^ +1 :) The beautiful monster is rising and it looks gooood :)

let's hope they'll keep up the pace from now on, lovely tower :cheers:

The core is rising, but where's the steel?? No cause for excitement yet.

The gherkin is getting a huge corkscrew of a neighbour. I bet the two of them will look sweet side-by-side.

Nice and dense then, very good.

Density is the word property development should follow. :cheers:

Yeah keep up the pace!:lol:

by lumberjack.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7032/6472011717_2243df031b_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6472011717/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6472011717/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7022/6472005967_e568c99951_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6472005967/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6472005967/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7152/6471992529_65feedf7d6_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6471992529/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6471992529/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7141/6471995239_dbd9d21926_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6471995239/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6471995239/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

Right now, it just looks like a stub compared to Tower 42 in the background. But it will rise over a hundred meters taller than it eventually.

By Lumberjack - Now at Floor 5!!

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/6477019119_808c15f73c_b.jpg

Yay great news!

now we're talking :nuts:

by lumberjack.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6477019845_892ff423e2_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6477019845/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6477019845/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7168/6477020789_e41caca873_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6477020789/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6477020789/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7145/6477021473_ab7ba9e0ed_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6477021473/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6477021473/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

by lumberjack.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7173/6481432327_68a6c702c1_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6481432327/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6481432327/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

level 6th is visible now :cool:


by Lumberjack_London

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7161/6482187713_2b16e90cfb_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6482187713/)
P1040189 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6482187713/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7161/6482186679_aae637ce37_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6482186679/)
P1040188 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6482186679/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7153/6482185927_bb1b9b61b3_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6482185927/)
P1040187 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6482185927/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7172/6482183809_a08a6a6669_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6482183809/)
P1040186 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6482183809/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7027/6482183055_2eb6364208_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6482183055/)

P1040185 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6482183055/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7164/6482181721_8d698e42b7_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6482181721/)
P1040184 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6482181721/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/)

by The Shard Baby.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7032/6491019413_cb5e939ed1_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theshardbaby2/6491019413/)
8.12.2011 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theshardbaby2/6491019413/) by The Shard Baby 2 (http://www.flickr.com/people/theshardbaby2/), on Flickr

by chest.

http://web.me.com/benveasey/_MG_0642.jpg

http://web.me.com/benveasey/_MG_0647.jpg

http://web.me.com/benveasey/_MG_0648.jpg

http://web.me.com/benveasey/_MG_0650.jpg

thx for the pics but the progress is not that fast :mad:

thx for the pics but the progress is not that fast :mad:

Indeed! It´s pretty slow but it´s making some progress nonetheless. Can´t wait to see it when it´s all done.

by lumberjack.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7144/6515164539_e76c0d5209_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6515164539/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6515164539/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

Still not much action....

Great tower.

This is going to be one of the world's most epic urban scenes in the world.

Simply genius!

http://web.me.com/benveasey/_MG_0642.jpg

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/2839TheBishopsgateTower_pic2.jpg

by Londonfan.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7159/6520576445_91574345e8.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/londonfan/6520576445/)
IMG00058-20111216-1249 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/londonfan/6520576445/) by londonfan1 (http://www.flickr.com/people/londonfan/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7159/6520576369_616d7658e0.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/londonfan/6520576369/)
IMG00060-20111216-1250 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/londonfan/6520576369/) by londonfan1 (http://www.flickr.com/people/londonfan/), on Flickr
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7150/6520576301_0d3f8332d6.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/londonfan/6520576301/)
IMG00059-20111216-1250 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/londonfan/6520576301/) by londonfan1 (http://www.flickr.com/people/londonfan/), on Flickr

this tower is not going up as fast as it's competitor walkie talkie which progress has been incredibly fast :bow:

Very nice! Can't wait to see it soar! Looks like it could rival the Shard. Yes I know The Shard is much taller but not buy much when this beauty is completed.

by Lumberjack 18/12/2011

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7174/6528419709_1cc812c365_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6528419709/)
DSC02250 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6528419709/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7156/6528416713_11186ec295_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6528416713/)
DSC02249 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6528416713/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7004/6528422897_3f49f1ec3d_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6528422897/)
DSC02251 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6528422897/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/)

Very nice! Can't wait to see it soar! Looks like it could rival the Shard. Yes I know The Shard is much taller but not buy much when this beauty is completed.

