Visible from most parts of the city is the eyesore thats the dirty white tiled building of the Roxy/Odeon on Pond Street.

Not only is it a vile looking building,and mostly empty but it really forms a barrier between pond street/rail station and the rest of the city.

Surely it needs to be pulled down and replaced??

I was gonna be nasty and say Sheffield :D


Seriously, Man Power Services building as got to be in the running

Park Hill flats!!!!. They are the biggest eyesore in Europe, nevermind Sheffield :gag:

Park Hill is going nowhere, its listed.

There are vague plans for the Odeon/Roxy site, but no timescale to implement them.

Quintain Estates own that site, so it might help to contact them. They do have a wesbite but i'm not sure of the URL.

id say the wicker if ever a part of sheffield needed a revamp this is the one i dont call it the wicker anymore just refer to it as chicken road:)

Originally posted by SlimboyFat
Seriously, Man Power Services building as got to be in the running

Spot on mate... If you plan to demolish can you wait till I've left for the day :D

The Odeon/Roxy building wouldn't look so bad if it was cleaned up but the real eye sore there has got to be that really unattractive pathway that goes up the side of it. Delightful I think not, dirty, dark dossers, what a lovely welcome to Sheffield

The club that used to be bed on london road, horrible black building that just seems to do nothing now.

There was once a plan to build a big luxury city centre hotel where the Roxy is. I suspect that it is the same hotel that is now being built between the Winter Gardens and the Peace Gardens.

What's needed on the site if the Odeon and the Roxy is some public building that will be open most of the day and evening and provide a nice well lit and attractive way up the hill from the bus station. Something like a shopping centre and entertainment complex with escalators all the way up it. It would provide a nice under-cover link between the bus station and The Crucible. The Odeon cinemas are looking pretty drab and need to be replaced fairly soon. Maybe Odeon could be persuaded to develop it into something with cinemas, a bowling alley. a laser quest and lots of car parking.

Just out of interest; does anyone have any love for the chippy and cheap cafe and other shops that are on the raised level behind the Odeon car park and opposite the bus station?

When I was a student in Sheffield all those years ago.... I used to go to that chippy for my lunch with me mates!

Couldn't beat a small bottle of pop and a fishcake in a breadcake :)

defo the roxy or hillsborough staduim- get that pigsty shut down ;)

The two buildings next to the Railway station which are being demolished shortly,The Roxy and Odeon,The whole of the Moor,The building that houses Next on Fargate,The whole of Castlegate minus the Yorkshire Bank and KFC buildings,John Lewis though this might go in my life time,Kingdom nightclub,Novotel,That arts building on Parternoster row(concrete one),Hallam University building(Owen and Students union building) Grovener house hotel,The BT building,Park Hill,Most of the Buildings in fitzalan Square,All of the buildings minus Wetherspoons in Castle Square,The police headquarters,Magistrates Court,City plaza,Riverside apartments(Have a dated look already)Post Office sorting office on Ponds street,New office building just being completed at Riverside which is just a red brick box,The workstation Building is looking very grubby especially on the side facing the Leadmill. can not think of anymore at present!

Originally posted by unners
The two buildings next to the Railway station which are being demolished shortly,The Roxy and Odeon,The whole of the Moor,The building that houses Next on Fargate,The whole of Castlegate minus the Yorkshire Bank and KFC buildings,John Lewis though this might go in my life time,Kingdom nightclub,Novotel,That arts building on Parternoster row(concrete one),Hallam University building(Owen and Students union building) Grovener house hotel,The BT building,Park Hill,Most of the Buildings in fitzalan Square,All of the buildings minus Wetherspoons in Castle Square,The police headquarters,Magistrates Court,City plaza,Riverside apartments(Have a dated look already)Post Office sorting office on Ponds street,New office building just being completed at Riverside which is just a red brick box,The workstation Building is looking very grubby especially on the side facing the Leadmill. can not think of anymore at present!

Won't be much left Unners

The Incinerator. What an imposing sight for people arriving by road - welcome to sheffield, where we burn rubbish in the city centre.

Unners- i presume you like wide open spaces cos if they did that there wouldn't be much of sheffield left!!!

Yes demolish all that i have said then we can start with a clean sheet!

The Parkway industrial estate is pretty grotty - stacks of dumped tyres, needles and used condoms abound. Plus the fact that it's just a depressing looking estate at the best of times .............. I love coming to work me.

Originally posted by unners
Yes demolish all that i have said then we can start with a clean sheet!

And turn into milton keynes- no thank you!!!!

Originally posted by dinp
Park Hill is going nowhere, its listed.

There are vague plans for the Odeon/Roxy site, but no timescale to implement them.

Quintain Estates own that site, so it might help to contact them. They do have a wesbite but i'm not sure of the URL.

Google for it?

well unners the whole of the Grosvenor House Hotel block is going... this includes everything at the base, like The Casbah for example. Will be good to see this knocking shop go along with everything else below... although the Indian opposite debbos is quite nice. And guess what, every business that is still on lease and operating will be paid off by the council for loss of earnings, relocation costs etc! A hefty bill for the taxpayer... the price of our disposable, throw away culture.

