Author Topic: Up and Down Within 50yrs  (Read 3786 times)

Edmund Fifield

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Re: Up and Down Within 50yrs
« Reply #11 on: September 19, 2017, 01:56:26 PM »
Judith,and builders have cut corners to save money look at all the glass in buildings now, remember Greenfell.
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Scipio

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Re: Up and Down Within 50yrs
« Reply #12 on: September 19, 2017, 06:51:17 PM »

There's many buildings that have gone up & down in my lifetime (nearly 52), you mentioned the Post & Mail building, then there's the Central Library, many office blocks & tower blocks, and the previous incarnation of the Bull Ring was only a few years before I was born.

I can only speculate, but maybe the types of construction used haven't quite stood up to the test of time, that's certainly been the case with some concrete buildings.

I can well imagine that some offices built in the '60's & '70's don't meet with current expectations & standards - the one I work in now is certainly less dark & dingy than the one I worked in when I first started work.

Building standards surrounding insulation & energy efficiency have probably paid a part too.  And some buildings were just an eyesore!


Judith that Central Library you mentioned Could never understand why they built that , it reminded me of something perhaps Josef
Stalin frequented . It may be me but I wouldn't give you a thank you for the latest one either
If voting made any difference , they wouldn't let us do it.
Mark Twain

JudithM

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Re: Up and Down Within 50yrs
« Reply #13 on: September 20, 2017, 01:30:01 PM »
Judith,and builders have cut corners to save money look at all the glass in buildings now, remember Greenfell.

I don't think it's all down to cost, though I'm sure it's a factor.  Modern glazing is pretty energy efficient, so they're probably maximising heating by solar gain & trying to get in as much natural light as possible too to meet modern energy efficiency regulations.


Judith that Central Library you mentioned Could never understand why they built that , it reminded me of something perhaps Josef
Stalin frequented . It may be me but I wouldn't give you a thank you for the latest one either
For me, it wasn't just the outside of the building either. I always found the Central Library a horrendous dark & dingy place.  To be honest, it put me off libraries as it was so unpleasant being in there.  I'd just use the little local one across the road or go all the way into Solihull to use theirs.  I've since discovered the joys of second hand book shops, so it's even better now as I get to keep the books   ;D
"I know tomorrow's gonna taste like cake"

Phil

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Re: Up and Down Within 50yrs
« Reply #14 on: September 20, 2017, 01:42:49 PM »
Judith


It's off topic so I'll keep it short. try Amazon Books you can get books on there for as little as 1p plus postage.

Where I spent a lot of my childhood Nechells I watched it all being rebuilt in the late 50's & early 60's. Then well within 50 years most of it was demolished and rebuilt. It couldn't have been all down to the dislike of high rise living because a lot of the high rise blocks still remain, The same as some of the maisonette's went but just as many remained. I wonder why that was, could it have been something to do with the use of High Alumina Cement Concrete in the buildings that were demolished.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

Scipio

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Re: Up and Down Within 50yrs
« Reply #15 on: September 20, 2017, 06:05:32 PM »

Judith


It's off topic so I'll keep it short. try Amazon Books you can get books on there for as little as 1p plus postage.

Where I spent a lot of my childhood Nechells I watched it all being rebuilt in the late 50's & early 60's. Then well within 50 years most of it was demolished and rebuilt. It couldn't have been all down to the dislike of high rise living because a lot of the high rise blocks still remain, The same as some of the maisonette's went but just as many remained. I wonder why that was, could it have been something to do with the use of High Alumina Cement Concrete in the buildings that were demolished.


Phil moving up from The Bartons Arms toward Witton Road , on the left hand side I used to watch the progress of council houses being built there in the late 70's  . We used to live on the opposite side of the road in the townhouses there , we left there in 1996 . Going to Birmingham City Centre about 2 months ago all those I watched being built have now gone , in there place new houses up for sale . Almost a case of now you see , now you don't
If voting made any difference , they wouldn't let us do it.
Mark Twain

JudithM

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Re: Up and Down Within 50yrs
« Reply #16 on: September 21, 2017, 01:17:14 PM »
Judith


It's off topic so I'll keep it short. try Amazon Books you can get books on there for as little as 1p plus postage.


Oh, I have a very active account with Amazon!  ;D


Where I spent a lot of my childhood Nechells I watched it all being rebuilt in the late 50's & early 60's. Then well within 50 years most of it was demolished and rebuilt. It couldn't have been all down to the dislike of high rise living because a lot of the high rise blocks still remain, The same as some of the maisonette's went but just as many remained. I wonder why that was, could it have been something to do with the use of High Alumina Cement Concrete in the buildings that were demolished.

I think it's the same all over.  There's a big estate King's Norton/Hawkesley way that's in the process of being demolished now & the houses must only be about 30/35 years old.  I know the houses aren't poor standard as they are the exact same style & build as my own, which is an ex-council house (I bought it off the people who bought it off the council).

If they are council or housing association properties it may be that the cost of refurbishment to meet modern standards is more than demolition & rebuild. Having worked at a housing association a few years ago I know that rental properties have to meet certain standards of kitchen, heating, windows, insulation etc.  You also get tax breaks for new builds that you don't get for refurbishment/renovation so it's probably down to cost.
"I know tomorrow's gonna taste like cake"


 

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