Well actually, it is not that much taller, the shard is 310 m while this one is 288 m, only 22 meters less, which is less than 10% difference between them.

^^ Not to mention it being on a hill makes it look almost the same as the Shard.

The progress is pretty big according to the fact that it has risen few meters for about two years. Everyone wants more and faster. I hope to see more changes too. Show us 6th level! :)

The progress is pretty big according to the fact that it has risen few meters for about two years. Everyone wants more and faster. I hope to see more changes too. Show us 6th level! :)

Just for you filipu94 :), level 6 (originally posted by lumberjack)

http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhaa/037/Bishopsgate level 6.jpg

very good.

I appreciate this :) Thank you!

Does anyone know why it is taking so long to go up?

Does anyone know why it is taking so long to go up?

Don't feel bad about it...can happen to anyone.:D

PS..

I only posted that knowing your an Admin and can remove the post..:wink2:


In answer to the question, they are going slow in the hope of securing a large pre let, in order for the final funds needed for completion to be released by the banks.

^^ I believe they were actually waiting on funding and have finally achieved some solid backup in order to continue.

latest updates by Lumberjack level 7th is almost visible now :cool: (it's not stopping, but growing slowly)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7020/6543831631_be35a326eb_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6543831631/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6543831631/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7025/6543826355_4c27bb3a44_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6543826355/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6543826355/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7144/6543693433_7eb2d1f3ee_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6543693433/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6543693433/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

The core is rising pretty quickly.

23/12/2011 by chest :applause: (many thanks)

http://web.me.com/benveasey/_MG_0777.jpg

http://web.me.com/benveasey/_MG_0776.jpg

It rose slightly.

i want to see the completed quickly

how high for the core to rise before the steel outer begins ?

how high for the core to rise before the steel outer begins ?

Steel begins in January/February.

kool

Not much going on.
http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv6/win-7-7-7-line/Skyscrapers/IMG_3001.jpg
http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv6/win-7-7-7-line/Skyscrapers/IMG_3002.jpg

happy new year guys

great tower and happy new year

Any new pics? This must be starting to rise above its neighbouring buildings now.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/firingcanon/6612829597/

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4137/4873740086_2870bbd2f6_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/londoncamera/4873740086/)
Pinnacle Bishopsgate Tower (http://www.flickr.com/photos/londoncamera/4873740086/) von LondonCamera (http://www.flickr.com/people/londoncamera/) auf Flickr

12/30/11

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7161/6679087347_e1b15381f8_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6679087347/)
Unbenannt (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6679087347/) von Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/) auf Flickr
9 hours ago

This afternoon:

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/374816_10151141886475541_787295540_22503122_213490623_n.jpg

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/404620_10151141886820541_787295540_22503124_942829711_n.jpg

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/394319_10151141888575541_787295540_22503136_216050842_n.jpg

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/387559_10151141889555541_787295540_22503141_520155646_n.jpg

Pipes being delivered:

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/408259_10151141890510541_787295540_22503146_404652951_n.jpg

there u go! ;)

nice

I can't see any progress in the last 3 weeks? Or am I missing something?

del

What work is currently going on at the site? The core doesn't seem to have risen, are they starting steel works soon?

by lumberjack

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7010/6689926421_9b7630a47c_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7145/6684553285_d02b98fb06_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7004/6684555467_21509eb9c4_b.jpg

it looks as if they are building some kind of a fortress or something! How much longer will it take these people to start building an actual first floor? All I see each time I check on this one here is just the base and not really a floor!

it looks as if they are building some kind of a fortress or something! How much longer will it take these people to start building an actual first floor? All I see each time I check on this one here is just the base and not really a floor!

they are building one floor in 3 months :lol: the speed is depressingly slow. i think there must be an issue like they haven't got reasonable amount of tenants so the developers are not confident enough to build this tower like the construction speed of the shard. as far as i know the fund has been secured since last year though.

I thought funds had been settled through the Canadian-English firm? I suppose without enough tenants there wouldn't be much point other than creating a fantastic, albeit empty building.

^^ +1

I thought funds had been settled through the Canadian-English firm?

That's for 122 Leadenhall, a 225m tower under construction next door.

Its a shame this is going really SLOW, imo its the best looking tower London will have.

they are building one floor in 3 months :lol: the speed is depressingly slow. i think there must be an issue like they haven't got reasonable amount of tenants so the developers are not confident enough to build this tower like the construction speed of the shard. as far as i know the fund has been secured since last year though.