Originally posted by ptigga


What's needed on the site if the Odeon and the Roxy is some public building that will be open most of the day and evening and provide a nice well lit and attractive way up the hill from the bus station. Something like a shopping centre and entertainment complex with escalators all the way up it. It would provide a nice under-cover link between the bus station and The Crucible. The Odeon cinemas are looking pretty drab and need to be replaced fairly soon. Maybe Odeon could be persuaded to develop it into something with cinemas, a bowling alley. a laser quest and lots of car parking.



Thats a really good idea, the same thing happened in newcastle. A big complex called the gate has been built, with odeon moving from their old, run down building into the gate.I reckon odeon would be up for it since a modern megaplex would really do well in the centre.

Going off at a slight tangent but does anyone know what the strange looking concrete building is at the junction of Charter Row and Hanover Way. Rumours range from secret military installation to telephone exchange. Any ideas.

It's an electricity substation. It's mentioned in the Pevsner architecture book on Sheff. I used to think it was an eyesore but it's a bit of a cult icon now I think.

Originally posted by Scottandandy
defo the roxy or hillsborough staduim- get that pigsty shut down ;)
you mean the dog track? or am i being blonde and u mean wed grounds?
cant believe roxys ever closed down, i used to go there as a kid, my parents met there! shame to make it ANOTHER hotel/ park hill flats are disgusting, maybe they should be done up, ur not gonna change the riff raff though

Originally posted by NatalieSheff
you mean the dog track? or am i being blonde and u mean wed grounds?
cant believe roxys ever closed down, i used to go there as a kid, my parents met there! shame to make it ANOTHER hotel/ park hill flats are disgusting, maybe they should be done up, ur not gonna change the riff raff though

your being blonde my dear ;)

flatten roxy's and odeon and finally put something nice in there!!!

Originally posted by Scottandandy
your being blonde my dear ;)

flatten roxy's and odeon and finally put something nice in there!!!
sheffield needs a superclub

Originally posted by Bilge
It's an electricity substation. It's mentioned in the Pevsner architecture book on Sheff. I used to think it was an eyesore but it's a bit of a cult icon now I think.

There is a plan to build (another) apartment block next to that building, on top of the old wirlpool spa shop.

The ugliest building in the centre of sheffield is the Novotel. It was ugly when they built it but it's completely knackered looking now.

Debenhams is not a nice building either (like most of the Moor), it looks dirty and run-down.

Originally posted by NatalieSheff
sheffield needs a superclub

What, Like Kingdom?

Originally posted by ptigga
What, Like Kingdom?

no - like crasher- something to rival that!!!

Nat- we have a superclub- its just the person who runs it is a prik!!!!!!

you mean republic? it used to be inthe good old days, i still love it to bits but something is lacking......
im sorry but kingdom is pooh, or were you being sarcastic? not with it today;)

I know whats wrong with it- simon is wrong with it!!!!!! he has been for the past 4 years since he got greedy!!!

rainy? hes always full of smiles with me:D
the best part of republic is francis i love that boy!!

Originally posted by NatalieSheff
rainy? hes always full of smiles with me:D
the best part of republic is francis i love that boy!!

he must like you then girl!!!!

Francis- he's livingdown south now- the state pay him to look after his sick mum- pity- he was always hilarious!!!!

god ive only been away from place for about a month! he was angel? is oates still part owner? i know bond floats about a bit.

Bond sold his shares a long time ago and won't play there ever again due to him starting up a rival nigh-t ahead, oatsy's still there and there is a new guy too, not sure who he is - havn't spoke to him. They have also brought in the venture capitalists to buy 10 other venue's around the country.

where his night? not that i listen to trance any more. always liked bond always was a nice chap

its at the adelphi - look on www.aheadmusic.co.uk - he runs it with andrew gallagher- the owner of fantasia.

that explains what one of crasher kids was blabbling on about to me the other week! what music is it? website looks cool

Originally posted by NatalieSheff
that explains what one of crasher kids was blabbling on about to me the other week! what music is it? website looks cool

started off a bit of everything with breaks and stuff but its mostly just graduated to driving uplifting trance now, a good night altho my ex runs the door so i don't bother anymore :D

a lady doorman? or am i being clueless again?

haahaa- she will die if i tell her that you thought she was a doorman!!! just the g/list lady!! :D

cant believe adelphi has guest list, never been but i imagine it to be scruffy cos it that end of town - near all those rude shops

its an eyesore (coming back to the original theme of this thread) but its quite a good club inside actually!!!!

TJ's is a heap.....

Purple

Choice number 1 = University Arts Tower ..YUK!

Choice number 2 = Centre for Popular Music .. double YUK!! [it/they look like four curling stones]

Originally posted by Scottandandy
its an eyesore (coming back to the original theme of this thread) but its quite a good club inside actually!!!!

I always thought the Adelphi was a nice old building, I'm glad someone is still using it or it would have ended-up like the Abbeydale Cinema.

