Paradise circus

[El Paulo]

I know this is a (very!) old render but notice how the the whole area seems to open right up making it a really pedestrian friendly quarter. The roads are gone - Grt Charles St disappears round the back towards Sandpits before curling back to meet with Suffolk St.
Even though access to Centenary Square is still via that small bridge, it feels less of a gully, and it's more relaxed with all the traffic gone. I hope they get a move on with this soon cause it's one of the top three eyesores (IMO) in Brum that desperately needs to be dealt with.

Has anyone else noticed the building between the Rep and Baskerville? - but I'm sure this was well before the current talk of a Library there!

Paradise Circus

[Erebus555]

I saw that too. I thought they just wanted to fill some space to make the area look dense . But that sort of layout would be great and would rejuvenate the square too which is dull. Though it is inspiring I must admit and has proved very useful with the BBC big screen.

I hate the skyscrapers on that model. They share an uncanny resemblance to the Orion building but with an elliptical footprint.

[morestoreysplease]

Well, for the time being can't it be broken up into pieces - like replacing the kettle building and waste ground pretty soon? Or have they got to redesign the roads first? The road layout looks like you'll have to drive up Gt Charles St and down to almost Summerrow before turning back left to get down to Snobs and Orion etc.

Just to put this in to perspective, Arena Central is 1.6 acres bigger then this site and will have less office space then Paradise Circus. Cant see 120m being the tallest here. Im guessing closer to the 2??

Paradise Forum close to first stage completion Dec 21 2006


By Steve Pain, Deputy Business Editor


The first stage of the £2 million transformation of Birmingham's Paradise Forum shopping centre is near to completion.

Owned by developers Argent, the centre, between Victoria and Centenary Squares, will eventually become a multi-million pound mixed use development.

But in the short term Argent intends to significantly upgrade the walkway to cater for the estimated 11.8 million people who pass through it every year.

The south side of the thoroughfare has already been demolished and reconfigured to accommodate a series of new retail units which will be in a similar style to the McDonalds new store which kickstarted the project.

The next stage, which begins in the New Year, will see a similar programme on the north side of the walkway, currently occupied by Baguette Du Monde, Weatherspoons and the independently-owned New York Deli. The building will also be given a completely new lighting system and improved flooring.




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James Heather, Argent project manager, said: "The location of the scheme offers unprecedented opportunities for retailers in the city.


"There are few locations in Birmingham that can offer the footfall of Paradise Forum and yet the occupancy costs will be a fraction of equivalent sites in the city centre. We are already enjoying extremely positive dialogue with a selection of high quality retailers including coffee bar, food and convenience store operators but nothing has been signed and the door is still open to businesses who want to take advantage of this opportunity."


The high number of people using the centre is the result of it acting as a vital link between the traditional city core and Brindleyplace and the ICC and is set to further benefit from the launch of nearby Baskerville House in the New Year and the proposed Arena Central development off Broad Street.


Argent says that the footfall is particularly high over the Christmas period as the number of people using the walkway increases by more than a third to an average of 1.3 million during December.


It is similar to that of a busy train station, a prime example being Piccadilly Station in Manchester which has become a popular destination for high street retailers following a multi-million pound upgrade.


Mr Heather added: "One of the major benefits for Manchester when it won the Commonwealth Games was that Piccadilly Station was completely transformed by a massive refurbishment.


"Where it was once grey and foreboding, now it is light and modern and has successfully attracted retailers such as the Orange Shop and HMV and we believe there are very relevant comparisons with Paradise Forum.


"While we wait to discover the long term future of the Central Library, this refurbishment will significantly enhance Paradise Forum and create a much improved retail and convenience location in the short term. In the long term, occupiers will be right at the heart of one of the most exciting developments in the city."


Argent, which acquired Paradise Forum and Chamberlain House in late 2004, has worked with University of Central England, the Prudential and Birmingham City Council on a masterplanning study that produced a scheme for the six acre site.


It will include 2.12 million sq ft of Grade A offices, retail, food and beverage uses, as well as residential apartments, a hotel and car park.

[Erebus555]

I think Arena Central will have a few plazas and public squares though. This one already has Chamberlain Square so doesn't need any more open space. But I still can imagine a large tower here and you could be right with 200 metre mark but then again it could just be one big block.

Lets jsut wait and see.

[Telfordboy]

I'm undecided as to whether there should be a tower here. It would look pretty cool if Arena Central is built and a 200m is here, but it would be v difficult to design a tower that big without a negative influence on the tc ch etc.

[morestoreysplease]

I think you're being a bit far fetched Erebus! There's no way they're going to build a skyscraper so close to the Town Hall and Council House - I would like to see a Brindley Place style of 10 - 15 storey classic / modern / stone / glass buildings here. Maybe something taller and sleeker on the kettle building site.

[SimonTheSoundMan]

Originally Posted by Erebus555

If you mean Adrian Boult Hall, that will be moved. UCE Conservatoire are looking at the site once intended for the new library in the Eastside and it seems talks are coming along nicely!

Speaking to some high up people at UCE, they are thinking of a timescale of 10-15 years left at the current site. ~15-20 years till they move to Eastside.