No idea, perhaps it is the location that makes it extemely difficult to build faster at all.

I know the area very well and many of the adjacent streets are pretty much "lanes" and "alleys', narrow and small and the density of the businesses there is at its best making it difficult for any machinery or what so ever to manouvre. So perhaps supplying such structure is also a point of concern for the builders.

If we compare the area in which this one is located in with that of lets say Trump Toronto, sure Trump Toronto loses big time. The intersections in an old city like London with such narrow roads and alleys and lets not mention the traffic that can be of a bigger concern, are perhpas the main factors of the slow process.

Surley they would have planned for that though? I assume the Gerkin and Heron Tower went up quicker than this?

But this one is much taller and bigger than Swiss RE and Vertigo or Heron

That's for 122 Leadenhall, a 225m tower under construction next door.

Ah you're right. Getting my projects mixed up.

But this one is much taller and bigger than Swiss RE and Vertigo or Heron

Maybe, but that shouldn't slow construction down to this speed...

No idea, perhaps it is the location that makes it extemely difficult to build faster at all.

I know the area very well and many of the adjacent streets are pretty much "lanes" and "alleys', narrow and small and the density of the businesses there is at its best making it difficult for any machinery or what so ever to manouvre. So perhaps supplying such structure is also a point of concern for the builders.

If we compare the area in which this one is located in with that of lets say Trump Toronto, sure Trump Toronto loses big time. The intersections in an old city like London with such narrow roads and alleys and lets not mention the traffic that can be of a bigger concern, are perhpas the main factors of the slow process.

Wall Street in NY has very similar small, narrow streets and yet the towers go up as quickly as they do in Midtown.

Didn't the developers claim they were going to press ahead without worrying whether they had secured any pre-lets? It may be that since then, because of the Euro crisis and continuing economic stagnation, they have changed their minds and will try and find tenants before resuming.

I have no information, this is just guess-work.

Bad news, please don't kill the messenger :ohno::

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/01/20/uk-pinnacle-idUKTRE80J1L020120120

London skyscraper stalls as builders down tools

01/20/2012

LONDON | Fri Jan 20, 2012 5:57pm GMT

(Reuters) - Construction of what will become the tallest skyscraper in London's financial district has stalled after builders downed tools over funding concerns, a source close to the matter told Reuters.

Canadian firm Brookfield Construction restarted building work on the Pinnacle tower late last year after it slowed to a virtual standstill as developer Arab Investments tried to secure the next stage of funding for the 945-feet tower.
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A deal was struck that included a 500 million pounds debt facility from a group of lenders including HSBC and HSH Nordbank, plus the injection of new equity from Saudi Arabia-based investor consortium Sedco.

It was reliant on the developer pre-letting a chunk of the tower to lower the scheme's risk, which it has not yet done. The tower is currently at an early stage of construction, appearing as a stump in the ground.

"About a week ago building work stopped," the source said. "The bottom line is that the Pinnacle will need looking at from a funding point of view or a sizeable pre-let which is difficult in this market."

A Brookfield spokesman declined to comment and Arab Investments was not immediately available for comment.

The 64-storey skyscraper is one of several under construction in central London. HSH has already provided 140 million pounds of debt to help buy and prepare the site for the main construction work while Sedco has put in several hundred million pounds to date.

Although developers had hoped to exploit a shortage of high quality office space over the next several years, the financial crisis has meant many companies are reluctant to sign pre-let deals that make such speculative schemes viable.

London skyscrapers the Shard, the Pinnacle, the Walkie Talkie, the Cheesegrater and the tower at 100 Bishopsgate are at varying stages of build and have only signed one office deal between them.

The story was reported earlier today by UK trade magazine Construction News.

(Reporting by Tom Bill; Editing by Helen Massy-Beresford)

Arrrgh! (But thanks for letting us know).

:badnews:

Thanks for the info... what a let down.

This one has been on hold before, let's hope they secure a prelet and continue to build.
We still have the Shard (309m), Leadenhall (225m), St George Tower (181m), 100 Bishopsgate (172m), 20 Fenchurch St (160m) all under construction.

:badnews:

Thanks for the info... what a let down.