A lot of the Moor could go, not much has been done to improve the looks since it was pedestrianised, although most of it is apparently owned by a german bank.

Just seen this story in the The Star about the Roxy redevelopment or not as the case may be. be.http://www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=918099

I think we can all agree that sheffield is a ****hole, agreed ?

Originally posted by eighty4
I think we can all agree that sheffield is a ****hole, agreed ?
notat all you moron- i prefer it to other cities such as leeds and london anyday of the week!!!

Originally posted by Scottandandy
notat all you moron- i prefer it to other cities such as leeds and london anyday of the week!!!

exactly, all cities/towns/villages etc throughout the entire world have their good and bad points. Lets all look on the brightside and find the beauty in everything. Be happy with what you've got!!!

think its gonna take a long time b4 we are a fancy pants city again. wicker end with the apartments will look nice eventually, you know near the riverside pub - just need to clean the river! devonshire is looking better, you dont see as many tramps and scruffs there

Originally posted by eighty4
I think we can all agree that sheffield is a ****hole, agreed ?

Errrrrrr......No.

Originally posted by Lee1979
Lets all look on the brightside and find the beauty in everything.

Have you seen Brightside?! :D

Nomme

Sheffields worst eyesores. Not even built yet. St Pauls place, MacDonalds hotel & the mess thats been constructed, nay thrown up outside the railway station. They all ming.

Originally posted by nomme
Have you seen Brightside?! :D

Nomme

My boss owns all that land (along brightside way). shall i tell him what to do with it?

The biggest eyesore in Sheffield is without doubt the whole area between the Wicker arches and Fitzalan Square.
The council should offer it to the RAF as a bombing range

I would say the whole of the town centre, and the rubbish that roles down the streets, also the chewing gum that people spit all over the floors.



Sheffields biggest eyesore is RUBBISH that roles down the street, this shows that the people of Sheffield are lazy and mucky and have no pride in there own city.

£100 fines for all litter louts plus a full days litter picking just to rub salt into the wound, litter would stop over night, and Sheffield would lose its main eyesore.

TRASH

when you see other cities around the world, for example in australia, you will realise that most english cities are dirty and unatractive places, the only city in oz i dont like is melbourne all the rest are better than any other english city ive visited, of course the people that made comment like err....no and called me a moron have probably never left england, so what would you know ? sheffield IS a ####hole !

Originally posted by eighty4
when you see other cities around the world, for example in australia, you will realise that most english cities are dirty and unatractive places, the only city in oz i dont like is melbourne all the rest are better than any other english city ive visited, of course the people that made comment like err....no and called me a moron have probably never left england, so what would you know ? sheffield IS a ####hole !

I partly agree. I have been abroad a lot and generally (though not always) the cities are cleaner, especially in the US, obviously there are dirty bits in every city but the entire centre of Sheffield is covered in rubbish and chewing gum, it just makes everything look dirty.

Ive been to Australia, and yes the comments are all true, the cities are generally sparkling and clean and fresh. I dont know what Aussies do with their chewing gum and beer cans but they dont chuck them on the street!!!! I think its all down to pride....if more people were PROUD of their city then it would obviously look better. On a business trip 5 years ago to Perth and Adelaide I was amazed at how proud the average Aussie was.....they just take keeping their environment clean and attractive very seriously indeed. even the kids were clean and not hooded mutants on drugs like Sheffield.

In Sheffield 99% of people dont seem to care how it looks, and so we have the rather dirty and squalid abused streets we have. And the standard of living is falling so much here if you are on Welfare, which seems to be most of Sheffield if you wonder around the city in the day and look at the people hanging around with nothing to do but spit gum on the streets and chuck beer cans outside McDonalds. In Adelaide they mentioned they had zero unemployment I remember....if that was true or not I dont know.

There is a massive difference between the cleanliness in North American cities and English. Of course there are still dirty places in NA cities but on the whole they are much much cleaner and well-kept.

Here's just one small, very small, example. When they cut the grass in public places here they do not collect the clippings. This leaves a layer of brown decay on all grassed areas, even parks! If you sit down you get a layer of grass all over yourself. In NA the clippings would be collected and as a result the entire cut area looks fresh and neat...never mind nice to sit on. I know the clippings will go degrade back into the soil and it's probably good for the grass but it's not clean or neat!

Just been reading in the Telegraph that a planning application has been submitted to illuminate the Electricty Sub Station at the bottom of the Moor. Im in two minds if this is a good thing or not.

Yeah! Only these city ''leaders'' could think up this one. Tell you what lets all get very p****d or stoned then go look at it at night & try very hard to pretend its something like York minster.

Sheffield city council celebrating & creating a very ugly city.

