East Pilgrim Street (EPS) - Developments

[jwmacintyre]

Dont have one so thought why not.
All we seem to do is talk with not much action, but it passes the time!

[Geordie Ahmed]

Is there actually anything happening with this development?

What is the latest?

[Bulldozer]

Originally Posted by jwmacintyre

Dont have one so thought why not.
All we seem to do is talk with not much action, but it passes the time!

How about actually telling the world what the development is then for a start

[AndrewC]

I set eyes on the big cinema building on Pilgrim St last time I was in Newcastle - great looking building. The white buidling on the corner of Pilgrim St and Market St is equally impressive.

[jwmacintyre]

Originally Posted by AndrewC

I set eyes on the big cinema building on Pilgrim St last time I was in Newcastle - great looking building. The white buidling on the corner of Pilgrim St and Market St is equally impressive.

Yeah I agree but the question I ask my self every time I walk past there is just how they would be able to Incorperate them into the master plan? It’s certainly a challenge for Multiplex.

[AndrewC]

They're not planning on knocking them down, surely? The frontage's at least can be saved?

[Bulldozer]

How about some info, Photo's and renders so we know whats being planned, and whats there currently ?

[AndrewC]

Well here's the cinema and the white building on Pilgrim Street - I think my sister said the white building used to be a hea dpost office, or some such government building?

[Andrew]

As far as I'm concerned there's no point in just keeping the facade. While the facade may be a reasonable example of a 1930s cinema, the real value of that building is the excellent art deco interior - if you can't keep that then just get rid of the whole thing. I'm guessing that the other one, Carliol House, is relatively safe. It's a reasonably popular office building as it stands and I believe it's listed.

[geordiejon]

This is a bit more about what the Pilgrim Street development is:
The white building used to be Northern Electric building, the main post office used to be next to the anglican cathedral. From what i can gather the building will be kept, as well as the Police Station opposite (which is also due to move- dunno where to though!) and and the firestation. They are all listed. I heard that the plan was for fire station to be converted to a boutique type hotel, and i would assume either Carliol Building or the police station will be convereted to apartments.
I also read that they would convert one of the buildings and just keep the facade and creat somthing similar to the Met Quarter in Liverpool.
The odeon is a bit controversial in Newcastle as it was listed and then delisted in the space of 6months- it was delisted I guess to keep the developers happy as they wanted to knock it down. I think Selfridges were looking at the site, but then they have stopped there expansion, so Harvey Nicks has been rumoured- but itis only rumoured though. As the years are progressing and nothingis being developed to the old Odeon it will become more and more expensive to redevelop it (into what is only anyones guess) so it looks like it will go.
The bottom of Pligrim Street East (the west side of the street is fine and won't be develoepd)is delapidated buildings, a old Bank Of England building and a old bus station- all of which are empty and look terrible.
Saying what will happen though is all just guess work and no one seems to know what is happening to the site. The plan is to extend the retail core south along Pilgrim Street from Northumberland Street down to the Tyne bridge round about. It is a fairly large site and covers lots of roads and buildings behind Pilgrim Street itself. They are talking of possibly having 2 new department stores to anchor the retail lead developement. Some (well me!) think that Newcastle already has 2 large department stores (Fenwicks and John Lewis) and a 3rd (Debenhams) is opening in 2010 in an extension to the Eldon Square shopping centre and the city couldnt support this extra retail. The extension of Eldon Square has not seem many retailers rushing to the extension and those that are are just relocations from elsewhere in the city. I personally think that maybe some retail is right, but some of the plans look too ambitious and a possible 5 department stores in a conurbation the size of Tyneside (approx 900,000 people) is too much especially as you have Europes largest shopping Centre- the Metro Centre- just 3 miles south of the city centre.

You can read all about it properly and not hear me whittering on:
http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/core.nsf/a/pilgrimstreet

One other gripe is that the plans for this part if the city (as is the rest of Newcastle development sites) is been developed on a snail pace (the Odeon and associated empty building have been empty for at least 10 years) and the whole area is looking extremely depressing and run down.

I don't think we will be able to give any concrete plans for this developement this year, and maybe this thread was a bit premature!

[jwmacintyre]

http://www.twentyfirstcenturymedia.t...eneration.html

Found a interesting video about multiplex and pilgrim street area!

[gregstone]

repost link?

[Newcastle Guy]

Well, it is certainly going to be a major development for the city, I just hope to god Multiplex can pull it off correctly.

[jwmacintyre]

Sorry about that the link was too long, try this one the video should come straight up.

http://www.twentyfirstcenturymedia.tv

[b4mmy]

Pilgrim street redevelopment 'Newcastle Central'

Architect: Terry Farrell
Developer: Multiplex
Completion: 2012

The regeneration of Pilgrim Street is one of the most important developments in the city. Multiplex have spent years aquiring sites, and plan to create a new quarter for the city that will link Northumberland Street with the Quayside, two of the most important parts of the City. Three options were drawn up, and the concensus is to develop the first option, which includes one department store. Option 1 would see the re-development of two main streets, Pilgrim Street and Market street, as well as the creation of an entirely new retail street adjacent to Market Street. This option also includes a number of new public spaces.

[NewcastleStu]

Can I just query again the focus of the EPS scheme on more retail for the city centre as an extension of the Northumberland Street circuit. I know I mentioned this before in the main thread but it got lost in the sub-forum talk.

Surely when Eldon Square and Newgate Shopping Centre get redeveloped, not including the empty units in Grainger Town, then we'll have too much retail space and not enough people to fill it? EPS would be a good office and residential zone but could also accomodate some retail too.

[geordiejon]

Totally agree. There is no need for a huge swathe of shops. With ES and large units empty in Grainger- just development of the block from Balckett to Market street (ie the Odeon) should be retail- a I have said many times something like Met Quarter in Liverpool. A good anchor is essential- The rest of the block should be hotel (fire station) and maybe leisure with a large public uare near the library and Laing.

[hollow man]

If they knock the Odeon down, I will cry.

[Geordie Ahmed]

Originally Posted by hollow man

If they knock the Odeon down, I will cry.

Will be a shame if that happens BUT sadly i think it will (lets hope im wrong)

I take it its just deserted at the moment and is decaying as each day passes?

[Chatton11]

I've heard in the past that Cinema sites are particularly problematic to renovate. It's one thing to just redevelop it as a cinema, but there's no demand for another one, and certainly not an old one designed for what people needed decades ago. Remember the Odeon 1 Screen? The room was amazing, and very impressive, but not at all ideal for watching a film. For starters there just wasn't enough leg room. I remember once, when I was wedged in, against the wall, I got cramp in my leg, and just had to bite my tongue and hold my breath as there was no way of moving my leg at all! Other than a cinema, they're not ideal to be turned into anything else. Essentially you have to remove everything inside and start from scratch, essentially just leaving a facade, and it's just far cheaper to demolish the facade too and start completely from fresh.