The Piccadilly Gardens Problem

[urban genie]

When they removed Ancoats retail park, they should have looked into moving the main bus station there, and pedestrianise great swathes of the city centre. Altho green space would have been nice there, it's obvious they were never gonna do that, now it'll just be some shite offices/apartments.

Small electric buses could have operated from there to shuttle people around the city if they couldn't mooch over from there. City is just clogged wmkbith buses now, dirty, noisy and unattractive. Pedestrianise, more green space, just be a much nicer place all round.

I'm sure there's many flaws to this plan, but, was just an idea...

on one of the other threads we have had on the gardens I said the same, but suggested a new southern/eastern terminal on store street linked to the station, then pedestrianise piccadilly aproach, portland and mosley street and create a piazza style square in the gardens knocking down that awful office block and trying to bring a cafe culture to the entrance to the city.

the state of debenhams and the waldorf side of the aproach with run down buidings it a terrible thing to see upon arrival

 

[Mazzarelli's Swiss Cheese]

Picadilly is great as a transport hub for rail, metrolink, and busses, but sadly the whole retail set up is obsolete as department stores are largely a thing of the past and the arndale has always looked like a massive 1960's public toilet. The whole thing needs a rethink and I agree with @Psychedelic Casual that the gardens need opened up to make them less scrote/smackhead friendly.

 

[jrb]

on one of the other threads we have had on the gardens I said the same, but suggested a new southern/eastern terminal on store street linked to the station, then pedestrianise piccadilly aproach, portland and mosley street and create a piazza style square in the gardens knocking down that awful office block and tryimg to bring a cafe culture to the entrance to tge city.

the state of debenhams and the waldorf side of the aproach with run down buidings it a terrible thing to see upon arrival

Bang on cue.

AM Alpha has hired Russell WBHO to convert the historic Rylands building in Manchester into 300,000 sq ft of workspace, having opted not to sell the Market Street property.

Designed by Jeffrey Bell Architects, the scheme will see the property completely refurbished. The upper floors will be converted into workspace, while the ground floor will comprise a shopping arcade.

Contractor appointed as Debenhams office conversion advances - Place North West

AM Alpha has hired Russell WBHO to convert the historic Rylands building in Manchester into 300,000 sq ft of workspace, having opted not to sell the Market Street property.

www.placenorthwest.co.uk

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Bang on cue.

AM Alpha has hired Russell WBHO to convert the historic Rylands building in Manchester into 300,000 sq ft of workspace, having opted not to sell the Market Street property.

Designed by Jeffrey Bell Architects, the scheme will see the property completely refurbished. The upper floors will be converted into workspace, while the ground floor will comprise a shopping arcade.

View attachment 60902

Contractor appointed as Debenhams office conversion advances - Place North West

AM Alpha has hired Russell WBHO to convert the historic Rylands building in Manchester into 300,000 sq ft of workspace, having opted not to sell the Market Street property.

www.placenorthwest.co.uk

That building seems to be a problem. The walk on the right hand side along the Met stop is my least favourite part of the city centre. It’s hanging.

All those buildings you can see in that picture, plus the High Street side of the Arndale just off to the left of the picture, are all full of graffiti at footfall level n’all.

Hopefully, doing up that into offices does something to the area, because I think it’s arguably as much of a shithole as PiccGdns.

 

[City Hobgoblin]

Bang on cue.

AM Alpha has hired Russell WBHO to convert the historic Rylands building in Manchester into 300,000 sq ft of workspace, having opted not to sell the Market Street property.

Designed by Jeffrey Bell Architects, the scheme will see the property completely refurbished. The upper floors will be converted into workspace, while the ground floor will comprise a shopping arcade.

View attachment 60902

Contractor appointed as Debenhams office conversion advances - Place North West

AM Alpha has hired Russell WBHO to convert the historic Rylands building in Manchester into 300,000 sq ft of workspace, having opted not to sell the Market Street property.

www.placenorthwest.co.uk

Spot the tree

 

[jrb]

That building seems to be a problem. The walk on the right hand side along the Met stop is my least favourite part of the city centre. It’s hanging.

All those buildings you can see in that picture, plus the High Street side of the Arndale just off to the left of the picture, are all full of graffiti at footfall level n’all.

Hopefully, doing up that into offices does something to the area, because I think it’s arguably as much of a shithole as PiccGdns.

20-36 High street still isn’t dead yet, but it has gone quiet since the last discharge of conditions app in August.(strip out of the buildings, pre-demolition) Nothing has happened yet.

22 stories. One of the best, if not the best looking proposals I can remember. The original developer sold it on. The developer that bought the site looked at the proposal and decided to take it forward. Bar the above, nothing has happened yet, so the proposal is still waiting to begin, has stalled or could be dead?

Sadly it still doesn’t distract the eye from the horrible Manchester Arndale and horrible Manchester Arndale car park across the road.(2nd CGI) As you say, it’s one of the worst looking and depressing streets in the city centre.

 

[blueju]

Christ I just read this thread and couldn’t believe it. I’ve not been to town since our leaving do at the Whaldorf in 2006. The council need stringing up for letting it become such a shithole.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

20-36 High street still isn’t dead yet, but it has gone quiet since the last discharge of conditions app in August.(strip out of the buildings, pre-demolition) Nothing has happened yet.

22 stories. One of the best, if not the best looking proposals I can remember. The original developer sold it on. The developer that bought the site looked at the proposal and decided to take it forward. Bar the above, nothing has happened yet, so the proposal is still waiting to begin, has stalled or could be dead?

Sadly it still doesn’t distract the eye from the horrible Manchester Arndale and horrible Manchester Arndale car park across the road.(2nd CGI) As you say, it’s one of the worst looking and depressing streets in the city centre.

View attachment 60965

View attachment 60963

View attachment 60964

Yeah that’s nice. Looks like Sunlight House’s younger brother.

What can be done about the Arndale though?

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Nuke it. Just don't give any warning to the people walking in and around it on the day.

Problem solved.

You're welcome!

 

[dickie davies]

Christ I just read this thread and couldn’t believe it. I’ve not been to town since our leaving do at the Whaldorf in 2006. The council need stringing up for letting it become such a shithole.

But if they sold the land at a discount to a developer who invests and makes it a far more pleasant place to live and visit, which in turn attracts other investment, then the council is accused of selling its "Crown Jewels"
Just as it has been for selling all that derelict and contaminated land to ADUG