Rock on

i totally agree with tim42...the bulidings which haven't even been built yet that are going to swallow up the winter gardens. although alot of bulidings are scruffy i love places like Roxy's and the Adelphi and Bed (used to be a cinema back in the day), makes me feel like Sheffield has a lot of history rather than flat-pack brand spanking new city, which its turning into to....

how many hotels DO we need?!! do that many people visit sheffield?

also...Roxy's would be great if it reopens with brand new nights...or sister versions of existing/old nights. or alternatively turn it into sheffield's Aflex (spelling??!) Palace (Manchester)....building full of crazy boutiques and stalls of crazy wonderful things, coffee shops, record shops YAY

I reckon Roxy's should be reopened as a Poundland version of Spearmint Rhino! :D :D That'd get the crowds rolling... :hihi:

Originally posted by Briano
I reckon Roxy's should be reopened as a Poundland version of Spearmint Rhino! :D :D That'd get the crowds rolling... :hihi:

What, like The Dancing Dollar in Attercliffe?

Originally posted by ptigga
What, like The Dancing Dollar in Attercliffe?

Or Kingdom on a Wednesday? eh heh :gag:

Hehehe, I'd forgotten about the Dancing Dollar!! :gag:

Originally posted by Briano
Hehehe, I'd forgotten about the Dancing Dollar!! :gag:

Dog and Partridge was good, for a :gag:

Originally posted by _Ren
i totally agree with tim42...the bulidings which haven't even been built yet that are going to swallow up the winter gardens. although alot of bulidings are scruffy i love places like Roxy's and the Adelphi and Bed (used to be a cinema back in the day), makes me feel like Sheffield has a lot of history rather than flat-pack brand spanking new city, which its turning into to....

how many hotels DO we need?!! do that many people visit sheffield?

i think the reason sheffield is an eyesore is cos we dont have a flat pack brand new city look, most buildings are stuck in the past, along with people's opinion aswell it seems

Originally posted by eighty4
most buildings are stuck in the past

God, wanting a city of culture, how dare they?

Young whippersnappers should study the architecture of flats and learn what its all about.

Originally posted by eighty4
most buildings are stuck in the past

Like Rome, that place is a right dump.

ha, like those hideous coloured flats around Sheffield.. what an argument for flat-pack design!

Or that particularly fetching building with no windows opposite Waitrose, Eccy Road. What is that?

wow imagine egypt with no pyramids, new york with no statue of liberty, london with no big ben, i know these buliding may not be to everyones liking but don't we need something from the past at least? not just a city of clean new hotels and bars and thats it.

three cheers for castle markets!

That building with no windows opposite Waitrose, on the Ecclesall Road roundabout just has to be Sheffield's biggest eyesore.

An excess of ugly concrete.

It should be given the ball and chain treatment asap.

I don't know about illuminating it, that's an awful idea.

Couldn't they borrow Harry Potter's invisibility cloak to cover it up?

Err I don't think Harry Potter was quite that big... anyway, last I heard he lost it playing football! :D

Originally posted by dishwasher
That building with no windows opposite Waitrose, on the Ecclesall Road roundabout just has to be Sheffield's biggest eyesore.


It's a functional building, it does exactly what it is required to do, house the electricity sub-station, it is not designed for people so it needs no windows, it is not meant to be looked at so it is plain and undecorated. It might not be very pretty but it is a very good building.

Originally posted by nick2
It's a functional building, it does exactly what it is required to do, house the electricity sub-station, it is not designed for people so it needs no windows, it is not meant to be looked at so it is plain and undecorated. It might not be very pretty but it is a very good building.

hmm, doesnt make it any less of an eyesore though.

yeah put it somewhere else where i don't have to look at it every day!

Your invective all depends on your perspective!
Originally posted by iffypop
Young whippersnappers should study the architecture of flats and learn what its all about.
and in response...
Originally posted by nick2
Like Rome, that place is a right dump.

and again...
Originally posted by dishwasher
That building with no windows opposite Waitrose, on the Ecclesall Road roundabout just has to be Sheffield's biggest eyesore.

I don't know about illuminating it, that's an awful idea.
and in response...
Originally posted by _Ren
wow imagine egypt with no pyramids, new york with no statue of liberty, london with no big ben
That's the problem with public perception of architecture - opinions tempered with lack of education and appreciation.

Well guess what?

That ugly building with no windows opposite the bottom of Ecclesall Road is apparently a classic archetectural feature. See this weeks Sheffield Telegraph - it's to be floodlit on an evening so you appreciate its beauty 24 / 7 ! :loopy:

Originally posted by Tony
Your invective all depends on your perspective!

and in response...

I was trying to be sarcastic, Rome is realy lovely.

How could anyone appreciate that building?

Plain and simply, it's plug-ugly, whether it's a functional building or not.

The town hall is also functional and manages to be pleasing to the eye at the same time.

Anyway, I am willing to be 'educated' to see if you can persuade me to appreciate the building.

And yes, I do know the difference between Le Corbousier and Norman Foster.

Originally posted by dishwasher
How could anyone appreciate that building?

Plain and simply, it's plug-ugly, whether it's a functional building or not.

The town hall is also functional and manages to be pleasing to the eye at the same time.

Anyway, I am willing to be 'educated' to see if you can persuade me to appreciate the building.

