Developments at Dundee Waterfront

[Rich B]

Originally Posted by Urban Life

Thanks for the link (and the reminder!) Rich B. Is the extension now under construction? You're right, it does look pretty imposing. It will add more presence going past in the car.

Also thank you for your excellent photo update the other day! Great to see your photos documenting the changes in the city. Keep up the good work!

Cheers Urban Life

[s.findlay]

Major renovation of the DC Thomson buildings at 22 Meadowside. These are to include adding vista rooms to both buildings (1906 and 1959 buildings) and complete external and internal redevelopment.

http://idoxwam.dundeecity.gov.uk/WAM...r=12/00349/LBC

[Rich B]

Originally Posted by s.findlay

Major renovation of the DC Thomson buildings at 22 Meadowside. These are to include adding vista rooms to both buildings (1906 and 1959 buildings) and complete external and internal redevelopment.

http://idoxwam.dundeecity.gov.uk/WAM...r=12/00349/LBC

major renovation indeed

[s.findlay]

Great presentation from the lead designer of the V&A


http://www.creativedundee.com/2012/06/mauriziomucciola/

[dufc1909]

Thank you S. Findlay, for the Maurizio Mucciola article, I feel a lot more enlightened about the project now . . .

[R.K.Teck]

Anybody going to the Torch celebrations tonight? I think the torch comes in over the Tay (and past the waterfront developments(on topic now :P )) before ending up at the Caird Hall and later Baxter Park. I saw it in Meigle today, fantastic, population of the place must have quadrupled to see the flame!

[Jaydot]

Olympic torch route, day 25: Dundee feels dandy amid its makeover beano Neil Forsyth says the Olympic torch will find an ambitious Dundee changing fast, both physically and psychologically

When the torchbearer carries the Olympic flame across the Tay Road Bridge, from Fife into Dundee, they'll enjoy one of the most scenic city outlooks in Britain. Dundee spreads across hills on the northern bank of the river which runs west to Perth and, to the east, opens into a vast estuary before the North Sea.

The torch will be carried through the city centre, past our triumphant Desperate Dan statue, then up to Baxter Park for evening celebrations. If they'd wanted to make the route more interesting, they could have headed to the city's eastern fringe, to Broughty Ferry, and sent them up Whinny Brae, our Kilimanjaro and surely the only working road in Britain closed to motorists after its steepness moved from a source of local wonder to official concern.

The torchbearer's route over the bridge is welcome because Dundee's riverside setting is often missed by the wider world. The Tay can flick from grey and turgid to smooth plates of blue, breached at low tide by sand flats bearing resting seals. Dolphins and, memorably, a whale whose skeleton hangs despondently in a local museum have been spotted.

Yet those travelling through Dundee can see nothing of this, kept instead to a grim sequence of dual carriageway and roundabouts that skirt the city's north-western corner. Even those who make it into Dundee are unlikely to see the waterfront – a natural bonus the city has bungled. Currently it hosts a swimming centre, the blank high-rise of Tayside House, and a chain hotel that most closely resembles a low-security prison.

All this is to go, however, marked for demolition in an impressive £1bn, 30-year project to reconnect the city to its squandered waterfront. Work is under way, and the new parkland-dominated area will be crowned by the only permanent Victoria & Albert museum outside London, housed in a beautiful design by the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. Physically, it's the largest transformation since they tore down the city walls – and, speaking as a 34-year-old Dundonian, it reflects a steady change in the city's mood.

Dundee has a newly confident artistic movement. There's the much-admired Dundee Rep Theatre, the ambitious Dundee Centre of Arts and The Space, a multipurpose venue that's home to the Scottish School of Contemporary Dance. Fledgling art collectives are dotted throughout the city, there's a busy music scene and an abundance of street poetry.

The city also accounts for 10% of the UK's digital-entertainment industry (Grand Theft Auto has its creative origins in Dundee), while DC Thomson continues to publish titles including the Beano and Dandy (see the aforementioned Desperate Dan statue).