Hopefully it is just a false alarm. We shall see...

http://www.investorschronicle.co.uk/2012/01/19/comment/chronic-investor-blog/tower-trouble-YDuySMm1CsNeGurJbxw0MN/article.html

Of the three towers already under construction, the tallest will be the so-called Pinnacle, or Bishopsgate Tower. It is being privately funded by Arab Investments, a vehicle controlled by investors from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, so there’s no public disclosure of the construction schedule or strategy. Construction restarted last summer, just in time for City sentiment to sour. I wouldn’t be surprised if it were halted again - or permanently.
:ohno:

Have they given up???

Bad news, please don't kill the messenger :ohno:

thanks for sharing the article but this is a bad news :cry:

This skyscraper is going to the the centerpiece of the city cluster, they can't put it on hold or cancel it! :mad:

by lumberjack.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7159/6759706491_e7aa2c5d21_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6759706491/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47769294@N03/6759706491/) by Lumberjack_London (http://www.flickr.com/people/47769294@N03/), on Flickr

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/arrested-development-supertower-cut-down-to-size-6294117.html


News > UK > Home News

Funding worries and lack of tenants force developer to halt work on 63-storey, £800m office block

Rob Hastings, Wednesday 25 January 2012


Construction of the City of London's tallest skyscraper has been stopped at just the seventh floor amid funding concerns, with serious doubts that the 63-storey office block will ever be finished.


A failure to sign up any major tenants has left the £800m Bishopsgate Tower – commonly known as "the Pinnacle" – indefinitely stunted. Prospective occupants are said to be scared of committing to costly office rental deals while the eurozone is in the grip of financial crisis.

Located at the heart of London's financial district, the Pinnacle is one of Britain's key architectural projects. Its intended height of 288m would make it Europe's second-tallest skyscraper after the Shard, which has almost been completed on the other side of the River Thames at London Bridge.

Yet with its main investor calling builders off the site two weeks ago, the ugly concrete stump left behind is a worrying sign for developers of other towers in the capital. The Pinnacle, the Shard, the "Cheesegrater" at 122 Leadenhall Street, the "Walkie Talkie" at 20 Fenchurch Street and the Bishopsgate Tower – all at varying degrees of completion – have reportedly signed only one office rental deal between them.

The news comes at an alarming time for commercial property developers across the world. A lack of clients for the 80-storey Three World Trade Centre – one of the skyscrapers replacing the twin towers at Ground Zero in New York – means it may instead have to become a mere seven-storey shopping centre.

A fortnight ago, a report by Barclays Capital warned of an "unhealthy correlation" between the skyscrapers being built and recessions following swiftly afterwards. However, Jack Sidders, of Construction News magazine, said the Pinnacle had encountered particular problems because of its innovative design. Featuring what the construction firm Brookfield describes as a "distinctive snakeskin façade spiralling to the top", it was initially nicknamed the "Helter Skelter".

"Most big corporations these days are looking for very large, open-plan spaces with flexible working space, and the tapered design of the Pinnacle is making that more difficult," said Mr Sidders. "At the moment I think it's anyone's guess what will happen with the Pinnacle."

A spokesman for the developer, Arab Investments, confirmed yesterday that work on the site had halted but refused to comment on what negotiations were taking place.

The ambitious building experienced a troubled conception. Work was delayed in 2010 while Arab Investments put together a deal involving a £500m debt facility from a collection of banks and private consortia. By the time it resumed last September, the completion date had slipped back to 2015.

The prospect of a large building site left dormant will no doubt concern the City of London Corporation, but a spokesman declined to comment on whether the authority would offer help to recruit tenants for the Pinnacle.

Meanwhile, London's other skyscrapers will continue to search for tenants. "There is widespread market sentiment that anybody building a big skyscraper at the moment is doing so in a pretty tough market," said Mr Sidders. "It would not be too surprising if other schemes were to encounter similar hurdles."

He added that the developers of the Cheesegrater and the Walkie Talkie had chosen different strategies to fill their buildings, which offered hope that they should be finished without any repeats of the stoppage at the Pinnacle.

What goes up often comes down to the weather

Rob Hastings' view from the top

For builders working on any skyscraper, abrupt stoppages to their incredibly complex operations are frustrating. Last year I went behind the scenes at the Shard – or rather above them – by visiting the cabin of the crane which dictated much of the construction work from 259m above the streets of London.

As I talked to some of the steel erectors and window cladders, it quickly became apparent how intertwined are the various parts of such a complex project. Each relies on teams from many other companies – and other countries – to keep their work on schedule.