And yes, I do know the difference between Le Corbousier and Norman Foster.

Forget Foster and Corbusier. What about Bauhaus (http://www.architectureweek.com/2000/0830/culture_1-1.html)? It's architecture of a pretty pure form, and a pretty good example of it too. Walter Gropius (http://www.greatbuildings.com/architects/Walter_Gropius.html) would have been proud!

Part of the problem is that it is only 1/2 there. It was originally meant to go around the corner where the Mercedes garage used to be. You can spot this is you look on that end.

Originally posted by nick2
Like Rome, that place is a right dump.

How thick can one man be ? Im not refering to buildings like the town/city/cutlers hall or any other buildings of that age in sheffield im refering to buildings like the roxys and odean buildings that arent really that old but look really old and tatty, its an uphill battle trying to get an intelligent responce out of some people, it must be all the inbreeding in this apparently "great city" you live in. And to refer to a city that isnt even from this country shows we have to look elsewhere to find a beautiful city, the sooner you agree that sheffield is a ****hole the better !

That mess of a building at the bottom of Eccy Rd is a brutal essay in ugly concrete

Yes sheffield fox i quite agree.
That club building on london rd looks the pits.
When tiffs had it in 70s it was painted white.
why do they have to paint over nice buildings.
how old is this building.

Originally posted by eighty4
How thick can one man be ? Im not refering to buildings like the town/city/cutlers hall or any other buildings of that age in sheffield im refering to buildings like the roxys and odean buildings that arent really that old but look really old and tatty, its an uphill battle trying to get an intelligent responce out of some people, it must be all the inbreeding in this apparently "great city" you live in. And to refer to a city that isnt even from this country shows we have to look elsewhere to find a beautiful city, the sooner you agree that sheffield is a ****hole the better !

LMAO.

Originally posted by eighty4
it must be all the inbreeding in this apparently "great city" you live in. And to refer to a city that isnt even from this country shows we have to look elsewhere to find a beautiful city, the sooner you agree that sheffield is a ****hole the better !

In my opinion, loutish insults of inbreeding and sweeping general statements as to the state of our city show a lack of intelligence.

Originally posted by jazz
In my opinion, loutish insults of inbreeding and sweeping general statements as to the state of our city show a lack of intelligence.

i bet half of them who slag off our fine city arnt from sheffield after all, you only have to look at sheffields heritage and find that a lot of our historic buildings are dissappearing probably due to people coming here from the outside and changing it in the first place,our history is facinating and we have a fine city,and its a lot greener and more semi rural suburbs than anywhere else in the country, if your not from round here and you dont like it...simple go home
aunty :rant:

Originally posted by screamingwitch
i bet half of them who slag off our fine city arnt from sheffield after all, you only have to look at sheffields heritage and find that a lot of our historic buildings are dissappearing probably due to people coming here from the outside and changing it in the first place,our history is facinating and we have a fine city,and its a lot greener and more semi rural suburbs than anywhere else in the country, if your not from round here and you dont like it...simple go home
aunty :rant:

Not from shefield ? i lived in norton till i was 10 then moved to dronfield then norton lees then stradbroke (****hole) then meersbrook then herringthorpe (rotheram) and for the past year ive been living in oz. Lived mostly in perth and sydney Fine city you say ? See the cities in oz then say sheffield is a fine city. No one gives a **** about sheffield if they did people from there would look after it and not throw rubbish and chewing gum on the floor, there's very little pride towards sheffield despite what you think, when i tell people over here im from sheffield most people have never heard of it and dont know where it is i have to say its near manchester for them to get an idea where it is cos they dont know anything about leeds either, its hardly a household name our "fine city" is it ? And if i say its where the full monty was filled they comment on what a ****hole it is

And personally i think its a bit pathetic, the mentality of some locals here who are all "don't come to my city and start changing it all". Theres a lot of things on offer from other cities around the country and the world, architecture and urban planning are two of them, and this city would be a fool to keep protecting buildings and areas which quite frankly nobody likes until they're in danger of being CHANGED, at which point everybody is suddenly a fan.

Originally posted by jazz
In my opinion, loutish insults of inbreeding and sweeping general statements as to the state of our city show a lack of intelligence.

How does it show a lack of intelligence ? Its shows my opinion, and my opinion is right, sheffield isnt what people make it out to be on here, its a nobody city, i once thought it was the best place in the world thought i could never settle anywhere else, then i opened my eyes ! The only reason i would ever go back to sheffield is to visit family thats it, no other reason

Originally posted by AndrewC
And personally i think its a bit pathetic, the mentality of some locals here who are all "don't come to my city and start changing it all". Theres a lot of things on offer from other cities around the country and the world, architecture and urban planning are two of them, and this city would be a fool to keep protecting buildings and areas which quite frankly nobody likes until they're in danger of being CHANGED, at which point everybody is suddenly a fan.

