Scargill's Folly to be demolished ?? [Archive]

Rich

13-06-2005, 17:55

*Sigh*

Flats schmats! Is there ANYTHING these chuffing developers WON'T turn into flats?! Is there a few thousand homeless Yuppies in Sheffield or something?! Maybe West One and Royal Plaza need to lower their rents, then more of them would be able to live there instead of all these new fangled developments..

Longcol

13-06-2005, 18:47

Originally posted by Greybeard
Is there any monument to Thatcherism in Sheffield we could also demolish, - just to be even-handed about this ? :hihi:

Can anybody remember anything being built in Sheffield while Thatcher was PM? I thought she went out of her way to make sure as little money as possible came into Sheffield - and the rest of South Yorkshire.

jpow112

13-06-2005, 20:40

how about demolishing the horrible building that replaced the gaumont cinema by coles- that represents the cold heart of the eighties as far as I'm concerned- bring back the gaumont- last film I remember seeing there was the original star wars trilogy- back to back as a student- took in special brew and kebabs- real pantomime atmosphere- brilliant

John

unners

13-06-2005, 22:13

Am i right in thinking that the council put some money into this being built in the first place?

ADC_28

13-06-2005, 22:32

Originally posted by Greybeard
NUM HQ could be replaced by flats....er...apartments.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/4085128.stm

Is there any monument to Thatcherism in Sheffield we could also demolish, - just to be even-handed about this ? :hihi:

Well, didn't she move the then Manpower Services Comission (now the Department for Work(ing) Pensioners) to Sheffield and build that horrendous redbrick monstrosity called Moorfoot?

It's a shame that Fred Dibnah is no longer with us; I'd have loved to see him set fire to the bottom of that and watch it fall down...

'Yer liiike that?' honk honk.

Greybeard

13-06-2005, 22:49

Originally posted by unners
Am i right in thinking that the council put some money into this being built in the first place?

I think you may right there......the cost of renovating the old water works building perhaps ? There will certainly have been some sweetener to persuade the NUM to build their prestigious new HQ in Sheffield.

Given Nulabour's attitude to the trade unions you'd think the council would be able to get a 100% grant for knocking down the NUM HQ....the last symbol of the SRSY :D

Abdul

13-06-2005, 23:02

Originally posted by Greybeard
Is there any monument to Thatcherism in Sheffield we could also demolish, - just to be even-handed about this ?

Err... Meadowhall perhaps :suspect:

Longcol

13-06-2005, 23:19

Originally posted by ADC_28
Well, didn't she move the then Manpower Services Comission (now the Department for Work(ing) Pensioners) to Sheffield and build that horrendous redbrick monstrosity called Moorfoot?

I think that the initiative for moving the MSC to Sheffield came from the Callaghan period and the building started prior to Thatcher - although I think the first civil servants came late 79.

Kristian

13-06-2005, 23:40

Facing facts, that building is awful. I'm glad it's coming down even if it is for yet more flats...

nuf_said

13-06-2005, 23:43

Originally posted by Greybeard
There will certainly have been some sweetener to persuade the NUM to build their prestigious new HQ in Sheffield.

:D

I hear that the council gave away the freehold of the land to the NUM - although they wouldn't even sell any freeholds to anyone else. Some special treatment then - only to have their generosity with our wealth slapped in their / our faces when the NUM pulled out of town.

nick2

14-06-2005, 08:55

Originally posted by Kristian
Facing facts, that building is awful. I'm glad it's coming down even if it is for yet more flats...

Yes it is awful, but looking at the current level of architectural flair in the blocks of flats on West Street I'm not overly confident that it will be replaced by something better.

And what has everyone got against the Manpower building at the bottom of The Moor, I think it's great, it's like a sandcastle, much more interesting than Derwent House.

Ousetunes

14-06-2005, 09:06

Originally posted by Abdul
Err... Meadowhall perhaps :suspect:

Just what I was thinking, Abdul. Good old private enterprise. Meadowhall might not be in Sheffield city centre, but its location in the run down east end has led to much greater investment, both private and public, in the space between the city centre and the east end.

I for one wouldn't lament the knocking down of old Arthur's building. We could even have a statue of the popular fella in Barker's Pool.

I'd enjoy the chance of being the pigeon if that was the case.

