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Convention Centre

G

guilbert53

master brummie
About 25 years ago Birmingham council began to clear the area around Broad Street to build the Convention Centre, the National Indoor Arena, and Brindley place.

I went up there with my trusty camera (pre digital of course) to try and capture the area before, and during, the development of the site.

So I have dug out the album (do you remember the days we stuck pictures in albums) and I will try to scan them all in.

Looking at them now they are not very good, and I always seemed to go up there on a dull Sunday, so the pictures are rather dark.

I also have to admit that I never actually went back to capture the finished product so there are pictures before and during development, but very few showing the finished article.

However for those that only know the "new" buildings in that area, you may be interested in seeing how it WAS 25 years ago, and how far Birmingham has come in the last 25 years.

Note I do have these pictures as larger files and a better quality if anyone wants them.
 
Well here is a picture that may shock you all. It shocked me seeing it again after many years.

Believe it or not this shows the site of the ICC (Convention Centre), Brindley place and the Sea Life Centre.

I am standing with my BACK to the National Indoor Arena (which was not there of course), looking down towards Gas Street basin. In the foreground is the roundabout in the middle of the canal (which is still there) and this area is, I believe, called Old Turn Junction.

On the VERY left is the site of the canal side pub The Malt House, then further down on the left we see the mass of old buildings where the Convention Centre now stands. About the point where the canal disappears is the footbridge that links the Convention Centre with Brindley Place.

On the right of the canal is the site of the Brindley Place complex, and the building on the very right (with the broken windows) is where the Sea Life Centre now stands.

Where the canal disappears in the distance is the road bridge over Broad Street, and right at the back are the pub buildings on Broad Street (I believe one is called the Australian Bar)

Because I took a number of pictures from the same spot I will try to group the pictures together. I will call this "View 1" and there are 5 pictures from this view (the next 5 pictures)

View 1, Picture 1) Site of Convention Centre and Sea Life Centre - click on thumbnail for full size view
 
Here is the same view as Picture 1 above, but after they began development of the site (and the sun is shining).

There is a date on the back of the photograph of November 1986.

If you compare the two pictures you see that some of the buildings on the left have been demolished, and the building on the right (where the Sea Life Centre is now) has been partly demolished.

View 1, Picture 2) Site of Convention Centre and Sea Life Centre - click on thumbnail for full size view
 
Here is the same view as the two pictures above, but a rather dull and grainy picture (must have been using cheap film).

No date on the back of this one, but is it is AFTER November 1986 (the date of picture 2 above).

You can see the cranes are now in place for the building of the convention centre, and a large new building is being built on the left. The area on the right (where the Sea Life Centre is now) has now been almost totally cleared.

View 1, Picture 3) Site of Convention Centre and Sea Life Centre - click on thumbnail for full size view
 
Here is the same view as the three pictures above, but a bit sunnier this day.

No date on the back of this one.

Nice modern building in the foreground, and you can see the cranes are still in place for the building of the convention centre (I think you can see the roof of the convention centre slightly sticking above the new building in the foreground).

Not much movement on the site of the Sea Life Centre on the right.

View 1, Picture 4) Site of Convention Centre and Sea Life Centre - click on thumbnail for full size view
 
Here is the same view as the four pictures above.

Date of October 1989 on the back of this one (so just over 20 years old).

This is the last picture I took of this "view" (so 5 pictures in all) - unless I have one stuck in amonst my pictures that I have forgotten about (we have a cupboard full of negatives and pictures)

Most of the cranes have gone for the building of the convention centre, just one left, and you can now clearly see the roof of the convention centre sticking above the new building in the foreground.

The Hyatt hotel has also appeared in the distance.

Not much movement on the site of the Sea Life Centre on the right.

View 1, Picture 5) Site of Convention Centre and Sea Life Centre - click thumbnail for full size view
 
This is now "View 2" and there are only 3 pictures from this viewpoint.

This picture is dated November 1986

This shows a run down building on New Street which was restored and is now The Brasshouse (according to Google Street View). It is to the LEFT of the canal (as you face it) and the building is facing Broad Street. Behind it is the Brindley Place complex.

The "gap" between the old buildings is where the canal runs under Broad Street (was there a church there?).

The thing that STAGGERED me about this picture is not the building in the foreground, but the amazing industrial architecture of the building on the right (I happen to think it is beautiful with those wonderful chimneys).

I must admit that I was not so into buildings at that time, and I dont think I even NOTICED it when I took this picture, it just "happened" to be in it. I certainly did not take an pictures of JUST that building at the time (I wish I had done).

It stands right where the Convention Centre now stands (I wonder if there was any protest about it being knocked down at the time).

Amazing to think a building like that was right in the centre of Birmingham less than 25 years ago.

View 2, Picture 1) Site of Brindley Place and Convention Centre on Broad Street - click thumbnail for full size view
 
This is still "View 2" and there are only 3 pictures from this viewpoint.