Couldnt agree with you more :-) Most sheffielders hate change thats the problem

when you go to cities that aren't the best themselves like newcastle for example (which itself is nothing compared to manchester) you realise sheffield has a long way to go, and its annoying when people believe that change means rebuilding the entire city and eliminating all of its history - its doesn't at all. There is such a thing as integration of old and new.

Originally posted by eighty4
Couldnt agree with you more :-) Most sheffielders hate change thats the problem

I support change for the better, not just for it's own sake.

that is definately true but at the beginning of the thread people were saying we should get rid of (i.e. demolish) buildings such as roxy's and bed. buildings which have a lot of history with some people. not against the new buildings as long as they don't completely replace older buildings and the history of the city.

which other buildings in sheffield would people hate to see go? any great memories associated with bulidings in sheffield?

come on give the old town a little pat on the back.

I agree Nick, i should point out i'm refering to the minority of protestors to new developments, and i myself am not a fan of some projects, such as the redevelopment of the castle amrkets site just beside park hill roundabout, high quality function but a disssapointing desing for an area which, as a gateway to the city, should be offering a bold statement of architecture in the city.

assuming the finest buildings like the town hall and city hall are taken as 'safe', other building i would hate to see go are the fountains precinct - this may seem odd, but i think for an office block in the middle of an historic area it stands there quite well.

Originally posted by Tim42
That mess of a building at the bottom of Eccy Rd is a brutal essay in ugly concrete

It's a sub-station and has won architectural awards!

I read in last Friday's Telegraph there is a move afoot to illuminate it during the night.

Nomme

perhaps some public art on the side of it would render it more appealing thine eye?

Originally posted by nomme
It's a sub-station and has won architectural awards!

I read in last Friday's Telegraph there is a move afoot to illuminate it during the night.

Nomme

Why shouldn't it win an award, it's a good building, not a "nice" building but a good building.
What would people rather have there to house an electricity sub-station a gothic cathedral, a pyramid, a Tudor mansion ?

For me it's the Grosvenor Hotel.

Originally posted by nick2
a pyramid

Now that sounds cool!!

Originally posted by eighty4
Not from shefield ? i lived in norton till i was 10 then moved to dronfield then norton lees then stradbroke (****hole) then meersbrook then herringthorpe (rotheram) and for the past year ive been living in oz. Lived mostly in perth and sydney Fine city you say ? See the cities in oz then say sheffield is a fine city. No one gives a **** about sheffield if they did people from there would look after it and not throw rubbish and chewing gum on the floor, there's very little pride towards sheffield despite what you think, when i tell people over here im from sheffield most people have never heard of it and dont know where it is i have to say its near manchester for them to get an idea where it is cos they dont know anything about leeds either, its hardly a household name our "fine city" is it ? And if i say its where the full monty was filled they comment on what a ****hole it is

so the aussies still use their fingers to eat with then?...figures..im going on about our history and if you insist its still a ****hole being as though you have been in oz for the past year in their beautiful cities keep hitting yourself over the head with the irony bar love,,,as you are STILL posting in the SHEFFIELD forum LOL,,,as for the film the full monty, sheffield was depicted as miserable and bleak..i didnt recognise sheffield in that film at all...plus the film was a load of crap...no wonder they see sheffield in a bad light thanx to that film..

I'd rather have something like this to hide the sub-station: http://www.viaggiaresempre.it/Sbilbao2.JPG

The biggest eyesores are many of the buildings on the Moor, the multi storey carparks built around, the Odeon, and a lot of Castle Market.

I love the market but the building it's in is horrible.

Either end of fargate (moor and castle markets) are pretty poor visually.

Thats^^ the ghery museum in Bilboa i think??

If it can make a dump as big as that city a tourist attraction then something like that would be more than welcome in sheffield!!

Originally posted by AndrewC
And personally i think its a bit pathetic, the mentality of some locals here who are all "don't come to my city and start changing it all". Theres a lot of things on offer from other cities around the country and the world, architecture and urban planning are two of them, and this city would be a fool to keep protecting buildings and areas which quite frankly nobody likes until they're in danger of being CHANGED, at which point everybody is suddenly a fan.

what do you mean? "suddenly a fan"?

Originally posted by AndrewC
Either end of fargate (moor and castle markets) are pretty poor visually.

Thats^^ the ghery museum in Bilboa i think??

If it can make a ****hole as big as that city a tourist attraction then something like that would be more than welcome in sheffield!!

Your right, its the new museum in Bilboa, cool isn't it, I like the shape, I hate building that are just square blocks.

There was something on tv the other day about that ' if you can make Bilbao attractive, you can make anywhere attractive..

Its the Guggenheim building and surrounding area, it's very very well designed and a great building.

what do you mean? "suddenly a fan"?


Two situations

-either a case of don't know what you've got til its gone - they don't realise the importance or value of a building until it comes under threat or its been replaced which is fair enough but there are others:

-they are against the change in principle rather than having any care in hte world for the building in question. This is a favourite tactic of the bad side of English Heritage, who would list a pile of dog excrement if it meant blocking a skyscraper, no matter how well designed, un-intrusive(?) or planned the project might be. These people make me sick. Instead of protecting crumbling ruins of churches in the countryside they concentrate their efforts (and government funding) into stopping perfectly well functioning and attractive commercial centres from developing.

but on the other hand...there have been many brilliant buildings that were critically slammed during their time and thought of as an eyesore. Looking back from our perspective they were wonderful buildings and were just unfashionable in their contemparory time.

