Official Birmingham Development Thread 37!

[Ecological]

Originally Posted by -Stiggy-

Definitely looks promising doesn't it, I'm thinking Glenn Howells, it looks like his style. Looks like just the 2 new builds and Mclaren? Maybe Mclaren being converted into the proposed hotel perhaps? Loving the shortest building.

There's definately 3 buildings Stiggy.

One that sit's besides McClaren with what seem's to be 3 floors of resturants/bar etc.

23 storeys

[Ecological]

I suppose I can talk about this now it's been released to the press.

Birmingham Science Park Aston (BSPA), which is wholly owned by Birmingham City Council, has shortlisted three potential joint venture partners to undertake development of the proposed £35 million Digital Plaza.

Bruntwood, Thomas Vale Construction Ltd and Trebor Developments/Hortons Estate consortium have been selected from the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) process, which attracted over 80 initial expressions of interest. The joint venture partner will be chosen this summer. A planning application will then be prepared.

The earmarked site is next to the Park’s flagship Faraday Wharf building, accessed off Holt Street/Enterprise Way and A38 Aston Expressway. The vacant development plot has been identified within the Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP’s Enterprise Zone proposals, which covers 27 sites within the Big City Plan area. It is envisaged that the Digital Plaza will be the first Enterprise Zone development to get underway.

All three shortlisted parties have backed the plans to create a high-tech business incubation centre to be named iCentrumTM, as the first of the four proposed Digital Plaza buildings. BSPA is striving to create a series of industry-led incubators to drive new innovative businesses in the key sectors of the regional economy.

Cllr Mike Whitby, Leader of Birmingham City Council and Chairman of the Park said:


Birmingham Science Park Aston demonstrates the vital importance of actively supporting start-ups on their path to becoming successful businesses in the high-growth technology sectors. The Entrepreneurs for the Future incubation facility, launched at the Park just over two years ago, has already created 54 new companies, with 82 employees and directors. It must continue to expand and embrace new sectors in order to create many more new high value jobs for local people."


The Park already enjoys an international profile, and the Digital Plaza with the new iCentrumTM building will create a science park fit for 2020 and beyond here in the heart of Birmingham. I am delighted that the plans are progressing so well and that a joint venture partner will be announced in the coming months.”

The OJEU notice specified that BSPA is seeking a joint venture partner to undertake funding/investment; design and development; construction; facility operation and management for the Digital Plaza, which is envisaged to provide a total gross area of over 100,000 sq ft within four state-of-the-art buildings.

The Enterprise Zone designation may enable this project to benefit from an accelerated planning process, as well as Business Rates relief. Subject to planning, construction work could commence speculatively on the iCentrumTM building - which is expected to be circa 40,000 sq ft – before the end of the year.

Dr David Hardman MBE, CEO of Birmingham Science Park Aston said:


It is vital that we push forward with our plans to develop the Park to meet the needs, aspirations and work patterns of the city’s growing number of highly talented and innovative tech entrepreneurs."


The iCentrumTM building will represent a state-of-the-art connected real estate in the city centre. It will bring together agile and smart working environments with the business incubator culture, creating a statement facility that will enable us to reach out to the world. We can then support and nurture local talent by bringing the best to Birmingham."


Along with our ultimate joint venture partner, we will create a new workplace that will define Birmingham's knowledge economy.”

BSPA is the gateway to the Eastside learning and knowledge quarter. The Park’s internet connection is unrivalled across the country; UK Broadband implemented a 4G trial on site; and together with Cisco and JANET, BSPA has become the UK’s first Science Park Without Walls and the first active node in Cisco's National Virtual Incubator network.

While the nature of the work in the hi-tech and digital gaming industry typically lends itself to people working from home, BSPA’s thriving mix of tenants strongly advocate that businesses can grow more effectively working from a specialist hub environment. Faraday Wharf, which incorporates an extensive suite of high-tech meeting and conference rooms - as well as the Park’s nationally acclaimed Entrepreneurs for the Future (e4f) incubation centre - is now over 95 per cent let, with 17,684 sq ft of space let to Small to Medium sized Enterprises.

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[-Stiggy-]

Aha! Good spot Eco. Yes there definitely looks to be a seperate 3rd building there, I think it says 'Hotel' in neon on the side in this view just to cement the deal.



Good start to MIPIM after the awful Regal news. Nice to see the courts still creeping into shot above too.

[Erebus555]

That tall building is going to be the hotel, I figure. Interesting buildings, though. I'm looking forward to seeing what they propose.

[Ecological]

I wonder if we will see any further potential designs/ cgi's of Paradise Circus today when it's launched.

I hope so.

Icknield Loop "apparently" looked great but that's all i've heard on that matter.

[joshwebb]

Originally Posted by Ecological

There's definately 3 buildings Stiggy.

One that sit's besides McClaren with what seem's to be 3 floors of resturants/bar etc.

23 storeys

The 23 storey will be across the road from our current masshouses?

[Walsh]

love this, setting a higher quality standard

[ReissOmari]

Originally Posted by joshwebb

The 23 storey will be across the road from our current masshouses?

Yup, as will the other blocks too

These look quality compared to what's up already, and the Courts in the render look pretty funky too

[woodhousen]

good fine people..... there appears to be a little run of news recently...

[PSS1980]

Originally Posted by woodhousen

good fine people..... there appears to be a little run of news recently...

Certainly does...im still trying to absorb it all and im guessing more to come from MPIM !!