[El Paulo]

Originally Posted by morestoreysplease

I would like to see a Brindley Place style of 10 - 15 storey classic / modern / stone / glass buildings here. Maybe something taller and sleeker on the kettle building site.

I agree with this vision of yours MSP. They certainly need to think extremely hard about this - probably harder than any other site in Brum - because it's the civic heart of the city and it could create yet another vista of Birmingham that could be projected around the world.

To be honest, it doesnt really matter if a 30m building or a 300m building is built here. We're trying to put so much asthetic pressure on the council house and co because thats the norm with most cities around the world and thier most respected architecture.

People only have a view of the area from street level so building tall is'nt going to affect it. To restrict development in what is the cities most promising space would be silly.

[Telfordboy]

If there was a really stunning tower here like LBT it might look pretty good. Contrasting styles can be real impressive IMO.

[Braidy]

Originally Posted by SimonTheSoundMan

Speaking to some high up people at UCE, they are thinking of a timescale of 10-15 years left at the current site. ~15-20 years till they move to Eastside.

Sorry to bump this up but as a newbie going back on some old threads I'm pretty dismayed to think that Paradise Circus in its present condition will be with us for the next 10-15 years.

I actually like the library - if we mean the inverted triangle building rather than the bit that holds the books - with a reclad I think it could be an interesting nod to our architectural past - but the surrounding buildings that mask it are either horrible or just dull. The walkway that leeds to Summer Row and the subways on the other side are disgusting and need to go.

Can anyone give me any hope that we might see some improvement here before I'm retired?!

[Bachy Soletanche]

Depends on how old you are Braidy (old lady from Viz?)

Personally I'm not expecting anything on this one for at least 5, probably 10 years to be honest...

[SimonTheSoundMan]

Rumours are that a 1 million square foot office block wants to be built on the site. That's a lot of floor space.

Trying to get something from UCE about the site, they are now denying they are moving.

A few years ago there were rumours that TWIN 1,000 footers were planned then we all know what happened

2000-11-14


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Reported by Jonathan Smith

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News: Birmingham tower could top 1000 feet
Birmingham: On Sunday, November 12th, Birmingham City Council revealed it's intentions to create a mid-Manhattan in the Broad Street/Paradise Circus area of the city.

The 50-storey City Tower, 44-storey Holloway Circus Tower and twin 30-storey New Paradise Centre are already proposed for the area, but plans are now afoot for a cluster of towering office/residential buildings that could reach 60-storeys/1000 ft. in height!

Jones Lang LaSalle is currently undertaking a feasibility study on the proposals, which could ignite a race to construct the UK's tallest building.

At present, the 774 ft. One Canada Square in London holds the title, but Birmingham's 805 ft. City Tower promises to top that when it is completed in around 2003-4. London already has plans for a 1200 ft. tower at London Bridge, as well as the 1000 ft. Skyhouse, so Birmingham will have to produce something pretty special to clinch the title.

[Myster E]

Damn, that sounds too good to be true, and how much of that has actually happened, today One Canada Sqaure remains the tallest building in Britain asnd HCT dwarfed by Manchester Hilton. Irony.

[FLD]

Isn't £2 million about to be spent tidying up Paradise Forum? If so, the demolition of the Library will be dragged out even longer.

This isn't the right place for huge towers, they would make the Town Hall, Museum & Art Gallery & the Council House look silly.

[Braidy]

Is it the council spending the money doing up Paradise Circus or a developer?

And does anyone know how far reaching those plans are? Do they, for example, aim to improve the walk way to the subway and Summer Row?

Guess it's 10 years before we have any change on this site. If it was developed though along with the Big Top and all the other proposed developments I'd be running out of pet hate B'ham landmarks.

Then what would I moan about?

Originally Posted by FLD

Isn't £2 million about to be spent tidying up Paradise Forum? If so, the demolition of the Library will be dragged out even longer.

This isn't the right place for huge towers, they would make the Town Hall, Museum & Art Gallery & the Council House look silly.

Arrghh so frsutrating.

1. You dont see them on the skyline
2. They are best looked at from street level (towers would not affect this)
3. You cant prevent massive development in the city center because of a few not lying average oldie worldy buildings.
4. If towers arent built we will be left with A. No public space B. No throughway. C. A 15 storey block of wall to wall buildings which will do nothing for the city.
5. Towers would enable a linkup between victoria sqaure and centenary square.
6. It needs to be a landmark scheme. Almost impossible to exceed if you implement height restrictions.
7. Arena Central will cast just as much of a shadow as the sun rotates around the city.
8. I can see why you're not a planner.

[U475 Foxtrot]

Originally Posted by FLD

Isn't £2 million about to be spent tidying up Paradise Forum? If so, the demolition of the Library will be dragged out even longer.

This isn't the right place for huge towers, they would make the Town Hall, Museum & Art Gallery & the Council House look silly.

I wouldn't suggest Towers directly next to the historic buildings but you could put them on the periphery of the site. I think towers look best when they are looming overhead in the background.

I mocked this up last week to see if the central library building would have to go and only then looked at the old Terry Farrel and Argent masterplans.