Damon

14-06-2005, 10:03

Don't know if this is still the case, but there used to be a door on the side of the building that was about 10 feet up in the air with no visible means of accessing it. I believe this was due to some spat between the NUM and the council about who was supposed to pay for the steps leading up to it. I don't know if this was ever resolved as I haven't spent much time in Sheffield over recent years.

As a consequence though, the building didn't have a usable main entrance and so people came and went via a service entrance round the back.

skyfitsboy

14-06-2005, 12:18

The demolision of the former NUM is almost certain to be approved by the council as the area around Carver Street is part of the masterplan between Sheffield City Council and Sheffield One to regenerate the city centre.

Ask Developments (http://www.askdevelopments.com/projects/) in partnership with the ultra funky Urban Splash (http://www.urbansplash.co.uk ) are planning to build a £36m mixed scheme of new offices, retail and residential units.

For once the council looks like it's making a good choice with this development.

There is a few renders of the development below if anyone is interested:

Future view of Carver Street from Barkers Pool (http://www.askdevelopments.com/images/viewprojects/carverstreet2.jpg)

View of The Carver Street scheme from West Street (http://www.askdevelopments.com/images/viewprojects/carverstreet3.jpg)

Aerial sketch of the Carver Street Scheme (http://www.askdevelopments.com/images/viewprojects/carverstreet1.jpg)

nick2

14-06-2005, 12:24

Some nice pictures of the architectural details of the Leopold Street development and what it will look like on that site :

http://www.askdevelopments.com/images/viewprojects/leopoldsquare0.jpg
http://www.askdevelopments.com/images/viewprojects/leopoldsquare1.jpg
http://www.askdevelopments.com/images/viewprojects/leopoldsquare2.jpg
http://www.askdevelopments.com/images/viewprojects/leopoldsquare3.jpg
http://www.askdevelopments.com/images/viewprojects/leopoldsquare4.jpg
http://www.askdevelopments.com/images/viewprojects/leopoldsquare5.jpg
http://www.askdevelopments.com/images/viewprojects/leopoldsquare6.jpg
http://www.askdevelopments.com/images/viewprojects/leopoldsquare7.jpg
http://www.askdevelopments.com/images/viewprojects/leopoldsquare8.jpg
http://www.askdevelopments.com/images/viewprojects/leopoldsquare9.jpg
http://www.askdevelopments.com/images/viewprojects/leopoldsquare10.jpg
http://www.askdevelopments.com/images/viewprojects/leopoldsquare11.jpg

Macca

14-06-2005, 12:41

Originally posted by Damon
Don't know if this is still the case, but there used to be a door on the side of the building that was about 10 feet up in the air with no visible means of accessing it. I believe this was due to some spat between the NUM and the council about who was supposed to pay for the steps leading up to it. I don't know if this was ever resolved as I haven't spent much time in Sheffield over recent years.

As a consequence though, the building didn't have a usable main entrance and so people came and went via a service entrance round the back.

A similar thing happened when they built my current place of work, Moorfoot.

It was built over a public right of way, and so a solution had to be found to maintain that right.

A raised walkway was built, with a ramp leading up to it on the Moor side, the enterance to this is next to the statue of the Rose. The walkway passed through the building to the other side.....where it ends in mid air.

The council weren't willing to pay for a footbridge over Young street to the other side, so it was closed off a little while ago as no progress wll ever be made with it.

Recently, signs have gone up at the front and back of Moorfoot explaining that there is no public right of way through the building. It's quite amusing when the security guards stop someone.

skyfitsboy

14-06-2005, 12:47

The Leopold Square (http://www.leopoldsq.com) scheme is a really great development that's certain to add more of a buzz in the city centre, loads more pics on the official site.

The stroll through Barkers Pool and Leopold Square onto Fargate and into the Peace Gardens and the new Millennium Square (http://members.lycos.co.uk/rspreece/hpbimg/New%20Millenium%20Sq.jpg) will be stunning in the summer!

Macca

14-06-2005, 12:49

Originally posted by skyfitsboy
The stroll through Barkers Pool and Leopold Square onto Fargate and into the Peace Gardens and the new Millennium Square (http://members.lycos.co.uk/rspreece/hpbimg/New%20Millenium%20Sq.jpg) will be stunning in the summer!

HA! In what year exactly?!

