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Centenary Square development 2017-18

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First photo in #22 from Ellbrown shows a "glittering building" behind the civic building which is the Holiday Inn by Express. Stayed there for 3 nights this week and photo below shows the view from our bedroom window on the 10th floor, looking towards the Library. Workmen were digging a very large hole right below us. Not sure what that will be for? Dave.
P1030009.JPG
 
farmerdave said:
First photo in #22 from Ellbrown shows a "glittering building" behind the civic building which is the Holiday Inn by Express. Stayed there for 3 nights this week and photo below shows the view from our bedroom window on the 10th floor, looking towards the Library. Workmen were digging a very large hole right below us. Not sure what that will be for? Dave.
View attachment 120951
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Think that's for 3 Arena Central.
 
dread to ask really ell but what is 3 arena central???...thanks for the photo dave ... with a view like that i hope you got a discount on your room:D

lyn
 
Astoness said:
dread to ask really ell but what is 3 arena central???...thanks for the photo dave ... with a view like that i hope you got a discount on your room:D

lyn
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It was certainly not the best view that we have experienced from a hotel. However, everything else was OK and we were out most of the day, so it was dark and the workmen had finished when we returned. Only 7-8 minutes walk to New Street Station. Dave.
 
Astoness said:
dread to ask really ell but what is 3 arena central???...thanks for the photo dave ... with a view like that i hope you got a discount on your room:D

lyn
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It's this:

https://arena-central.com/offices/3-arena-central/

Located at the heart of the development and opening directly on to Bank Court – the centrepiece of the new public realm – the 240,000 sq ft 3 Arena Central received detailed planning consent in December 2016.

Offering efficient floorplates of up to 18,299 sq ft on the upper floors, 3 Arena Central will provide an outstanding business location with geometric glass and metal façades creating a contemporary and complementary reflection of the high quality, fully managed public realm in which it will be set.

In August 2017, 3 Arena Central secured Birmingham’s largest pre-let in over a decade with the Government Property Unit committing to take the full building on a 25 year lease to house some 3,600 civil servants and a number of functions, including the HMRC’s Midlands regional hub.

Site clearance work was started in autumn 2017 with the building expected to be ready for occupation by spring 2020.

While Arena Central benefits significantly from its location close to Birmingham’s key public transport hubs, three basement floors will provide secure car parking and cycle storage spaces with associated lockers and shower facilities.
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Yes that whole "square" of land is called Arena Central and it is where the old ATV studios used to be, and the Register Office (where I got married), and I think also a hospital was there, as well as a car park.

It is bordered by Broad St in the North, Bridge St in the West, Holliday St in the South and Suffolk St Queensway on the East.

The old Municipal Bank is currently on that land as well as Alpha Tower and the Crowne Plaza hotel, plus a brand new Holiday Inn Express (opened less than 1 year ago).

The huge new HSBC headquarters is being build on that site, as well as Dandara apartments (in front of the Crowne Plaza hotel).

I believe the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are also going to build a building on that site.

And over time apartments and offices will be built on the site (at one time it was going to be mostly apartments but I believe it is now going to be mostly offices).

Arena Central web site

https://arena-central.com/
.
 
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January 2018 in Cenenary Square.



Some of the railings near what was the end of Broad Street have been removed near the future Midland Metro extension.



Water tank



View from the bus.

 
Looks like a tank to feed the oblong fountain - see artist's impression in post #12 Lyn.

The one good thing about the development of this area - as I see it - is, hopefully, it will finally have a sense of being 'finished/completed '. When I worked there up until the 1980s it felt unfinished and slightly abandoned. It was a side of town that lacked focus. Be good to see it achieve that this time, but let's see ......

Viv.
 
Look at 'Centenary Square' now then look at 1st pic in Vivienne's post #27 ! I'll say now more or I'd be banned. Eric
 
Without wanting to upset anyone, I think the hall of memory is looking very tatty. It could do with a good jet wash while it's fenced off.
 
cookie273uk said:
Look at 'Centenary Square' now then look at 1st pic in Vivienne's post #27 ! I'll say now more or I'd be banned. Eric
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you have started me off again eric...totally agree with you...also agree with you froth..will the billions being spent around there on re development you would think they could afford a few coppers to jet wash our hall of memory..they have done baskerville house but there again maybe the hall of memory comes very low on the list of buildings to clean up
lyn
 
Baskerville House is now owned by a commercial organisation isn't it? So the council are not involved. But I agree that the Hall of Memory needs a cleanup
 
Hopefully the shambles will have been tidied up in time for the XXII Comonwealth Games in 2022. I'm sure it will be - if not heads should roll! :eek:
 
February 2018 in Centenary Square.



Towards Symphony Hall



Towards the Hall of Memory



Towards the Municipal Bank



Area outside The REP has now been hoarded up.

 
Great pics, thanks to all who posted them. I have really enjoyed looking. I know it's a building site, but it's history in the making.

Sorry I haven't read all of the thread, but does anyone know what is going to be built on the old registry office site.
 
Just looking through the pics and zooming in to see what's happening near to the old registry office site, where the Strawbridge forge once stood, and spotted a van that belongs to a company that I worked for for 12 years and my partner still works for them! How spooky!!!!! Sorry off topic!
 
Kat7272 said:
Sorry I haven't read all of the thread, but does anyone know what is going to be built on the old registry office site.
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Note it is Register Office not Registry Office.

The project on that whole site is called Arena Central and on the link below is a map showing the plan for the site.

https://arena-central.com/development/masterplan/

The building on the old Register Office site (where I got married) is shown as plot number 3 on the map.

This building will be known as 5 Centenary Square and will be offices.

If you scroll further down that page you can see a drawing of what the building MAY look like (the design is not final yet).
 
I stand corrected guilbert53! Thank you.

And thank you for the information, very interesting.

Could it be an office of registry, I will feel much better then!!!!
 
Panoramic update as of March 2018.



This is the site of 5 Centenary Square / 1 Arena Central.



Arena Central with the HSBC building at 1 Centenary Square / 2 Arena Central.



The site in September 2013

 
What a mess, it looked perfectly all right to me before all this work. The cost, and for what, I,m sure the money could have been .spent better elsewhere.
 
I couldn't agree more, Elmdon Boy. In 1961, when I left Brum, we'd already had a giant mess created with the start of the Smallbrook Ringway, and I remember several people saying to me then that this would never be finished. 57 years later I look at this mess and have formed the opinion that they were right in 1961. I no longer have the opinion that we will have what could be described as a great city full of life within a reasonable span of time.

Maurice
 
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