BCU City Centre Campus Phase 2| Curzon St - Cardigan Street| 6 fl | Prop

[tonkster]

Love this design and glad to see large scale buildings being proposed that are going to bulk out the area/give it more life.

[Erebus555]

This is interesting and good to see the uni pushing forward with their plans. I would like to see this building taller, though, as the density seems to be lacking in these new plans. I'm also a bit worried it'll form something of a barrier to the canal area behind it. Nothing about it really invites you to walk on beyond.

Also the point about this becoming an education-focussed area concerns me as well. There really needs to be a mixture of uses here and the uni is taking up some of the largest and best plots left in Eastside, with HS2 taking the other...

[Guilbert53]

Originally Posted by Erebus555

There really needs to be a mixture of uses here and the uni is taking up some of the largest and best plots left in Eastside, with HS2 taking the other...

I agree, the area around the HS2 station could become some of the most valuable and sought after land in the Midlands.

The building of offices and flats nearby would certainly be more use to the Midlands economy than putting university buildings there, which to be honest could go almost anywhere.

Missed opportunity.

[Guilbert53]

Originally Posted by ReissOmari

I thought Eastside was always going to be focused around education?

Very little of the original plan (2009) was education based, though Eastside had not lost the huge plot of
land to HS2 at that time.

Below is the original plan for Eastside that I took inside the Millenium Point building in the middle of 2009 (it was
this picture - and the one in Moor St station) that kicked off my idea to photograph the continuing development
of Eastside).

Here is the Eastside topic (link below) I created in December 2009 that contains some pictures that I have taken
of Eastside between 2009 and 2012:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1024483

Original Eastside plan (2009)

[djay]

The 2009 plan wasn't the first plan. Back in 2000 eastside was set to be a sustainable learning quarter for the city of birmingham

[Biosonic]

Originally Posted by Guilbert53

I agree, the area around the HS2 station could become some of the most valuable and sought after land in the Midlands.

The building of offices and flats nearby would certainly be more use to the Midlands economy than putting university buildings there, which to be honest could go almost anywhere.

Missed opportunity.

Not at all - this will drive up the value of the land around the station and between the station and city core making better and higher density buildings. What this also does is stop Eastside becoming a self-contained mini city centre around the HS2 station. It also stops it becoming a large bland business park by having a mix of uses and a mid-rise open area around the park.

Birmingham needs a substantial student population in the city centre to give it some vibrancy. My only fear is there isn't the infrastructure i.e. cheap shop units for cafes, music shops, clothes etc but hopefully Digbeth can provide this.

[woodhousen]

nice to see you about bio..... and you've made your come back with a delightful message also ;o)

[KW4SIA]

Originally Posted by Biosonic

Not at all - this will drive up the value of the land around the station and between the station and city core making better and higher density buildings. What this also does is stop Eastside becoming a self-contained mini city centre around the HS2 station. It also stops it becoming a large bland business park by having a mix of uses and a mid-rise open area around the park.

Birmingham needs a substantial student population in the city centre to give it some vibrancy. My only fear is there isn't the infrastructure i.e. cheap shop units for cafes, music shops, clothes etc but hopefully Digbeth can provide this.

Bio, it is always a delight reading your post; good to see you posting again.

[Biosonic]

Cheers guys

[Brum X]

Originally Posted by Biosonic

Cheers guys

Your a LEGEND

[NeilM]

Originally Posted by Brum X

Your* a LEGEND

*You're.

Sorry just had too.


I don't know about Bio being a Leg-end, but he is/has been a very valuable poster on these forums over the years.

[Guilbert53]

Originally Posted by Biosonic

Birmingham needs a substantial student population in the city centre to give it some vibrancy. My only fear is there isn't the infrastructure i.e. cheap shop units for cafes, music shops, clothes etc but hopefully Digbeth can provide this.

But that student population does not need to be near the HS2 station.

Canary Wharf in London probably generates more more for the UK economy that the rest of London put together.

I bet it does not have any cheap cafes, music shops etc nearby, you put them somewhere else.

The area round HS2 and Eastside could have become a mini "Canary Wharf" for the finance industry, generating money to help the Birmingham economy, with flats nearby for the people who work there. Siting it near the HS2 station could have been attractive to banks who are currently London based.

