Police Station tower

[matt99]

Duplicate post.

[matt99]

Looks quite good. It makes sense to refurbish as much as possible, where possible, rather than making ambitious and, ultimately, unrealistic re-build plans. A lot of buildings would improve 100% from even small-scale refurbishment.

I sometimes wish the council had powers to insist on prominent buildings being kept to a certain aesthetic standard (or do they?). For instance, the 'Next' building in the city centre and some of the buildings further down the High Street are a mess simply because of dirt and a lack of TLC. It wouldn't take much to make them vaguely appealing, and you'd have also thought it would be in the owners' best interests to keep them to a reasonable standard. How hard would it be, for instance, to remove the stains and old C&A sign marks that make the Primark building look a shoddy mess?

The Council does, after all, continue to make ambitious city centre plans to improve its look and feel - and for the most part they do a very good job - but these small (and extremely easy to implement) improvements would make a big difference.

[AndrewC]

matt99 I completely agree but as you suggest, I think they may have these powers but they are not always listened to? Can anyone shed any light?

[dinp]

Councils have enforcement powers for untidy land, but I don't think this would apply to buildings that look a bit grubby, its more intended to get people to clear up sites that are in serious disarray and causing an environmental issue

[Superfly]

Kudos to Mr. Brightside...

Locked up forever: West Bar police station closes


Published on Monday 21 March 2011 10:44

IT was the end of an era for criminals and coppers alike - as Sheffield’s West Bar police station closed it doors for the last time after almost 50 years.

What was once Sheffield’s tallest and most modern building ended up a crumbling shell, and police chiefs locked it up for one final time ready for developers to demolish to make way for a new plush hotel and restaurant.

West Bar ‘nick’ opened in 1965 and became a landmark building - towering above all the others in the city centre.

It was the place where, in 1982, the European Cup was handed in after a man stole it from Aston Villa players who were celebrating their win in a pub in Tamworth. Bobbies on duty at the time held a football game in the West Bar backyard to compete for the trophy until it was reclaimed.

And it was the base for Sgt Howard Webb, below, before he went off on the football refeering sabbatical which last summer saw him preside over the World Cup final.

But over the years the ageing building gradually fell into a state of disrepair and, despite it being an authentic vintage cop shop, even the producers of the BBC’s Life On Mars police series found it too dilapidated to be considered as a filming location. It closed yesterday lunchtime - and now all enquiries will be handled at South Yorkshire Police’s HQ on Snig Hill.

Sheffield’s District Commander, Chief Superintendent Simon Torr, said: “West Bar was an iconic building - it was once the tallest building in Sheffield and everyone knew West Bar nick, so closing it for the last time really is the end of an era.

“It served us well over the years but towards the end it became too rundown for us to consider keeping it - they even turned it down as a filming location for Life On Mars.

“It is a sad day for the officers and staff who have worked there over the years - a lot of people have fond memories of the place.

He said the closure of the station and relocation to Snig Hill was part of the police force’s “long-term accommodation strategy” aimed at improving resources and facilities.

“Replacing the ageing West Bar building with improved facilities at HQ is a key part of this strategy and, apart from the change in location, it’s business as usual for the people of Sheffield,” he added.

Builders are due to move in as early as April next year, with a brief to transform the seven-storey 1960s tower into a 141-room hotel, a restaurant and an 80-space car park.

I hope this transformation is a bit more 'complete' than the Bristol/Park Inn refurb, on the outside at least...

[Bladerunner]

"As early as" April next year?

Why leave it standing derelict for a year?

[lewisskinner]

Originally Posted by Bladerunner

"As early as" April next year?

Why leave it standing derelict for a year?

Either by luck or design, the predictions are not far from reality! A fresh sign in Sheffield.

Also good news about Velocity Village (article reposted there).

Sheffield Hilton hotel will replace run-down West Bar nick

West Bar police station - to be replaced by 120 bedroom Hilton hotel


Published on Thursday 19 April 2012 09:45

FIFTY full-time and part-time jobs are set to be created when a budget hotel opens on the site of Sheffield’s former West Bar police station next year.
Meanwhile, a new investor has stepped in to take over a neighbouring apartments and office complex two years after its original development company collapsed.
The old police station will be reopened as a 142-bedroom ‘Hampton by Hilton’, according to Sanguine Hospitality, which will manage the ‘economy’ hotel on behalf of the international chain.
A spokesman for the company said: “Work on site is expected to start in the next eight weeks. It should take 12 months to develop so scheduled opening is next spring.”
Meanwhile, Moorfield Group has paid a ‘multi-million pound’ figure to take over Velocity Village. The site will be run by North Yorkshire-based Newby Management.
Developed between 2004 and 2010, Velocity Village is a large mixed-use commercial and residential development located on Tenter Street, which includes 364 apartments and commercial office and retail space. There are more than 550 parking spaces.
Marc Gilbard, chief executive of Moorfield, said: “We are delighted to have acquired Velocity Village at this point in the real estate cycle, and with the partnership we have with Newby and the new, dedicated management team, we will be able to provide it with a new lease of life and allow the development to realise its full potential as a truly outstanding place to live and work.”
West Bar ‘nick’ opened in 1965 and became a landmark building - towering above the others in the city centre.
But over the years the building fell into disrepair and, despite it being an authentic vintage cop shop, even the producers of the BBC’s Life On Mars police series found it too dilapidated to be a filming location. The station closed in March 2011.
A planning application to remodel the building was approved in December.

[Bladerunner]

Good news. Wonder if they will have a bar with cells as alcoves like the Kempinski in London

[snup]

Could this be the design for the new 'Hampton by Hilton' hotel on Tenter St? From the Sanguine Hospitality website http://www.sanguinehospitality.com/h...lton-sheffield

[snup]

and another one

[hella good]

hmm, well it would be an improvement, but not a vast one

[blades_lad]

What's the difference bar the horrid turquoise strips and a new red sign on the top?

[dinp]

It's a budget hotel, don't expect miracles. We have one in Corby and it's nothing out of the ordinary...



(zoomed in screendump from Google street view)

[Irish Blood English Heart]

They're building one in York too.

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/busi..._York/?ref=rss

[Bladerunner]

It's actually in a nicer location than the Hilton etc

[snup]

Refurbishment of the old West Bar police station into the new 'Hampton by Hilton' has started in earnest now. Plans may not be to everyone's liking but great to see it being sprused-up into something that will inject some 24-hour activity into the area.

[Bladerunner]

As in they are working on site? Cool. More signs of life.

[Bladerunner]

Originally Posted by blades_lad

What's the difference bar the horrid turquoise strips and a new red sign on the top?

I believe there is a new square turquoise thing jutting out of the white bottom of the building.

[Bladerunner]

There is work going on here at the moment. It looks like they are building a new lift shaft or renovating the existing one

[Mr Brightside]

How is the renovation progressing?