Even without money worries in the equation, the weather is often enough to halt the work. High winds force cranes to shut down for hours, preventing materials and machinery from reaching any level of the building. For this reason, when conditions are right, construction continues at all hours, according to plans drawn up by a project manager.

London's skyscraper building boom means several of the new generation of towers have been under construction at once recently, with architects and developers criticised for simply prioritising height above all other design attributes. But in doing so, their ambitions have certainly helped the construction industry.

Work on the Pinnacle was temporarily halted at a relatively early stage, having only reached the seventh floor before builders were called off. That means the hiatus came before many of the contractors needed to turn a concrete core into a steel skeleton and then a fully fleshed-out building had arrived on site.

Nevertheless, such a pause will affect many different workers – from the concrete suppliers and lorry drivers bringing materials to the site, to crane drivers and their loading assistants below

Damn it!!!...well, let's stay positive and hope for the best.

Stunning building... Wow, i hope we see progress soon.. this is too beautiful, exquisite. A true work of art.

The focus now goes to Leadenhall and the Walkie Talkie. Hope this one will restart soon.

A BIG shame. If the worst comes to the worst we will still have the Shard, Leadenhall and Fenchurch under construction. Lets hope the government gets their act together because to me all they have done is just cutting back our armed forces which by the way is not a good idea.

Contrary to most people, I like the Leadenhall project as much as I like this one so I hope that one keeps up the good pace.

Contrary to most people, I like the Leadenhall project as much as I like this one so I hope that one keeps up the good pace.

I concur, that building is just as in interesting in design. I prefer the BGT though.

Bishopgate is the bigger tower, therefore the project that will most likely redefine the City's skyline. But it's not as if Leadenhall doesn't matter. At least that's the idea one get from some comments.

This tower is on hold now? :(

What a shame.. :( Fingers crossed they will restart soon

This tower is on hold now? :(

Apparently yes, damn it. Is one of my favorite skyscraper in the world

:(

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7014/6802137893_c18912899c_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7164/6802134955_fbe43aed80_b.jpg

About 2 years ago almost all major projects were on hold, so this won't spoil all the rest that's going on.

Yeah this was my favourite project in London, disappointed its on hold.

Its really sad to see that it is on hold :ohno:

It's a difficult environment for new commercial leasing right now:


London's Landlords Facing Zero Rents Turn Offices Into Condos (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-03/london-landlords-facing-rents-of-zero-turn-offices-into-condos.html)



More people will be making their homes among the banks and insurance companies of central London as a shrinking financial industry and the prospect of leasing out buildings for free prompts landlords to convert offices into luxury apartments.

Developers including Axa Real Estate Investment Managers Ltd., Berkeley Group Holdings Plc (BKG) and Heron International Inc. also plan to build homes in the heart of Britain’s financial services industry, known as the Square Mile, after purchasing obsolete commercial buildings in the area.

“The fringes of the City are struggling in terms of letting secondhand buildings,” said Anthony Duggan, head of real estate research at Deloitte LLP. “There will be a number of developments looking at alternative uses.”

London has seen demand for offices slump after banks cut more jobs in the U.K. than in any other country last year. Rents in the City of London will fall 4 percent this year, compared with earlier predictions of a 6.1 percent increase, JPMorgan Chase & Co. said in a Jan. 11 note. Values will drop 7.3 percent in 2012, the bank said.

Axa is seeking older offices or partly developed “brownfield” sites on the fringes of the financial district to turn into housing. Berkeley plans to renovate a derelict office property near Moorgate into 90 residences. Heron is building a 36-story residential tower near the Barbican, and Hammerson plans to develop 253 apartments near Liverpool Street station.

Finance Jobs Lost

Employment in the Square Mile dropped 8.5 percent last year and it will remain below 1998 levels until 2014, according to the Centre for Economics & Business Research Ltd. The cutbacks and the amount of aging space give City tenants greater bargaining power on rents with owners of older, empty office blocks.

About 54 percent of office space in the City of London and on its fringes is more than 15 years old, meaning it can no longer be marketed as “prime,” according to research from DTZ Holdings Plc (DDTZ).

Some landlords may choose to lease space for nothing to avoid a charge on empty buildings, Michael Marx, Chief Executive Officer of Development Securities Plc, said in an interview. “I’m feeling more and more robust about that forecast as time goes past,” he said.

