Yes, there is something about that a few pages back. Not heard anything since the initial announcement but the stables bit is coming along nicely as a live music venue. Should be buzzing on a matchday.
The photographer who took the shots of the Beacon and the remembrance display at the match on Sat has had his drone up and took a few of the City centre......
I’m looking after a few projects on the sheepfolds. Demolition order came in from the council for a few more of the ET buildings and sizzlers on the corner. I’ll see if I can find out what’s going there.
Extending the existing building to three stories using modern overbuilding techniques would solve the roof problem at a stroke and at less cost than trying to repair the white elephant, the roof has been from day one. The top floor with breathtaking views would be a real asset and money spinner , with an independent restaurant facility the original set up could only dream of. It would also increase the useful existing floor areas below by one third. The present ground and first floors could be extended by one third to the front elevation to either increase the present hot glass and teaching facilities if required or have a wonderful gallery across the ground floor on the front elevation which in itself would be a major attraction and educational asset adding to the existing sculpture trail along the riverside. It really will be an act of vandalism if this building is lost forever (like our beloved Town Hall the original in Fawcett Street) in the name of progress, or perhaps more accurately, avarice.
I think it's just clearing/part clearing the site in preparation for it being redeveloped. I know there's housing proposed for part of the Sheepfolds, though that's not immediate. Getting the housing on Vaux finished is a priority, but having the Sheepfolds ready for development to start quickly is a good idea. And I doubt it'll be long before the last remaining businesses on there relocate. At the very least having a good chunk cleared and grassed over would make it a bit more aesthetically nice in the short term.
Has any more been mentioned about the indoor arena on Crowtree lads? All gone a bit quiet on that one.
I’ve just got a task through for the housing on Vaux anarl, haven’t sent anything back yet. Seems a weird place for them to go I can’t remember exactly where the site plan showed but it looked like it was where the car park was for the new town hall?
One of the problems that's been identified is that part of the building is slowly sliding towards the river! That's causing stresses on different parts which aren't moving. It's why the repair costs are so high, in effect it's almost a rebuild needed. It's achievable, but there has to be a big financial investment from various groups to do it, and right now the Uni hasn't got the funds to do it. My concern is that the Uni have privately made a decision to abandon the site, unless someone else picks up the tab. The uni is investing A LOT in the medical school, including building a state of the art, high tech anatomy building. For the next few years the uni is going to be focusing heavily on that as well as some of the other STEM and related courses, but that doesn't leave a lot to go round for other things like the glass centre. Personally, like you, I hope it can be saved, maybe relocate the glass centre to a new site and renovate the current building for another use, say as a conference and exhibition centre. But, as I say, it's a complicated one and I just hope there's not an ulterior motive or games of brinkmanship going on.
The housing on Vaux is already part built, on land to the west of City Hall and The Beam. Building was stalled when Tolent collapsed early this year, but restarted up a couple of months back. But there are plans for more housing on Farringdon Row behind the new multi story carpark. The plans are in the link below, it's quite an interesting read, certainly to someone like me. https://www.riversidesunderland.com/gallery
Personally I would like it to stay as the NGC and not be dispersed, its a unique concept, and celebrates Sunderlands glass making history.
So would I, mate. My dad was an apprentice at Pyrex and met my mam when he was working there, a lot of my family also worked there, so I learned a lot about the history of glass making in Sunderland as a kid. Even though my dad left Pyrex in the early 80s (after Corning took over and started moving production of the Pyrex brand to America), he was still proud of working there and loved the glass centre. And separately I love the building itself, it's an eye-catching structure when looked at from the river. When the BBC did the week of broadcasting from Sunderland, they used the NGC as a base and it looked fantastic. I do hope it can be saved and continue at the current site, but if the uni do move the NGC to a new site, I really hope we can keep the building and utilise it as something else.
To my shame it was only when I went to live in France that I realised where the name Pyrex came from ... ... my Mam treasured the few bits she could afford, I broke one and never forgave myself.
The wife's cousin was the top glass blower (if that's the term) at the glass centre a few years ago. We are a talented bunch in this part of the world.
Interesting, most of the blown fibre thrown in the ground is manufactured by Corning. I’d never heard of them doing anything other than that
Massive World Wide American firm mate. Most of the glass used at the NGC comes from there and they are behind the top american glass artists like Dale Chihuly and William Morris.
Funny you should mention this. Last week, I saw a guy from LNER inspecting the area behind Burnhope in Penshaw, which is likely to be where the station is sited. Clearly a feasibility study to see if Intercity Trains could go through that way. If it had just been a track issue, Network Rail would have been there (and they already have). The Leamside line has handled Intercity 125 trains before, when the ECML was being electrified. So, no reason why they can't do it again. If you read the transport report for the North East, 73% of journeys outside the North East begin at Newcastle, 23% from Durham only only 3.6% from Sunderland. This has to change.
Where abouts is Burnhope mate? Near Kingswood at the bottom I assume where the lines are? I’ll keep an eye out for anything dropping in we’ve currently got about 6-7 projects for the re-opening of the Northumberland line. Re-opening the route through this way would be massive.
