Harborne Clock Tower

[helloto1993]

Behind the scenes at The School Yard
November 8th, 2012

Many will already be aware that planning consent has been granted at EDG Property’s new development The School Yard in Harborne and with Listed building consent also granted, the contractor selection process is now underway.

Enabling works will start on site in the next 4 weeks which will prepare the site ready for the construction team to commence their works.

Contracts have been signed with new tenant Metro, who is soon to be spoiling us with continental tapas cuisine, now busy designing their stylish fit out. Likewise, the award winning Italian Prezzo and food school Kitchen are working hard on interior plans with 2013’s Quarter 3 opening date scheduled. The new public square is also anticipated to be unveiled next Autumn.

Bringing this listed landmark back to life will be a major milestone for Harborne and we truly believe will add to the High Street experience.

http://edgproperty.co.uk/behind-the-...e-school-yard/

[morestoreysplease]

Brilliant news!

[Spread]

From Business Desk:



Work under way at The School Yard scheme

ENABLING works have started on EDG Property’s £5.5m The School Yard scheme in the Birmingham suburb of Harborne.

The plans for the scheme include restoring the original building and converting it into restaurant units and a cookery school.

Birmingham-based K4 Architects is leading the design team on the mixed use scheme, alongside M&E engineers Jonathan Richards Associates, structural engineers Curtins and acousticians JRA Acoustics. Eversheds and Presence Marketing are also providing specialist advice, while the shortlisting process for the main contractor is under way.

The building, which is prominently located on Harborne High Street, was built in 1891. it first housed the local school before taking on a number of different uses, most recently as an adult learning and community centre.

Neil Edginton, managing director of EDG Property, said: “We know how important our high streets are, playing a vital role in supporting the local economy and as part of the community.

“This is a really special and important project for us and for Harborne and the surrounding areas - we must get it right.

“Announcing our professional team and starting enabling works are major milestones for the project and announcing our dream team is a great way to end the year.

“It sets us up to hit the ground running with construction early in the new year and, when we confirm our main contractor, we can press ahead with work onsite and hit our target to start tenant fit-out towards the end of the summer.”

The designs incorporate many of the historical Victorian features of the Grade II listed building while adding a new contemporary building at the rear of the old school playground where the residential element will be located. The old and new will wrap around a central courtyard and public square.

Italian eatery Prezzo and local restaurateur Chris Kelly’s Metro Continental will be opening at The School Yard within the next 12 months. Kitchen School, a community cookery school, has also been secured.

Phase two of The School Yard will include the residential element of the scheme. It is anticipated that it will comprise a small number of high specification, new build apartments.

[sefton66]

Good to hear

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Sorry to bump but here is the lettings brochure showing the Prezzo and Metro lettings and the available unit, gives a feel for the scheme:

http://edgproperty.co.uk/wp-content/...L%20&%20WS.pdf

[blar]

Urban Coffee Co takes last unit at Harborne gastro-hub

by Cillian OBrien, Birmingham Post Mar 27 2013

A successful Birmingham cafe chain has taken the last commercial unit at a new gastro-hub and apartment development in a south city suburb.

Urban Coffee Company has signed up to EDG Property’s The School Yard development in Harborne High Street.

This will be the third Urban Coffee outlet in the city, joining its Jewellery Quarter and Church Street sister venues.

Italian restaurant chain Prezzo Group, tapas eatery Metro Continental and cookery school Kitchen have already agreed to take space in the mixed use scheme.

The cafe will overlook the new public square at the heart of the project, which sees the renovation of a listed Victorian school.

Simon Jenner, director of Urban Coffee Company, said: “We have been looking to expand into the city’s popular suburbs for some time and finding a new home for our third coffee emporium at The School Yard is perfect.

“The combination of old and new architecture and modern design, at the heart of Harborne village fits with our brand identity, particularly as we like to think of our emporiums as being an urban version of a village hall and a major aim is to involve ourselves with the local community.