Dundee may have a falling population, hovering above 140,000 from a 1972 high of 181,000, but the waterfront plans offer reinvention for a city often overlooked. Which it shouldn't be. It's a vibrant, surprising place characterised by a studied, surreal humour (the Desperate Dan statue?). As the wrecking ball swings, Dundee will soon have the surroundings it deserves.



Good article but a couple of comments, the population of Dundee according to the latest figures is on the rise. The drop from 181K to 140K, was this not mainly caused by the redrawing of the boundary, taking out places like Monifieth, Liff, Birkhill/muirhead, Invergowrie, Longforgan etc...

[Rich B]

Monifieth has a population of 12,000 alone. This emphasis on a fall in the city's population is just bizarre. Without the change in the city's boundaries Dundee would have a population of about 170,000 I would guess.

[djmacdonald73]

Interesting article in the Courier today about the possibility of reopening Camperdown House as a venue for weddings, restaurant etc. Would be good to see it put to some regular use again, it`s quite an impressive building.



Edit : re the population thing, I`ve often wondered if the city boundaries will ever be redrawn again. Here`s hoping.

[Rich B]

Wallace Craigie Works,

Article about a new £18m planning application by the Voigt Partnership in today's Courier. Application still not available to view but can be seen on Architect's website http://www.voigtpartnership.co.uk/pr...-works-dundee/

This development really is HUGE

http://www.urbanrealm.com/news/3577/...submitted.html

[Townie Tam]

.
Trespass, as mentioned by someone a wee while ago, is closing down (up to 60% off all stock at the moment).

An application is in for change of use, to a coffee house.

Application 12/00327/FULL

Details at:-

http://bwarrant.dundeecity.gov.uk/pu...=M4KMSBGC08200

[djmacdonald73]

Does that mean the Burgh coffee house will be moving from Castle Street? Am I the only one who`s amazed at the number of coffee shops opening recently?


Walked past the new Antalia restaurant at the weekend (bottom of Crichton street), looks just about ready to open.

[tongue_tied_danny]

Originally Posted by djmacdonald73

Does that mean the Burgh coffee house will be moving from Castle Street? Am I the only one who`s amazed at the number of coffee shops opening recently?


Walked past the new Antalia restaurant at the weekend (bottom of Crichton street), looks just about ready to open.

I'm amazed too, but they all seem to be busy.

[djmacdonald73]

Leading Scottish businesses are being encouraged to invest in the £1bn redevelopment of Dundee's waterfront.

The 30-year regeneration project is the second biggest of its kind in Scotland.

It aims to reconnect the waterfront with the city. The new £45m V&A Museum will form the centrepiece of the scheme.

The first in a series of roadshows aimed at raising awareness of investment opportunities takes place in Edinburgh and Glasgow later.

In April plans for a new railway station, hotel and office development were submitted to council planners as part of the latest phase of the waterfront project.

Those behind the transformation project have said it could lead to the creation of about 9,000 new jobs.

They are hoping to attract investment in the five key strategic development sites each targeted at a different business sector.

The roadshows are being held at a business breakfast in Edinburgh, hosted by the Royal Institute of Architects in Scotland, and a lunchtime briefing in Glasgow hosted by commercial law firm, Brodies.

The events are designed for investors, developers, entrepreneurs, financiers and professional advisers, such as commercial property agents, lawyers and accountants.

Dundee's new V&A museum is due to open in 2015
Mike Galloway, director of city development, who is leading the roadshows, said: "We have already secured more than £300m of investment, and are well ahead of schedule with our plans to transform the city.

"Looking ahead to the projected increase in investment, job creation and visitor numbers, it is clear Dundee is going to generate hundreds of millions of pounds of additional revenue.

"Dundee is well and truly open for business, and we hope these roadshows will encourage business owners to invest in the city."

