Etihad Campus, Stadium and Collar Site Development Thread

[HelloCity]

Some of the new buildings in the city centre might not look the best but the place as a whole looks leagues and leagues better than it did 20-25 years ago.

The place was an absolute dump and I think that’s a nicer way of putting it. Even as a kid coming into town I used to think the place was scruffy.

 

[jrb]

My place of work. Have got a second office in Spinningfields. Amalgamated the two offices and then realised not enough space in Picc Gardens so now back over two sites. 6 floors, all full.
Fortunate to be in the office space on the gardens side rather than Portland Street. Seen some sites on those gardens! Been there since 2007 and nothing will ever beat Rangers when they turned up for the UEFA Cup.

A appreciate it was a while back, and appropriate office space at the time was limited, and One Piccadilly Gardens had recently been built, but to this day I can’t understand why the BoNY chose it for their Manchester offices. There are now so many better offices and locations around the city centre to house your staff in.

 

[nmc]

A appreciate it was a while back, and appropriate office space at the time was limited, and One Piccadilly Gardens had recently been built, but to this day I can’t understand why the BoNY chose it for their Manchester offices. There are now so many better offices and locations around the city centre to house your staff in.

At the time.. maybe they liked the address... One Piccadilly in Manchester, they already had one Canada Square in London and One Wall Street in NY but I think they sold their amazing building in Wall Street (I think).

 

[jrb]

At the time.. maybe they liked the address... One Piccadilly in Manchester, they already had one Canada Square in London and One Wall Street in NY but I think they sold their amazing building in Wall Street (I think).

I went to the public 1 Piccadilly Gardens consultation at the town hall. Trust me, it was not the best building and design. But it won somehow?

 

[keith's curle]

Many thanks for the replies re 1 Piccadilly. And would definitely agree that although the city centre looks better than it has for a while, much of the character of the old brick and stone type buildings seems to be going (not that I've been into central Manchester in years, so only going by appearances. It's a pity that not even one of the new buildings seems to have scored a stir as a design; where's the equivalent of the gherkin or the shard?
Now that I've taken the thread off topic I might as well keep going and the mods can hang me for a sheep instead of a lamb. In Bill Bryson's book about travelling around Britain ('Notes from a small island'?) he says about Manchester something along the lines of it has no clear centre, no heart. Basically, nowhere that is Manchester in one image. As soon as I read it I knew he was right and that I'd probably known that myself for a long time. Piccadilly gardens was probably as good as it got, but it wasn't anything much. The square in front of the town hall is probably it now, but neither of those came be called iconic.
Does anybody disagree? Are Bill and myself out of date and things have changed? Would a nice big plaza somewhere (maybe with something in it/around it) be a paradigm shift?

 

[cleavers]

And would definitely agree that although the city centre looks better than it has for a while, much of the character of the old brick and stone type buildings seems to be going (not that I've been into central Manchester in years, so only going by appearances.

I disagree, many of the old buildings are still there and have been greatly improved in the last 20 years. I've stayed in a couple of hotels in recent months that are in old Victorian buildings, and they have been turned into very nice places, whilst keeping some of old style.

A walk round the City centre is well worth it, much of Victorian Manchester is still there, mixed in with new modern high rise buildings, I think the mix is great, its far better than London. The canals and viaducts all add to the character of a great City. There is still much that can be redeveloped though, but its far better looking than 25 years ago.

Unfortunately the "homeless" situation is much the bigger issue than the buildings, and it is affecting the character, and it needs a solution finding urgently.

 

[HelloCity]

Many thanks for the replies re 1 Piccadilly. And would definitely agree that although the city centre looks better than it has for a while, much of the character of the old brick and stone type buildings seems to be going (not that I've been into central Manchester in years, so only going by appearances. It's a pity that not even one of the new buildings seems to have scored a stir as a design; where's the equivalent of the gherkin or the shard?
Now that I've taken the thread off topic I might as well keep going and the mods can hang me for a sheep instead of a lamb. In Bill Bryson's book about travelling around Britain ('Notes from a small island'?) he says about Manchester something along the lines of it has no clear centre, no heart. Basically, nowhere that is Manchester in one image. As soon as I read it I knew he was right and that I'd probably known that myself for a long time. Piccadilly gardens was probably as good as it got, but it wasn't anything much. The square in front of the town hall is probably it now, but neither of those came be called iconic.
Does anybody disagree? Are Bill and myself out of date and things have changed? Would a nice big plaza somewhere (maybe with something in it/around it) be a paradigm shift?

You’re completely out of touch by the sounds of it.

The city centre is miles and miles beyond what it was 20 years ago, well, apart from Piccadilly Gardens. Most of the older buildings are still there and look as good as ever.

It’s not perfect now, but people seem to forget that the city centre was a scruffy dump in the early 90’s.

 

[keith's curle]

It's good to hear the impression I've got from the news and by word of mouth is wrong, and I must have a wander round next time I get a chance.

 

[somapop]

Think even Bill changed those views a few years later. Its going through enormous changes at the moment and it's only really started.
Piccadilly Gardens and Market Street/High Street remain a blight however (and I mention them as they're very central areas that you cannot really avoid).

 

[Tom01]

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