[woodhousen]

heye -stiggy-

as you seem to be a man on a mission, do you want to against start a new thread. The original masshouse thread hasnt been posted in since 2008 and so we might as well start a new thread, especially as ive got it from a few sources that this scheme is about to kick off soon

[KHvillan]

Very nice. Good work Mr Howells. One of the buildings looks similar to the scheme he did in St Peter's Square, Manc.

[Erebus555]

Is it a Glenn Howells? Be good to see more involvement from them in Eastside.

[Mercurius]

Based on the renders, it can only be good that there is movement in the area. Also build to a high quality this area can integrate back into the city centre proper and link it with Eastside. I look forward to finding out a bit more on this and what the full sketch is.

[-Stiggy-]

Originally Posted by woodhousen

heye -stiggy-

as you seem to be a man on a mission, do you want to against start a new thread. The original masshouse thread hasnt been posted in since 2008 and so we might as well start a new thread, especially as ive got it from a few sources that this scheme is about to kick off soon

Good idea Woody! A 'Masshouse Phase 2' topic for general news updates/rumours like today, then as individual projects go in for planning we can update it and create new topics for each building.

[sefton66]

This may be of interest to some on here..

TEDxBrum event offers ideas to shape city's future
by Brett Gibbons, Birmingham Mail Mar 7 2012

A CONFERENCE exploring new ideas and the future direction of Birmingham is being staged in the city.

TEDxBrum will be held at the Midlands Arts Centre in Edgbaston on March 24.

It is an independent spin-off of an annual conference held in Long Beach, California, which has hosted speakers such Bill Gates, Sir Richard Branson and Al Gore.

The theme for TEDxBrum is The Next Revolution – exploring how the city can flourish and sparking discussion about its future.

The event is organised by a group of volunteers from Birmingham who began collaborating via Twitter after seeing videos online from the US conference.

Organiser Anneka Deva said: “Birmingham has a reputation for great political, industrial and social thinkers throughout history.

“TEDxBrum is all about bringing brilliant people together with brilliant ideas and inspiring action.

Read More http://www.birminghammail.net/news/t...#ixzz1oSoOZ2J5

[SuttonBluenose]

Originally Posted by Ecological

I wonder if we will see any further potential designs/ cgi's of Paradise Circus today when it's launched.

I hope so.

Icknield Loop "apparently" looked great but that's all i've heard on that matter.

cough cough going ahead cough cough cough

[SuttonBluenose]

Originally Posted by ReissOmari

Yup, as will the other blocks too

These look quality compared to what's up already, and the Courts in the render look pretty funky too

I have a sample of that render somewhere... It's a really heavy duty vinyl coated recycled plastic. It'll be at ecobuild. It was last year anyway. If you're not going, then I reccommend to go! 20-22nd March Excel London.

[Ecological]

Briefly saw something about that but never looked into it.

Wish I had now.

[Ecological]

MIPIM: GENSLER ANNOUNCEMENT

Gensler announces new office in Birmingham on city's stand at MIPIM

WORLD'S LARGEST ARCHITECTURAL FIRM TO CREATE UP TO 50 JOBS
Gensler, the world's largest architectural firm, announced its intention to establish an office in Birmingham as the first step in a major UK expansion plan, on the city's stand at global real estate conference, MIPIM.

The firm confirmed that it is currently assessing the suitability of key locations in the city, and will make a significant investment that will create up to 50 jobs. The Birmingham office will be the firm's first office outside of its EMEA headquarters in the capital.

Mike Whitby, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said:

I am so pleased to have met with Ian Mulcahey, Managing Director of Gensler, here at MIPIM. We held exploratory talks in Birmingham earlier this year regarding a major investment in the city and now – on the Birmingham stand at MIPIM – we are talking about the finalisation of that deal."

Business Birmingham, the city's inward investment programme, has been working closely with Gensler since late last year to secure the investment. Marek Dobrowolski, investment manager at Business Birmingham, commented:

Bringing Gensler to Birmingham is a major success – the firm is a global player in the property sector and its designs are lauded as changing how people interact with their workplace. The decision to make Birmingham Gensler's first UK regional base speaks volumes about how the city is now viewed by the industry.

The scale of Birmingham's Big City Plan – its 20 year development vision – in addition to the potential of our City Centre Enterprise Zone, talent pool and proactive strategy to attract inward investment, can't be overlooked in attracting industry leaders like Gensler. These firms are looking for cities that not only think big, but will work closely with them to ensure both their current needs and future aspirations are met."

Senior executives visited Birmingham earlier this year to meet with Council officials and representatives from the city's business community to learn more about current market opportunities.

Ian Mulcahey, Managing Director, Gensler, said:

Birmingham has become a key part of our strategic growth plans. We hadn't considered Birmingham as a location before, but following our meetings we were impressed by the city's ambitions to create a globally competitive business environment – and the commitment of its public and private sectors to realising them. "When we visited earlier this year, Business Birmingham, the Council and representatives from across the city's business community were very welcoming and keen to show the real potential that exists in Birmingham for a world-leading architectural practice.

They highlighted the city's investment pipeline, its track record of iconic developments and the fact that Birmingham's public and private sectors pull together to support new businesses and investors. The scale of opportunity and the spirit of partnership that came across was enough to convince us that Birmingham was the place for our first UK regional office."

Ian Stringer, Regional Senior Director, GVA, commented:

The announcement that Gensler will locate its first regional office in Birmingham is a huge vote of confidence for the city's property market and will further boost its global business reputation. Gensler is a major player and its investment could have a significant halo effect for Birmingham."

Gensler is a global architecture, design, planning and consulting firm with more than 3,000 professionals in over 40 global locations across America, Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.