Similar roadshow events will be held in London and other key cities later in the year.

[R.K.Teck]

What's the biggest, Leith or Glasgow Harbour?

The 30-year regeneration project is the second biggest of its kind in Scotland.

It aims to reconnect the waterfront with the city. The new £45m V&A Museum will form the centrepiece of the scheme.

The first in a series of roadshows aimed at raising awareness of investment opportunities takes place in Edinburgh and Glasgow later.

In April plans for a new railway station, hotel and office development were submitted to council planners as part of the latest phase of the waterfront project.

Those behind the transformation project have said it could lead to the creation of about 9,000 new jobs.

They are hoping to attract investment in the five key strategic development sites each targeted at a different business sector.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...ntral-18494405

[Ultima]

Originally Posted by R.K.Teck

What's the biggest, Leith or Glasgow Harbour?

The wider clyde development including GH.

[Rich B]

The clyde waterfront project maybe bigger, it goes all the way to Dumbarton or somewhere but isn't one succinct project, but more a general development of Glasgow including hospitals, social housing etc with a couple of foster's 'blobs' thrown in for good measure. In terms of the tangible difference which each project offers in terms of change of perception and the creation of a 'waterfront city' Dundee's development will prove to be far more beneficial in my opinion. Dundee's waterfront project must surely be the biggest re-engineering of a Scottish city centre since Edinburgh built its new town. Leith's waterfront plans have bitten the dust with renewable energy companies being set up instead.

[R.K.Teck]

Glasgow's stuff on the Clyde will be just as beneficial as Dundee's, it focusses on two areas much in need of huge investment, Dundee as a whole finally got the investment it needed and so did the sites of old ship building yards and docks along the Clyde.

[Ultima]

Originally Posted by Rich B

The clyde waterfront project maybe bigger, it goes all the way to Dumbarton or somewhere but isn't one succinct project, but more a general development of Glasgow including hospitals, social housing etc with a couple of foster's 'blobs' thrown in for good measure. In terms of the tangible difference which each project offers in terms of change of perception and the creation of a 'waterfront city' Dundee's development will prove to be far more beneficial in my opinion. Dundee's waterfront project must surely be the biggest re-engineering of a Scottish city centre since Edinburgh built its new town. Leith's waterfront plans have bitten the dust with renewable energy companies being set up instead.

I would disagree.

Dundee's transformation actually looks like small in scale although I appreciate its transforming the area. Glasgow's regeneration is staggering in terms of scale. Entire inner city districts have been transformed and if it weren't for the remaining towerblocks, would be virtually unrecognisable. What used to be a land of ugly high rises, barron land and abandoned/under used industrial sites, is now quality communities. In some ways, it's still in the very early stages, with projects like Lauriston just beginning to take off and key developments like Tradeston still waiting in the future. Not to mention the complete redevelopment of the subway system. Glasgow's change is amazing.

[Rich B]

Originally Posted by Ultima

I would disagree.

Dundee's transformation actually looks like small in scale although I appreciate its transforming the area. Glasgow's regeneration is staggering in terms of scale. Entire inner city districts have been transformed and if it weren't for the remaining towerblocks, would be virtually unrecognisable. What used to be a land of ugly high rises, barron land and abandoned/under used industrial sites, is now quality communities. In some ways, it's still in the very early stages, with projects like Lauriston just beginning to take off and key developments like Tradeston still waiting in the future. Not to mention the complete redevelopment of the subway system. Glasgow's change is amazing.

I am not disagreeing that Glasgow is being transformed in large areas, but these changes wont really alter the overall perception of the city in the way Dundee's Waterfront project will to Dundee. Glasgow has a much larger critical mass of a city centre so these changes wont affect the heart of the city. Dundee has one of Europe's finest geographical settings and is completely cut off from it hence its project will truly transform the entire city whilst the clyde in Glasgow has always been more accessible.