Construction of Lionel House: June 2019- August 2020

A new residential development is in full swing on Lionel Street. Lionel House, replaces a tired old Multi-storey car park and will, once complete, deliver much needed footfall in an area undergoing change. 

Stephen provides the details regarding the development, with full renderings and update shots from June 2019- to the present day.

Lionel House is a new 14-storey build-to-rent (BTR) apartment complex project from Lionel House Developments Ltd and Aberdeen Standard Investments (ASI).

The new building, on Lionel Street, replaces a tired looking 10-storey MSCP (Multi-storey car park), with the replacement building design meticulously referencing the materials of the surrounding buildings with its use of angled brickwork and precast stone panels - as seen below.

Landrow Place...

Artists Impressions from Benchmark Architects

Lionel House will comprise 259 one, two and three bedroom managed apartments, with the building delivering a residential mix of 156 one-bed, 90 two-bed and 13 three-bedroom apartments. But that's not all.

11,250 sqft amenity space will be primarily located on the ground floor, with full LED lighting & communal areas that'll feature a fitness room and kitchen, a 17-space car park and cycle storage for every resident.

A landscaped rooftop terrace is also incorporated and has been designed to give residents access to social rooms and an external social space with views over the city. 

NOW DEMOLISHED

Demolished MSCP: Google Street View

Lionel House is scheduled to complete in October 2021. Be sure to keep up to date on this development by following our Twitter account, and our Instagram.

PROGRESS UPDATE (Aug 2019-Aug 2020)

August 2020:

August 24 -

Image: Winvic Reachtimelapse

August 20-

Photo by Metrogogo.

August 18-

Image: Winvic Reachtimelapse

July:

June:

March: 

The structure starts to make an appearance on the skyline, this time from Sandpits:

Photos by Stephen Giles.

Photos by Daniel Sturley.

February:

August 21 2019:

Piling rig in situ.

June 6 2019:

Demolition shots..

Photos by Alan Webb.

APPROVED: 122 Moseley Street, Digbeth

122 Moseley Street, Digbeth, was approved at Planning Committee on Thursday morning (August 13), with the derelict site free to deliver residential apartments. Click 'View Full Post' for more on redevelopment plans.

122 Moseley Street: Site plan

After two years of talks, 122 Moseley Street was finally approved 8-4 at planning committee on Thursday (August 13), with the developer, Tindlesouth Ltd, now free to commence work on site.

Designed by Sjölander da Cruz Architects, plans will see the demolition of a vacant, former vehicle workshop, and the construction of a replacement 5-storey building comprising 29 one and two bedroom apartments.

Importantly, the scheme brings back to life a derelict site with a sustainable redevelopment within the emerging Rea Urban Valley Quarter, which will deliver 10 one bed (34%) & 19 two bedroom apartments (66%).

The site will fit the plot fronting Moseley Street and Highgate Park to the rear - as seen in the site plan above.

Apartments will be arranged around a landscaped central courtyard that will be accessed by residents and space for 20 cycles.

Moseley Street elevation

Highgate Park elevation

NEIGHBOURS

The site is flanked by two businesses: Flex Fitness to the west & Cleary Irish Bar to the east, which had caused local residents to initially object to the 2018 scheme.

Residents highlighted potential issues relating to noise, explaining that the (noise) report submitted by the applicant was ‘fundamentally flawed’, as it didn't take into account that Clearys Bar has a 3:30am license to play live music on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2pm- midnight on Sundays.

After two years of talks, plans were thoroughly examined by officers and duly amended; apartments have since been repositioned away from the public house, with various walls in between offering further insulation.

Noise mitigation measures are in place moving forward, with the implementation of ventilation and specific glazing.

"The principle of residential development would accord with development plan policy at this location whilst the potential impact upon the future residential occupiers, as a result of the adjacent pub, has been considered in great detail and with the conditions attached would be mitigated to an acceptable level." - Birmingham City Council.

In terms of materiality, 122 Moseley Street will be constructed in lighter brick tones and darker recessed brick adjoining the windows.

The developer reaffirmed their stance that the policy compliant 35% affordable housing provision wasn't realistic to commence with, and would have made the development unviable; a sum of £58K, however, was previously agreed (August 2018) for the provision of off-site affordable housing.

The Construction of One Centenary Way - August 2020

Baldwins arrived in Paradise with one of their huge Liebherrs this weekend to install the crane for Sir Robert McAlpine's construction of One Centenary Way, here is a gallery of photos taken on Friday, Saturday and Sunday form several vantage points.

Photos by Daniel Sturley

7th August 2020

 

8th August 2020

 

9th August 2020

Photos by Daniel Sturley

 

From The NIA Birmingham to Utilita Arena Birmingham

The National Indoor Arena opened in Birmingham in 1991 on a site close to Old Turn Junction of the Birmingham Canal Navigations. Rebuilt on the canalside from 2013-14, it was branded Barclaycard Arena from 2014-17. Then Arena Birmingham from 2017-20. It now has a new sponsor and is called Utilita Arena Birmingham. Still owned by the NEC Group.