“Of course, we can’t wait to bring good coffee and our individual style to the good people of Harborne.”

Neil Edginton, director of EDG Property, said: “The first quarter of this year has been great for progress at The School Yard – we are onsite with our construction team, we have recorded exceptionally high levels of pre-launch interest for the residential element and we have completed this final letting with Urban Coffee.

“The Urban Coffee offer is a perfect complement to the restaurant/café scene in Harborne and we’re pleased to have attracted Simon and his team from the city to launch their first suburban store.”

Construction at The School Yard started this month and the commercial units are scheduled to be operational by Christmas.

The residential phase of the scheme, which comprises apartments and two townhouses, is yet to be launched.

Urban Coffee plans to open two more cafes in the next 18 months.

Read More http://www.birminghampost.net/birmin...#ixzz2OjDle5tj

[morestoreysplease]

I went past this morning and saw the advert. This is a great addition to Harborne. I just wish our other suburbs had such rich variety of offers. I know Moseley, Kings Heath, Solihull, Shirley and Sutton have popular High Streets offering a great mix of eateries / bars but are places like Northfield, Selly Oak, Acocks Green, Erdington, Stechford, Bearwood ever going to be "gentrified" at all? I notice even Edgbaston (does it even have a centre??) is lacking a heart - I noticed a lot of empty space / building ruins behind The Ivy Bush - is that a future position for more quality eatery offerings?

[Typhoon2000]

Hey I was thinking about this very question last night. The Birmingham suburbs haven't really been that well gentrified in the past decade that I've been here.

I was looking at Sandon Road in Bearwood as an example. There are one or two landlords down there that rent out lots of houses down the street but they seem to have been either unwilling or unable to tidy up the outsides of their 'units', if you like, in order to provide a much softer environment. Whilst it is my no means dangerous down there it does feel a bit messy and uncomfortable down there.

I don't know. Perhaps we just have a lack of bankers and stockbrokers in these areas (-lol).. they all seem to want to live in town or Sutton Coldfield maybe...

[sefton66]

great news for Urban Coffee Co

[sefton66]

Autumn opening for the restaurants

New set of cogs for Harborne tower clock at gastro redevelopment
By Graeme Brown May 1 2013

The time has come for the clock tower that has loomed large above Harborne to be put back into use.

The landmark tower, which marked time in the town for more than a century before stopping in the mid-1980s, has been fully refurbished as part of a £30,000 restoration programme.

The work is part of a wider scheme to regenerate a former school building on the High Street to transform it into a restaurant and residential development called The School Yard.

It has seen four historic clock faces and mechanisms repaired and ready for use when the first phase of the mixed use scheme opens later this year.


Neil Edginton founder of developer EDG Property, said the clock was central to the wider £5 million scheme.

He said: “The clock is an intrinsic part of our redevelopment of The School Yard scheme and of Harborne as a place. It is a real landmark so its careful restoration was of prime importance.”

The clock was originally manufactured by John Smith and Sons of Derby in the 1800s, and 150 years later the restoration work is being carried out by the same firm.


Now known as Smith of Derby, the horological technology company carried out a mechanical restoration and the four clock faces have been modernised with illuminated backgrounds.

Mr Edginton added: “There is a lovely synergy in working with Smith of Derby after all these years and as we believe that the clock hasn’t struck the hour since the mid-1980s.”

The clock will stay silent until the launch of the first phase of development at The School Yard which is scheduled for this autumn. This will mark the opening of the restaurants at the scheme, which include Metro Continental, Prezzo Group, Urban Coffee Company and community cookery firm Kitchen School.

Keith Cotton, from Smith of Derby, said: “It is a true privilege to bring a beautiful timepiece back into full working order, especially as it was our firm that made and fitted the clock over 150 years ago.”

Read more: http://www.birminghampost.net/news/w...#ixzz2SRfQLxAw