How can we stop ourselves doing the same things?

yeah the grosvenor hotel is horrible thank god its not THAT noticable. also i've been to bilbao...i got stranded in the airport for 11 hours and i went outside and there was literally nothing! seemed a griiiim place but that building looks cool.

why is nobody commenting on nice buildings in sheffield?! (and the town hall has had its fair share of compliments)

i'm not saying sheffield is GRRR-EAT but hey this is our town...

Originally posted by AndrewC
Two situations

-either a case of don't know what you've got til its gone - they don't realise the importance or value of a building until it comes under threat or its been replaced which is fair enough but there are others:

-they are against the change in principle rather than having any care in hte world for the building in question. This is a favourite tactic of the bad side of English Heritage, who would list a pile of dog excrement if it meant blocking a skyscraper, no matter how well designed, un-intrusive(?) or planned the project might be. These people make me sick. Instead of protecting crumbling ruins of churches in the countryside they concentrate their efforts (and government funding) into stopping perfectly well functioning and attractive commercial centres from developing.

what like meadowhell has taken all the trade away from the town centre and white elephants like the supertram which killed a lot of local businesses on its route?..your points are valid in some respect but i am not "suddenly" a fan, i was born and bred here and remember the days when sheffield had a community spirit which is fastly dissapearing because no one will intergrate, i care about our history and heritage and things past, sheffield has a fascinating history,its like me coming to your house and slagging off the wallpaper you have...dont think all of us are suddenly fans of the city if a change is about to take place...change is welcomed for the better if you check the history and ex pats threads on this forum theres a big discussion of streets and buildings ready to dissapear from sheffield,some of which has sentimental value of old timers in sheffield and ex-pats alike
aunty witch xx

LBoogie, we can't - we can only stretch the limits of architecture and modern building, and hope that it stands the test of time. Otherwise we just build lots of simple red brick boxes and play it safe - sure thats nice, but wheres the danger? :D

Originally posted by screamingwitch
what like meadowhell has taken all the trade away from the town centre and white elephants like the supertram which killed a lot of local businesses on its route?..your points are valid in some respect but i am not "suddenly" a fan, i was born and bred here and remember the days when sheffield had a community spirit which is fastly dissapearing because no one will intergrate, i care about our history and heritage and things past, sheffield has a fascinating history,its like me coming to your house and slagging off the wallpaper you have...dont think all of us are suddenly fans of the city if a change is about to take place...change is welcomed for the better if you check the history and ex pats threads on this forum theres a big discussion of streets and buildings ready to dissapear from sheffield,some of which has sentimental value of old timers in sheffield and ex-pats alike
aunty witch xx


I think most of the people you have described fall into the first catergory if they fall into either at all.
Not sure what to add except that sometimes we hae to give up things of sentimental value for the greater good. I know some developers in this city and they try harder to maintain historic streetscapes/street layouts and keep a traditional feel than some people give them credit for.

Originally posted by _Ren
yeah the grosvenor hotel is horrible thank god its not THAT noticable. also i've been to bilbao...i got stranded in the airport for 11 hours and i went outside and there was literally nothing! seemed a griiiim place but that building looks cool.

why is nobody commenting on nice buildings in sheffield?! (and the town hall has had its fair share of compliments)

i'm not saying sheffield is GRRR-EAT but hey this is our town...

I went to Bilbao and really liked it, but we did only go to the Guggenheim lol.

and Sheffield has some brilliant buildings I think. In the town centre there's the town hall, central library, lyceum, the Cathedral the older buildings on Cambridge street, and on the high street and Fargate. You have to look to notice a lot of the best architectural points though..it's easy to miss them when just shopping.

Posters in this thread regularly bring up the subject of the pyramids. And the most famous pyramid is Kharfe's pyramid in egypt. I once did an experiment after spending an afternoon at heeley city festival about 5 years ago while staring across at the arts tower across town wondering how it's size would compare to the great pyramid.

I got the dimensions from one of my books and looked for something in the centre of town and the best fit I could see was furnival gate. So if one side of the pyramid was lined up with furnival gate, the body of it would cover the top half of the moor past the bandstand, and all the buildings from berlins to debenhams to superfi, etc and all the buildings in between.

This description of an ambitious world renound building would completely dwarf everything else. Maybe that's why sheffield will never be a world class city with forward thinking views. ?

by the way Screamingwitch I remember the town centre long before meadowhall, and it was full of dead, empy shopfronts, and derelict buildings. In my geography class in the early 80s we used to discuss the dereliction in the town centre

Uh huh.
sheffield does have a limited size to the city centre actually, while other cities can have higer density outside their inner ring roads, sheffield only has two/three values to extend into, as higher densities look out of place on hills.