;)

ADC_28

14-06-2005, 12:59

Originally posted by liencam
A raised walkway was built, with a ramp leading up to it on the Moor side, the enterance to this is next to the statue of the Rose. The walkway passed through the building to the other side.....where it ends in mid air.

The council weren't willing to pay for a footbridge over Young street to the other side, so it was closed off a little while ago as no progress wll ever be made with it.

I was labouring under (possibly wrong) impression that the walkway was doomed from the start because it was deemed a security risk. As Moorfoot was built during the 'Troubles' the powers that be were scared that some unhelpful chap would plant a bomb and so never allowed it to be opened.

Can anybody else shed some light on this?

skyfitsboy

14-06-2005, 13:00

Originally posted by liencam
HA! In what year exactly?!

;)

Leopold Square is due for completion next summer, Barkers Pool will be this autumn and Millennium Square is due to open in November along with the new hotel.

The Carver Street scheme if approved will probably be scheduled for completion in early 2008.
:thumbsup:

Macca

14-06-2005, 13:06

Originally posted by skyfitsboy
Leopold Square is due for completion next summer, Barkers Pool will be this autumn and Millennium Square is due to open in November along with the new hotel.

The Carver Street scheme if approved will probably be scheduled for completion in early 2008.
:thumbsup:

*makes note in diary*

Seriously, I hope it all gets completed and on time. It will be an asset to the city.

Next stop - Demolish the Moor.

Tim42

14-06-2005, 13:31

The Carver street box & the millenium square office block & office block style hotel look truly dreary & awful to me.
The Leopold square projects is exciting & lifts my spirit. I can see the development right now as I work opposite the road in another fine Edwardian building, Steel City House. It realy is interesting to see this project develop every day & cant wait for its completion. It along with the excellent winter gardens really add something to the city centre.

Yeah! The winter gardens. Loads of people like it & was an impresive & original landmark in the centre of Sheffield. So! I know lets put up some out of date tacky crap in front of it so we can all look, (& take photos?) , in preference to the gracefull glass & wood canopy of the Winter gardens. What a dissapointment.

I think that somtime in the 60's they, the council, wanted, in their infinite wisdom, to pull the Leopold street building down & replace it with a ''vibrant & exciting'' crap 1960's office block development but this madness, thankfully, never happened.

skyfitsboy

14-06-2005, 15:06

I quite like the design of the Carver Street plans which front onto West Street, like the multi-coloured glass. What are you betting another Starbucks opens under there!

The design opposite the City Hall isn't nothing special but it's the mixed use element that I like, it will be very good for the area, should help bring more life into Barkers Pool.

Agree that the St Pauls office block design is just awful, the Council needs shooting for approving this design, but to be fair to them they did consult with the public on this scheme, just not sure how much notice they actually took of the public feedback if any at all.

Heard so many people comment how similiar to the Eggbox it looks, it's criminal! The prime site deserve's so much better than this, such a stark contrast to the outstanding architecture of the Town Hall and the Winter Gardens.

Undecided about the hotel think people should wait until it is finished before saying whether they like it or not.

nick2

14-06-2005, 15:09

Originally posted by Tim42
I can see the development right now as I work opposite the road in another fine Edwardian building, Steel City House.

Steel City House is one of my favourite buildings in Sheffield, it's very understated and elegant, hard to achieve on such a strange shaped plot.

Tim42

15-06-2005, 07:23

Your right Nick. This building is huge & a very fine looking building. It seems to be, very oddly because of its size & architectural beauty, one of the citys best kept secrets. I have on numerous occasions tried to describe what this building looks like & where it is to people born n bred in Sheffield & they havent got a clue. How odd!

If any one does know of this seemingly obscure building any one remember using the post office that was also in Steel City House?

Greybeard

15-06-2005, 10:16

Originally posted by Tim42

If any one does know of this seemingly obscure building any one remember using the post office that was also in Steel City House?

Yes I remember the Post Office on the ground floor....quite a grand affair as I recall.

The building used to be called the 'Telephone Building' and housed the GPO Telephones offices [which accounts for the situation of the PO] until the move to Telephone House on Wellington St. Sheffield's first automatic telephone exchange was installed on the top floor.

My first sight of it would be in the late 40s when I had to visit the school dental service on Leopold St., - it looks as impressive now as it did then, and must have been quite an architectural innovation when it was newly built.