Planned improvements around Centre Point

[connorwilliams]

Centrepoint is an ugly building, but we need buildings from different eras so tourists can gawp at them. I'm sure whoever built the Tower of London didn't think it was anything but practical.

[Jex7844]

Hi folks,

An update about the current work at Centre Point's feet would really make my day. I'm wondering how much progress has been made since late 2010, I loved Astoria Theatre () and I'm pretty worried to see what's gonna replace it, as far as I remember it will be an awful modern & plain building, what a waste...luckily the new crossrail station looks great. Many thanks in advance mates!

[Pennypacker]

Originally Posted by Jex7844

Hi folks,

An update about the current work at Centre Point's feet would really make my day. I'm wondering how much progress has been made since late 2010, I loved Astoria Theatre () and I'm pretty worried to see what's gonna replace it, as far as I remember it will be an awful modern & plain building, what a waste...luckily the new crossrail station looks great. Many thanks in advance mates!

Most recent pictures in here:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=871486

[Jim856796]

(Thread bump)

I found out on skyscrapernews.com that the CentrePoint skyscraper is set for a residential-led overhaul in the future.

http://skyscrapernews.com/news.php?ref=3015

[Gavrosh]

By the way, if you want a fantastic view of london, including the best view that you can get of the city cluster and CW together, pop up to the Paramount restaurant on the top floor of centrepoint. Good food too.

[elCreatore]

[Jex7844]

Any news guys...?

[Bowater]

Originally Posted by connorwilliams

Centrepoint is an ugly building, but we need buildings from different eras so tourists can gawp at them. I'm sure whoever built the Tower of London didn't think it was anything but practical.

London has enough buildings to keep tourists happy with the absence of Centre Point.

[Retro Specs]

To me centre point is one of the best buildings London has. Reminds me a lot of the Society Hill Towers in Philadelphia which are incredibly popular residential towers in a similar style.

[CornockES]

I think the building needs a good scrub down or paintjob. Otherwise its fine....certainly not stellar in any sense but far better than a rectangular office block

[hugh]

Originally Posted by Retro Specs

To me centre point is one of the best buildings London has. Reminds me a lot of the Society Hill Towers in Philadelphia which are incredibly popular residential towers in a similar style.

Agree, it's a great building, a bit of mid century high rise panache.

[danm]

http://www.standard.co.uk/business/b...r-8602357.html

Centre Point’s landmark makeover

03 May 2013

Fancy a double-height flat at the top of Centre Point? Yours for £23 million, if you don’t mind waiting three years. A second request for permission to turn the world-famous tower into a 34-storey block of flats was submitted to Camden council last week by developer Almacantar.

Planning documents reveal a huge duplex on floors 33 and 34. The 1960s block will contain 82 flats. Planning permission allowing, the conversion will be finished by 2016.

Almacantar boss Mike Hussey won’t comment on prices. But one leading developer working nearby says the 7630-square-foot penthouse should sell for £3000 a square foot; hence the £23 million guess.

A second guess comes from Knight Frank, which agrees, adding that the lower-floor flats should fetch between £2000 and £2500 a square foot. With one caveat: Centre Point is not exactly the sort of spot from which to pop out for a quiet evening stroll.

“The tower is an amazing London landmark, says Stephan Miles-Brown, head of residential development at Knight Frank. “But its location, particularly at street level, is not without its challenges.

“Almacantar will need to “re-imagine” the building and undertake some “state-of-the-art” place-making to change public perceptions. If it can clear these hurdles, I can envisage sales averaging £2500 with the upper floors and penthouses achieving north of £3000.”

The planning documents reveal that the 460-foot tower contains 131,000 square feet of sellable space — worth, let’s say, £2500 a square foot, a number that gives a total value for the units of £327 million. Almacantar and its 25% partner Frogmore publicly give £350 million as the end value.

That includes 16 affordable units, shops and a club complete with pool on the first and second floors. The consortium paid receivers £120 million for Centre Point in March 2011.

“We have presented an urbane and intelligent solution for the long-term future of this iconic listed building,” says Hussey.

But, he adds: “We should not lose sight of the complexities of working with this asset and the challenge to respond to the demands that the new transport hub will place on the public realm.”

On track for prices boom

House prices within the “walk-zones” of Crossrail stations will rise by 40%-43% between now and when the line opens in 2018, Knight Frank says in a report today.

“The biggest beneficiaries will be Tottenham Court Road and Farringdon,” says Gráinne Gilmore, Knight Frank’s head of UK residential research.

“Tottenham Court Road station is set to be transformed by new developments, giving the junction a much-needed face-lift,” adding 40% to prices, Gilmore says.

She adds that prices in Farringdon will rise 43%, as the area is “set to become one of the biggest transport hubs in London.”

[potto]

Originally Posted by Gavrosh

By the way, if you want a fantastic view of london, including the best view that you can get of the city cluster and CW together, pop up to the Paramount restaurant on the top floor of centrepoint. Good food too.

and make the most of it while you can before it all gets converted into apartments

[Retro Specs]

Originally Posted by danm

http://www.standard.co.uk/business/b...r-8602357.html

House prices within the “walk-zones” of Crossrail stations will rise by 40%-43% between now and when the line opens in 2018, Knight Frank says in a report today.

“The biggest beneficiaries will be Tottenham Court Road and Farringdon,” says Gráinne Gilmore, Knight Frank’s head of UK residential research.

“Tottenham Court Road station is set to be transformed by new developments, giving the junction a much-needed face-lift,” adding 40% to prices, Gilmore says.

She adds that prices in Farringdon will rise 43%, as the area is “set to become one of the biggest transport hubs in London.”

I can understand cross rail leading to values rising on stations further away from the city centre as commute times reduce, but why should it have any impact on TCR and Farringdon which are in the centre and you can easily walk to the City business district from. It's hard to think of a better area to live in London if your preference is for urban living.

Also I totally don't get why the evening standard thinks the area would put off buyers. You're right next to Oxford Street, Soho, Bloomsbury and Covent Garden - surely that's a bonus even if the traffic near the base of the tower needs calming.

I hope they keep the top restaurant and viewing galleries open. Centre Point has a rich and interesting history and it would be a shame if it closed it's doors to the public.

[jamiefearon]

A second request for permission to turn the world-famous tower into a 34-storey block of flats was submitted to Camden council last week by developer Almacantar.

Really? World famous? I dont think so.

[Dreamer]

Originally Posted by jamiefearon

Really? World famous? I dont think so.

Well it's a London icon and was very prominent in 60s films and tv, not to mention you can see the lit up sign pretty much anywhere in the Westend

[potto]

Its a London icon like the BT Tower, neither are World famous.

[Jex7844]

Would be nice to have an update...is the new building replacing the Astoria taking shape? And what about the Plaza...?

[Trances]

Originally Posted by jamiefearon

Really? World famous? I dont think so.

I thought that too !