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Paradise pre development 2014 -2016

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Thanks Lyn. If you are in the area I would appreciate an update on how things are. I always used to walk through Paradise Forum from the old library to Centenary Square but know that things are changing rapidly. However as I hope to be up in Brum quite soon, so I would be grateful for any information on that walk through.

Also Leslam - thank you for that. I will try walking through Paradise Forum first and see if it is open.

Judy
 
Paradise Forum walkway open today.....or at least people were walking across the bridge ☺
 
judy as leslam said the forum walkway was still open today but for how long i have no idea...no indication of when it will be closed off..i shall be there again next week so will check it out again for you

lyn
 
Is there any update on the Paradise development? Can anyone tell me what is happening and if it is it still possible to walk from Chamberlain Square to Centenary Square? I hope to visit soon and would like to know the best way to walk to Centenary Square from Victoria Square.

Judy


It is still open.

And Fletchers Walk is still open Monday to Friday.


And you can still get a bus from Colmore Row to Broad Street (they still go around Paradise Circus Queensway despite all the ongoing roadworks).
 
Thanks for the update Lyn and Leslam. Much appreciated. I like to be able to find my way around still when I visit!!!!

Judy
 
And thanks to you Ellbrown! Useful to know, although I will be walking not bussing it! I just wasn't sure what sort of chaos would be in that area for the redevelopment as it is some time since I've been to Brum.


Judy
 
Is there any update on the Paradise development? Can anyone tell me what is happening and if it is it still possible to walk from Chamberlain Square to Centenary Square? I hope to visit soon and would like to know the best way to walk to Centenary Square from Victoria Square.

I was up there today.

There will ALWAYS be a walking route from Chamberlain Square to Centenary Square, though it may move around a bit as the demolition of the library takes place over the next year or so.

At some point they will redirect the path so it goes near the Sir Adrian Boult Hall while they demolish the old library above the current path but that wont be for a while yet.

Currently the best way to walk from Chamberlain Square to Centenary Square is UNDER the old library.

You can see a sign that says "PARADISE FORUM" in big mauve letters. Just walk under the letters and you come out in Centenary Square.

This is where all the restaurants used to be (McDonalds, Wetherspooons etc though they have all now closed down)

Today I just posted some photos of the demolition of the Fletchers Walk shops on the Skyscraper City web site.

See here:

https://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=126632218&postcount=2992
 
And thanks to you Ellbrown! Useful to know, although I will be walking not bussing it! I just wasn't sure what sort of chaos would be in that area for the redevelopment as it is some time since I've been to Brum.


Judy

No problem. You can get the bus if you want to get from Colmore Row to the bottom of Hagley Road in Edgbaston (if you want) near Morrisons.

Always nice walking from Five Ways Island to Centenary Square (or via Brindley Place or Gas Street Basin).

Note that the Tesco at Five Ways closed forever in the middle of August 2015.
 
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Brilliant information. Thank you all so much.

Guilbert53. The Skyscraper Site was fantastic and very informative. I must look at it more often!

Dave the up-to-date photos of the area were just what I needed.

Ellbrown I used to know the area well when I lived there and regularly used the bus up Broad Street and Hagley Road up until 1963. But its good to know that I can still get up that way by bus if necessary.

Thank you all so very much. It will make my visit easier knowing how to get around all the redevelopment.

Judy
 
Ellbrown I used to know the area well when I lived there and regularly used the bus up Broad Street and Hagley Road up until 1963. But its good to know that I can still get up that way by bus if necessary.

Thank you all so very much. It will make my visit easier knowing how to get around all the redevelopment.

Judy

It's changed quite a bit in the past 50+ years! Not sure you'd recognise it! Tower blocks are now converted into hotels for instance.

Was loads of tourists around Brindley Place for instance today.
 
Agreed Ellbrown - although I do come back regularly to visit so I'm aware of how much things have changed over the years. However I've not seen any of the recent developments as its been a couple of years since I was last in Brum. That's why I appreciate your knowledge.

Judy
 
Round about October when the Great Birmingham Run is on, you could watch it on Channel 5. They usually finish the race on Broad Street.

Various new buildings will be built at Arena Central, approximately where Central TV used to be, before they moved to Gas Street.
 
Fletchers Walk demolition seen from the end of Paradise Street near Suffolk Street Queensway.





 
I just found this on a Google search https://lostbritain.uk/site/birmingham-central-library-brutalist/

The 200 seat Library Theatre was built between the School of Music and the reference library block in 1983–86. The theatre was a design and build scheme by Henry Boot Projects. Although the design was in Madin’s original plans, Madin did not approve of the design and build method and subsequently had no involvement in the building. Chamberlain House and the Copthorne Hotel were built to the west of the library in 1985–87 by Leonard J. Multon & Partners with wedge shaped ends. In an October 1988 television documentary A Vision of Britain, Prince Charles attacked the building saying it looked like “a place where books are incinerated, not kept”.

To the north of the library where an Athletic Institute was originally to be built a six storey office block was built in 1988–89 by Leonard J. Multon & Partners. A footbridge connecting the library with Centenary Square was added as part of improvements to the square in 1988–89. The atrium was enclosed with a glass roof and screens by the City Architect’s Department in 1989–91.The space below was named Paradise Forum, originally proposed as an alfresco eating and entertainment area but eventually leased to property companies who sublet the units to shops and fast food outlet tenants. The uncompleted bus interchange became service areas for the tenants of Paradise Forum. In 1999 the whole of Paradise Forum was sold off to Argent Group.
 
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