Trinity Square (inc. Tesco) | Gateshead | 46m | 13fl | T/O

[Dave G Fawcett]

Many of the points made about the designs for Trinity Square by people on this thread are ones that I agree with but my concern about this proposal is somewhat different.

A few hundred yards from Trinity Square, Chandless estate awaits demolition once the residents have been rehoused. Chandless is a 1960's complex housing about 500 families and single people in three 15 story tower blocks and several blocks of maisonettes on two levels. The decision was taken in May; in spite of considerable opposition; to demolish the estate and rehouse the tenants. It is estimated by the council that this will take 5 years.

The problem is that many of the tenants wish to stay in the town centre area. Most of these tenants are elderly and/or single. Council property within a one mile radius of the town centre is at a premium and only 2 or 3 properties a week usually become available. Of those some are bedsits which even Gateshead council admits are not ideal.

Therefore an argument can certainly be made that Gateshead should not be building student accommodation to house students at the Newcastle universities but should be providing suitable accommodation for at least some of those local people who; because of a Council decision; are soon to be made homeless.

[bigchrisfgb]

I think it is Gateshead's aim to have their own University of some sort in the future.

[AngerOfTheNorth]

Good point by Dave - there's a lot of people, usually the poorest in society, who really need to be within easy walking distance from the centre. Those in the Chandless Estate who want to stay close to the centre really should be housed nearby...

Either way, I was reading The Feeling of Things by Adam Caruso, one of the essays within being aimed at the soullessness created by huge land asembly sites like Gateshead Town Centre. It made me realise that whatever Tesco do with the centre, I think Gateshead is essentially knackered and simply won't be an attractive place to visit/shop/work in in the long term.

[alf stone]

BerlinGeordie said: I'd like to see how the car park and Indoor Market looked alongside the existing structures at the time they were built, rather than the present dreary context of the interchange and the Tesco car park.

It took a long time to find this but I think it is what you are looking for:

http://isee.gateshead.gov.uk/detail....reet&record=93

[BerlinGeordie]

Originally Posted by alf stone

It took a long time to find this but I think it is what you are looking for...

Thanks for that - you can definitely see that at least the north side of it had some sort of proportion to Shephards, and created a shopping street between them. And the car park might seem just a little less out of place with the large department store next to it.

[Newcastle Historian]

.
CAR PARK DEMOLITION TIME-LAPSE VIDEO : WEEK TWO . . .

http://vimeo.com/14056773

[AngerOfTheNorth]

The main thing that I was thinking whilst watching that video is that the guy in the crane/cutting/demolition vehicle thing (technical term) is pretty brave. I'm sure it's not a high risk job, but if things go wrong and the structure has weaknesses you didn't know about or you cut the wrong bit, the consequences could be fatal.

Either way, great link NH.

[TownPlanningNE]

Latest photo from the BBC:



More here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/tyne/hi/...00/8858759.stm

[bigchrisfgb]

You would of thought they would of taken the glass out of the windows safetly before they started taking the place down.

[architect1976]

Originally Posted by bigchrisfgb

You would of thought they would of taken the glass out of the windows safetly before they started taking the place down.

Or at least let the local yobs have a couple of bricks and take pot shots, would boost morale.

[elliott]

photo from today

[Newcastle Historian]

.
CAR PARK DEMOLITION TIME-LAPSE VIDEO : WEEK THREE . . .

http://vimeo.com/14234293

[toonlad]

Gutted I have missed this. Was looking forward to see it coming down. I am pleased to see the video footage of course!

[Nick8700]

I always expected the demolition of the car park to be a bit more of an event.
I'm not sure what i was expecting, it just feels like an anti climax....
Maybe its just knowing what will replace it

[Newcastle Historian]

.
CAR PARK DEMOLITION TIME-LAPSE VIDEO : WEEK FOUR . . .

http://vimeo.com/14396789

[DXNewcastle]

Its coming down . . . .
If you'd never had a chance to look inside that top-floor restaurant before now (maybe I'm lucky that I had), then you can see right inside now!



You can appreciate the design of the ramping between each level better in this view - the vehicle ascent from right to left is clearly visible.

[architect1976]

CAR PARK DEMOLITION TIME-LAPSE VIDEO : WEEK FIVE . . .

http://vimeo.com/14643335

[Newcastle Historian]

Get a piece of the famous Get Carter car park!
September 8th 2010, by Linda Richards, Evening Chronicle



FANS of the Get Carter car park can own a chunk of the famous landmark.

People are being asked if they would like a commemorative piece of concrete from the car park which towers over Gateshead town centre.

The 140ft high structure, which shot to fame in the 1971 gangster movie Get Carter, is more than half way to being demolished.

And before the town centre’s tallest building disappears from the skyline forever, fans mourning its loss could pick up a piece of film history.

“We’re aware the car park has a number of fans, either of its brutalist design or its role in Get Carter,” said the council’s head of communications Robert Schopen.

While we and local people are ready to move on and see a modern development in its place, we would like to help mark the car park’s passing if the interest is there.



“In the past people have asked whether it would be possible to acquire pieces of concrete from the car park. Until now that hasn’t really been possible, but in the next few weeks it could be.

“That’s why we’re asking anyone who is keen to own their very own piece of ‘Get Carter car park’ to get in touch so we can see if there is enough demand.”

An online survey is being carried out to help gauge the demand.

In the movie Jack Carter, played by Michael Caine, threw local businessman Cliff Brumby, played by Bryan Mosely, off one of the top levels, before leaving in a Ford Cortina Mark II to avenge the death of his brother.

But following decades of deterioration the council is tearing it down to make way for a new shopping centre.

Demolition of the Owen Luder-designed multi-storey began on July 26 and contractors Thompsons of Prudhoe are now more than half way through the job. Three huge demolition machines have been nibbling away at the 34,000 tonnes of concrete.

The demolition is watched daily by shoppers and workers.



Pieces of the Berlin Wall were snapped when it came down in 1889. Many segments were given to various institutions around the world. They can be found in presidential and historical museums, lobbies of hotels and corporations, at universities and government buildings, including the Pentagon near Washington, DC.

Anyone who longs for a lump of the “Get Carter” concrete should log on to www.gateshead.gov.uk/centre and register their interest.




FULL ( TWO PAGE ) ARTICLE HERE - http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north...2703-27226475/

[alf stone]

“That’s why we’re asking anyone who is keen to own their very own piece of ‘Get Carter car park’ to get in touch so we can see if there is enough demand.”

When we see what replaces it the lumps of concrete might be useful to lob at the local councillors.

Only a joke, honest and not an incitement to violence, after all my cousin is the leader of the council and I don't wish him any harm.

[AngerOfTheNorth]

Any chance you could ask your cousin if the replacing scheme is a fait accompli? My assumption is that it is, or they wouldn't be hauling down the car park right now.

In other news, I heard Newcastle Council slated the design of the new development. Good on them for having the backbone to call a spade a spade for once...