Since April 2008, the U.K. government has required office property owners to pay business taxes, equal to those usually owed by tenants, on buildings that remain vacant for more than three months.

More people will be making their homes among the banks and insurance companies of central London

sounds great to me :happy:

After this horrible economic crisis that is affecting worldwide I'm sure that London is going to be built this and other skyscrapers taller and nicer.

:colbert:That's what I said, they should build it as a luxury apartment complex. Why not? Silly investors

that would be better and the building will not be empty after 5 pm :yes:

Its just a waiting game.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7136/6898223872_e54179888d_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59826480@N06/6898223872/)
DSCN0115 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59826480@N06/6898223872/) by _SO143_ (http://www.flickr.com/people/59826480@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7197/7044321537_5dece471b8_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59826480@N06/7044321537/)
DSCN0119 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59826480@N06/7044321537/) by _SO143_ (http://www.flickr.com/people/59826480@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7214/7044330989_a867555554_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59826480@N06/7044330989/)
DSCN0120 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59826480@N06/7044330989/) by _SO143_ (http://www.flickr.com/people/59826480@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7076/7044328881_d16df2527f_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59826480@N06/7044328881/)
DSCN0121 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59826480@N06/7044328881/) by _SO143_ (http://www.flickr.com/people/59826480@N06/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7082/7044329923_c0347a5c77_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59826480@N06/7044329923/)
DSCN0122 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59826480@N06/7044329923/) by _SO143_ (http://www.flickr.com/people/59826480@N06/), on Flickr

Ugh, so annoying, its the best building designed for the City :doh:

Has there seriously been no recent news on this?

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7068/6943568867_434e9afb1c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mexichino/6943568867/)
The Pinnacle (under construction) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mexichino/6943568867/) by Mexichino (http://www.flickr.com/people/mexichino/), on Flickr

Would have posted ages ago, but thread in UK forum was closed. Second image from 26 February.

It seems the core has been cleaned, looks really bright with no stains?

I want them to keep the uk thread open, I see no problem with it being open, it's not hurting anyone?

Definitively the best skyscraper design in London. Personally, I prefer the Bishopsgate Tower much better than the Shard.

It seems the core has been cleaned, looks really bright with no stains?

I want them to keep the uk thread open, I see no problem with it being open, it's not hurting anyone?

+1

All in good time people. Tenants and finances will be secured and this will resume. We just have to wait in the meantime.

All in good time people. Tenants and finances will be secured and this will resume. We just have to wait in the meantime.

It is quite possible that the project will be sold to new investors, just like it happened at the beginning. Initially, the project was the property of the German fund management company DIFA, which if I am not mistaken had obtained the building permit and later on sold it to Arab Investments Limited.

It is quite possible that the project will be sold to new investors, just like it happened at the beginning. Initially, the project was the property of the German fund management company DIFA, which if I am not mistaken had obtained the building permit and later on sold it to Arab Investments Limited.

Is this building just going to be rediculously expensive to build? Whenever someone realises they can't pay they give to someone who thinks they can, who two months later realises 'oh wait, we built 3 floors and have 6 pence left. lets give it to someone else' this must be built, its the best building and I agree it's better than the shard

It's not that expensive... no more so than the Shard anyway.

The more time goes by the more I'm skeptical about this beauty getting built one day...

It's not that expensive... no more so than the Shard anyway.

construction cost may not be as expensive as the shard but the value of land in the city financial district is more expensive than anywhere in the uk. :(

The more time goes by the more I'm skeptical about this beauty getting built one day...

London has had countless projects like this in the past 10 years. For a long time the Shard would never be built, the Walkie Talkie would never be built, St George Wharf was a thing of the past...well apparently not.

This is such a gorgeous building, i really hope it gets built.

Thought it had started ? / Je croyais que la construction avait débuté ?

Thought it had started ? / Je croyais que la construction avait débuté ?
It had, the core got to level 8 before the building was put on hold, even when the finance was at its most secure is was painfully slow progress :bash:

I'm wondering if there are some 'design issues' also hampering progress...

Is this going to restart in Jan 2013? Is it definitaly going to be built, because surely it will, with 8 floors completed, I can't see them just smashing it down or leaving it like this.

Is this going to restart in Jan 2013? Is it definitaly going to be built, because surely it will, with 8 floors completed, I can't see them just smashing it down or leaving it like this.