No date on this pictures (and it is VERY grainy)

Not much movement on The Brasshouse in the foreground (except the adverts posted on the walls and windows have changed), but the industrial building on the right has now gone (sad to say), and a couple of cranes have appeared.

A bit of tidying up in the "gap" between the old buildings is where the canal runs under Broad Street.

View 2, Picture 2) Site of Brindley Place and Convention Centre on Broad Street - click on thumbnail for full size view
 
This is still "View 2" and there are only 3 pictures from this viewpoint.

No date on this picture.

We now have movement on The Brasshouse in the foreground, and the old building on the far right is being restored (which I think is now Reflex - the 80s bar - according to Google Street view).

In the gap between the old buildings you can see the Convention Centre taking shape.

View 2, Picture 3) Site of Brindley Place and Convention Centre on Broad Street - click on thumbnail for full size view
 
If only we all had the forsight to do something like that. Those photos should be in the Birmingham seen exhib. Well done Gilbert, looking forward to the rest.
 
Robert (the late ) said:
If only we all had the forsight to do something like that. Those photos should be in the Birmingham seen exhib. Well done Gilbert, looking forward to the rest.
Click to expand...

I am doing the same thing with the Eastside area of Birmingham, which is in the middle of a major development.

There is a set of panorama photos here

https://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1024483

I have also posted a load of non-panorama photos of the area here (and linked them to Google maps)

https://www.panoramio.com/user/3749097
.
 
I think the the building with chimneys you point out was originally the brewery store behind the Crown pub, when it brewed on the premises
Mike
 
guilbert53. Thanks for those pics, that was fascinating. I really enjoyed those. More please, when you can.
 
I wish I'd taken a Camera, I was working for Douglas Plant at the time I was in and out of the place all day long on occasions. Starting from nothing more than a massive hole in the ground to completion. Reg.
 
Me to Reg i was involved in the installation of the fire alarm system for18 months i have many memories of the newer buildings in town that i was involved in eg new st station, b,ham library the old bull ring and the new one albany hotel and many of the high rise blocks. It seems they are starting to demolish my work already still some of those concrete blocks don,t do much for our history. Dek
 
The next 3 pictures are "View 3" (Views 1 and 2 are above).

The picture below was taken in November 1986, after the building of the Convention Centre (ICC) and Symphony Hall had been announced, but before much work had started. On the far right you can see a large orange sign announcing the building of this complex (I do have a picture of this sign which I have posted below).

This view is taken on the "other" side of Broad Street, facing what WILL become the front of the ICC / Symphony Hall building. A fine set of building in view as you can see.

If you cannot picture where we are, then just off to the right of this picture is Centenary Square and the Birmingham Rep theatre.

View 3 Picture 1) Broad Street and the front on the Convention Centre - click thumbnail for full size view
 
Here is the same view after the existing buildings had been demoloished, and the building of the ICC / Symphony hall had begun.

No date on this picture, but it must be AFTER November 1986 (the date of the first picture above) but before December 1989 (the date of the third picture below), so 1987 or 1988 (I really wish I had dated them all).

View 3 Picture 2) Broad Street and the front on the Convention Centre - click thumbnail for full size view
 
Third and last picture of this "set" (I never went back and took any more of this "view").

This picture is dated December 1989.

ICC and Symphony Hall now taking shape into the buildings we know and love.

View 3 Picture 3) Broad Street and the front on the Convention Centre - click thumbnail for full size view
 
Here is View 4, but only a single picture in this set.

As I mentioned in View 3 Picture 1 above, there was a huge sign announcing the ICC and Symphony Hall (which soon disappeared as the building work started).

As you can see on the sign, it says "Starting Date Winter 1986", and "Opening Date Autumn 1990".

Behind the sign you can see the large brewery that can be clearly seen in "View 2 Picture1" above (also partly in "View 3 Picture 1", on the left behind the trees).

View 4 Picture 1) Sign announcing ICC and Symphony Hall - click thumbnail for full size view
 
Most of us have complained at sometime or other about buildings being pulled down, and the history going,
but if you at this whole area at the start of Broad Street the present is far better than the past, What a
scuffy dark place it was around Gas Street basin. There are times when the planners get it right, rarely I add
but when I came to visit Brum after moving out on the Overspill in 1957, I was pleastly surprised I must say.
Bernard
 
>but if you look at this whole area at the start of Broad Street the present is far better than the past

I agree. I walked round that area just last Saturday (taking photographs) and the area was PACKED with people. They were walking through Centernary Square, inside the Convention Centre, round Brindley Place, down Broad Street, round the various canals in the area including those near the NIA and the Mailbox.

If you compare that with how it was in the very first picture I posted there is no comparison.
 
Fantastic shots Guilbert both the old and the later ones.
 
Thanks for the photos Guilbert, I love the atmosphere in that part of town. It is a legacy none of us will mind leaving behind, BUT I mourn those lovely buildings that were knocked down.
 
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