The National Indoor Arena Birmingham

The National Indoor Arena was opened in 1991. It was where Gladiators was recorded from 1992 to 1999. Located near King Edwards Road in Birmingham. It is on the Birmingham Canal Navigations at Old Turn Junction, where the Main Line meets the start of the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal. The arena was redeveloped during 2013 and 2014. Reopening in December 2014 at the Barclaycard Arena. This sponsorship ended at the end of August 2017. And it was then known as Arena Birmingham from September 2017. Securing a new sponsor in 2020, the arena was renamed again in April 2020 (during the lockdown while they were closed) to the current Utilita Arena Birmingham.

 

The NIA Birmingham (1991-2014)

Events that took place at the National Indoor Arena during this time include Gladiators (1992-99), the Eurovision Song Contest 1998, and the World Indoor Athletics Championships 2003.

My earliest photos of the NIA were taken during April 2009. By which time they were branding it as the nia birmingham. These views from the Brindleyplace Bridge towards The Malt House and the Brewmasters Bridge.

This view of the nia birmingham taken during June 2009, from the towpath outside of the National Sealife Centre.

NIA redevelopment (2013-14)

The redevelopment started around the summer of 2013 and was completed by the winter of 2014. The arena reopened as the Barclaycard Arena from December 2014.

Scaffolding going up around August 2013. The arena remained open throughout the works, but access to the public was limited.

More hoardings going up around September 2013. The old canalside facade was starting to be dismantled.

When the Library of Birmingham opened during September 2013 for the first time, I was able to get this photo of The NIA from the Secret Garden.

By April 2014 the steel girders had gone up and the shape of the new canalside view of the Arena was already up.

Not long to go by September 2014. The golden fins were in place, as was the glass windows and the three sky needles in the middle.

The Secret Garden view from the Library of Birmingham update taken during Sepember 2014 of the Arena. When the view is clear, you can see Edgbaston Reservoir from here.

The November 2014 update from the Brindleyplace Bridge. Within a month the arena would reopen as the Barclaycard Arena, but was more or less complete by this point.

Barclaycard Arena (2014-17)

The Arena reopened on the 2nd December 2014 as the Barclaycard Arena.

In the middle of December 2014, I took the following nightshots to see the Barclaycard Arena lit up after dark. This was around 5pm. It looked amazing. Including the digital display of the then City Skyline.

In January 2015 I took this digital display on the Barclaycard Arena. First view "lighting up Birmingham's skyline". The second view the Barclaycard Arena logo with the skyline.

In March 2015 I took this view of the Barclaycard Arena from the Secret Garden at the Library of Birmingham.

A May 2015 view of the Barclaycard Arena with it's golden fins.

Arena Birmingham (2017-20)

Barclaycard ended there sponsorship of the arena at the end of August 2017. So from September 2017, the arena was now known simply as Arena Birmingham (but with no sponsor).

Took this view of Arena Birmingham from the Secret Garden at the Library of Birmingham during October 2017.

The Beast from the East and Storm Emma hit Birmingham during early March 2018. Which was when Arena Birmingham was hosting the World Indoor Athletics Championships 2018. But the surrounding canals and towpaths were covered in snow and ice! Athletes and officials could run around outside, but it would have been very cold.

In April 2018, I saw the then new Arena Birmingham logo heading up the steps from the King Edwards Road entrance. Canopies were also at the time going up around The Malt House for an event linking the Arena to The ICC.

My last views of Arena Birmingham before the lockdown and the new sponsor Utilita came into force were taken during January 2020. It would be another 6 to 7 months before I would see the arena again (due to the pandemic / lockdown).

Utilita Arena Birmingham (2020-?)

During the lockdown, the arena had to close (like other venues all around the world).  The name change took place during April 2020. And would now be called Utilita Arena Birmingham. That meant the signs had to be changed, and the old ones taken down.

My first photo of Utilita Arena Birmingham taken in the middle of July 2020 from the Brindleyplace Bridge. The rest near the end of the month.

Hopefully it will one day be safe to reopen indoor arenas like this one. Even for sporting events without crowds. And they could be televised.

 

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

Follow me on Twitter here ellrbrown. Thanks for all the followers.

 

Snow Hill Wharf - July & August Update

Excellent progress is being made on the brickwork across the site, with the tower now progressing to level 14, to the point where it is beginning to make an appearance on the skyline.

Click view full post for another fabulous update from Stephen, with new visuals of The Regent - The Gun Quarters tallest residential tower.

The final phase of Snowhill Wharf was released this week.

The Regent, as it will be known, will be the Gun Quarters tallest residential tower - standing at 21 storeys tall (220 feet).

It currently resides on floor 14 - as the below pictures will show.

Backing up onto the canal system, The Regent will deliver a total of 108 one- and two-bedroom apartments, and even includes two top floor penthouses.

New visuals have officially been released this week, showing how the project sits within its new surroundings and the draw dropping views residents will have of the skyline.

UPDATE: August 1-4

The Colmore:

The Fazeley:

The Lancaster & The Barker:

From left to right: The Barker, The Lancaster, The Regent, The Colmore.

July 21

Words and photos by Stephen Giles, with artists impressions from Berkeley Group.