It would cost them too much to rip it up! This building has the deepest piling of any building in London!! They will just wait for prelets to come.

It would cost them too much to rip it up! This building has the deepest piling of any building in London!! They will just wait for prelets to come.

So it WILL be built, even if it's finished the year 2030????

Hmm lets wait and see. I have heard rumours that this one is getting a complete redesign. Whether that would mean knocking down the core and starting again, who knows, as in theory a new building could utilise the foundations and core currently in place...

A redesign would be a disgrace! I don't wanna see one of Europe's best skyscraper designs ever created die :(

Perhaps if the redesign is a slight height increase? to nudge it into the supertall category? :) we can only wish..

Is this going to restart in Jan 2013? Is it definitaly going to be built, because surely it will, with 8 floors completed, I can't see them just smashing it down or leaving it like this.

Lots of buildings begin construction and are left to rot.

Birminghams twin Snow Hill Towers got up to around the 6th floor before the recession hit.

The scheme is now being re-evaluated and different designs being throught up.

The use has now changed from residential and hotel to offices.

This isn't unthinkable.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5205/5231859434_ef5a5cc6ae_b.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5048/5270028980_eb6b534967_b.jpg

The only thing they are waiting for on this project is people to pre let it...

It has full funding.. It will resume when the market for office space grows some balls again.

The only thing they are waiting for on this project is people to pre let it...

It has full funding.. It will resume when the market for office space grows some balls again.

Concrete weathers/rots.

Substantial work would need to be undertaken on the existing structure to resume work if it was due to begin in Jan 2013.

@Ecological why are those pictures in this thread? they are not the pics of The Pinnacle, are they? :)

[QUOTE=Ecological;90818616]Lots of buildings begin construction and are left to rot.

Birminghams twin Snow Hill Towers got up to around the 6th floor before the recession hit. /QUOTE]

Yeah, but this is different, this in the very middle of the city of London, they surely can't leave it like this in this location? They will want to be building something here as soon as possible won't they?

@Ecological why are those pictures in this thread? they are not the pics of The Pinnacle, are they? :)

If you read the accompanying text and the posts before hand you'll find they're relevant to the discussion of the Pinnacle.

Yeah, but this is different, this in the very middle of the city of London, they surely can't leave it like this in this location? They will want to be building something here as soon as possible won't they?

Not really. Snow Hill is in the very heart of Birmingham's financial district.

a 75m office block is construction right next door to the rotting core I mentioned above.

Everyone wants a building thats U/C to be built as soon as possible, but if funding doesn't allow it nor the needs for it, it simply won't go up.

London's quite a bit different to Birmingham though mate..

London's quite a bit different to Birmingham though mate..

There are many similarities, albeit on a smaller scale.

Birmingham's towers were different in that they were residential and hotel.

As the city is now short of Grade A office space, these are now being "REDESIGNED" to accommodate the change of use.

it "COULD" mean the demolition of the current core.

E.G I'm explaining to you what "MIGHT" happen with The Pinnacle.

Don't get so frigging defensive and take things on board. It's not an attempt to belittle this fantastic tower. It's just letting newbies like yourself what could "POTENTIALLY" happen.

Take things on board and learn.

It's an example of the "POSSIBILITIES"

Snowhill is now being completely redesigned instigated by the change of use from resi to office based floor plates. It should involve the demolishing of the currently standing cores to podium level and starting over.

In temrs of the Pinnacle. Rebar is usually surface rusted when concrete is poured and that is perfectly acceptable.

The only checks that will be required are whether water ingress at the top of the cores has excessively corroded the bars within the top of the concrete. If thats the case, some localised scabbling of the joint will be required. If the rebar is OK then all they'll do is blast the joints with a power-washer or a gritblaster (depending on how much pigeon shit is on it) and then just carry on!

COR-TEN is the most common type of weathering steel. Effectively the current completed Pinnacle structure needs nothing more than the equivalent of a quick brush off and construction can re-commence

Rebar steel does corrode and cannot be left forvever though. It should be capped off with concrete to ensure it does not corrode and can't be used to continue construction.

Snow Hill has been stood for 4 years now. With funding, nor pre-lets being established for the Pinnacle I honestly suspect a redesign will take place.

Eurozone debt crisis hurting demand for London offices, says Land Securities

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/constructionandproperty/9269217/Eurozone-debt-crisis-hurting-demand-for-London-offices-says-Land-Securities.html