[BhamJim]

But Canary Wharf is not situated next to the HS2 station in London. Camden Town is.

Birmingham has a financial/legal district around Colmore Row. Eastside will help open up the city centre with a mix of uses (business/education/leisure/residential).

I think the park, university campus, as well as millenium point and future museums will not only make the area appealling but even more to my liking will help make Digbeth the bohemian, funky cultural quarter it is striving to be.

[sefton66]

Apparently plannings been submitted now for this

Uni to submit City Centre Campus plans

Last updated: 16th May 2012 at 08:31am

Birmingham City University is to submit a planning application to develop 258,000 sq ft (24,000 sq m) adjacent to the New City Park and Millennium Point in Eastside.

The move is part of its continued upgrade of its City Centre Campus – which represents an investment of £125m in total.

It builds on the university’s presence in Millennium Point and the creative hub being developed as part of the first phase, which will inject £62m regeneration into Eastside by September 2013, when the site opens.

Phase two, for which the planning application has been submitted, is expected to house a significant amount of student-facing activities, as well as the Faculties of Birmingham City Business School and Education, Law and Social Sciences.

Subject to planning, the development is expected to open in September 2015.

http://www.insidermedia.com/insider/...81-/index.html

[Spread]

Article from Business Desk suggesting the impact of Perry Barr eventually closing

BCU has big plans for Eastside

BIRMINGHAM City University is pressing ahead with plans to build a £125m campus in Eastside.

The scheme - which would see the university’s current City North site in Perry Barr replaced as its main campus by a new building on land near Millennium Point - is at the consultation phase with staff, students and the wider community being asked for their opinions.

Businesses in Perry Barr - in areas such retail and food and drink - are certain to be vocal in their views as a BCU switch to Eastside could have a large impact on their fortunes and the fortune of the area in general.

Plans for the second phase of Eastside will be submitted to Birmingham City Council on Monday.

[BhamJim]

One thing is for certain, without the BCU campus in Perry Barr, that area will become one unimaginable shithole.

[vanson]

Originally Posted by BhamJim

One thing is for certain, without the BCU campus in Perry Barr, that area will become one unimaginable shithole.

Agree awful place perry barr and thats from someone who has lived in aston and alum rock.

[djay]

i think the article is wrong, BCU have always had plans to keep the north campus, city campus and a south campus. also bcu have just invested in a sports centre at north campus last year so it is unlikely they will be leaving that site. They may be moving departments and rationalising the site to make money though but their plan has always been for 3 univesity sites.

[SimonTheSoundMan]

Now that VC David Tidmarsh has left, merging with Aston has been discussed by faculties and is the hot topic of conversation at the university.

When I was sat on the faculty for the university I was told that if they were to merge, many of the schools such as social sciences and humanities would more than likely move to Aston campus.

Architecture and parts of the computing and business schools are merging with the engineering school at Millennium Point, they might have already done this when it was rebranded the TEE, and media school is to move to Eastside next year.

If a merger was to happen, which many believe including myself think it will happen in the second part of this decade, only small parts of the business school and education will be left at Perry Barr.

Originally Posted by Spread

Article from Business Desk suggesting the impact of Perry Barr eventually closing

BCU has big plans for Eastside

BIRMINGHAM City University is pressing ahead with plans to build a £125m campus in Eastside.

The scheme - which would see the university’s current City North site in Perry Barr replaced as its main campus by a new building on land near Millennium Point - is at the consultation phase with staff, students and the wider community being asked for their opinions.

Businesses in Perry Barr - in areas such retail and food and drink - are certain to be vocal in their views as a BCU switch to Eastside could have a large impact on their fortunes and the fortune of the area in general.

Plans for the second phase of Eastside will be submitted to Birmingham City Council on Monday.

[SimonTheSoundMan]

Ok, didn't read that.

That would pretty much mean the end of City North campus at Perry Barr if that is true.

However, I'm not too sure how good the source is.

I really can't see 10,000+ student moving in to phase 2. It's only one building and a small one at that.

Phase two, for which the planning application has been submitted, is expected to house a significant amount of student-facing activities, as well as the Faculties of Birmingham City Business School and Education, Law and Social Sciences.