Most big cities don't have pyramids though.......

Originally posted by LBoogie
Most big cities don't have pyramids though.......

I agree, but they are on every continent apart from Antarctica [as far as we know] and one would make a fantastic new venue for the Classic Rock Bar.

Something the size of the Luxor in Vegas would be ok, no need to go mad.

Originally posted by muddycoffee
by the way Screamingwitch I remember the town centre long before meadowhall, and it was full of dead, empy shopfronts, and derelict buildings. In my geography class in the early 80s we used to discuss the dereliction in the town centre

maybe so...it still didnt help(meadowhell)

what ever funding went to that should have been injected into the town centre,i note that we are still in debt with the student games and the supertram,if you look at streets where all the businesses have dissappeared, its breeding grounds for loiterers kids with nothing better to do,vandalism and the likes, take something out of a community and the place gets forgotton about and remote...makes it a no go area
aunty xedit;i think everywhere in the 80s was running down due to the state of the uk over all at that time

Originally posted by screamingwitch
so the aussies still use their fingers to eat with then?...figures..im going on about our history and if you insist its still a ****hole being as though you have been in oz for the past year in their beautiful cities keep hitting yourself over the head with the irony bar love,,,as you are STILL posting in the SHEFFIELD forum LOL,,,as for the film the full monty, sheffield was depicted as miserable and bleak..i didnt recognise sheffield in that film at all...plus the film was a load of crap...no wonder they see sheffield in a bad light thanx to that film..

The full monty was one of britains most succesful movies of all time, i joined this forum in december to see if i could find out if there were any new bars opened in the city because im coming home to see my family in march this year and we're planing a night out, so i dont think its ironic at all, ive looking mostly at the going out side of things a lot but ever so often look in the general. And if you looked at previous comments ive made i made i wasnt refering to buildings in the city that are old and have charecter im refering to building like the roxys that look grubby, and it has to be said sheffield has a lot of grubby places. The buildings that have charecter here in sydney are of the same age as buildings like the town hall simply cos there're victorian architechture, so nothing ironic there either. Like i said i think you should leave sheffield and see it for yourself, and another word od advice i think you should change the W in your name to B i think it would suit you better, sorry for those who dont know what im on about i mean screamingbitch is much better fitting than screamingwitch !

Originally posted by eighty4
The full monty was one of britains most succesful movies of all time, i joined this forum in december to see if i could find out if there were any new bars opened in the city because im coming home to see my family in march this year and we're planing a night out, so i dont think its ironic at all, ive looking mostly at the going out side of things a lot but ever so often look in the general. And if you looked at previous comments ive made i made i wasnt refering to buildings in the city that are old and have charecter im refering to building like the roxys that look grubby, and it has to be said sheffield has a lot of grubby places. The buildings that have charecter here in sydney are of the same age as buildings like the town hall simply cos there're victorian architechture, so nothing ironic there either. Like i said i think you should leave sheffield and see it for yourself, and another word od advice i think you should change the W in your name to B i think it would suit you better, sorry for those who dont know what im on about i mean screamingbitch is much better fitting than screamingwitch !

*yawn* screamingbitch? not that old chestnut again..theres no need to be so offensive (well not in this forum anyway theres others i could discuss this with you in if your going to start the insults)...looks like theres a slight TILTING there in your post...never mind..LOL

(for references on TILTING=google the word)
have a nice day
Aunty W{b}itch...hehehehehe

Going back to the topic, Sheffield does have some buildings and some area's that could be described as eyesores. Some of the more recent buildings in the city to me look terrible the Virgin gym at Heeley for example or the bus interchange. I don't think it matters whether a building is old or new it's more based on how it is maintained, and presentred, the Roxy forr example if gleaming white again wouldn't be too bad at all. A lot of modern buildings look drab because there has been no imagination going into their design and I'd like to be able to walk around and see some out of the norm architecture whether that be a pyramid or a sphere or just something to catch the eye, this is what Sheffield lacks. They had a slight success with the Winter Gardens and are now shooting themselves in the foot by dwarfing and hiding it with another rectangular bland featureless building.

The tallest building in sheffield is the arts tower which is only 250 feet tall (correrct me if im wrong) i think sheffield could look better if it had taller buildings in the city centre, to make it look and feel more like a city centre than a town centre

eighty4, i think you're right, and many future masterplans plan for higher buildings, (the arts tower is indeed 250ft, a couple of metres above the height of the hospital.).

The masterplan for sheffield wants a nucleas of tallest buildings (a city of sheffields size should aim for a 300-400ft tallest, i think the official 'skyscraper' height of 500ft is a bit too much) around the top of charter row where the BT tower is now, a replacement resi tower for grosvner house hotel will stand and above the the empire another residential tower, which at he time of its conception was going to be the tallest tower in yorkshire.

The main bulk of future high rise developments are likely to be in the area between charter row and west street, though at the moment there is some obsession with the 22 stories (around 220ft) height, like the two starting construction at the ecclesall road roundabout any day now.