CITY
Christmas
in Liverpool
Forget the soul-less, windswept retail parks and 'same-old shops'
shopping malls -get downtown!
Christmas in the city
Yes, parking isn't great yet (go by bus or train?) and Liverpool is
like a building site at present..but cities are centres of culture
as well as retail.
Here's our top 10 urban christmas treats for when you're doing your shopping:
-Bluecoat Craft gallery in the secret garden..
-Chai Tea Latte at Starbucks, Bold Street
-Great veggie food in Green Fish, Newington -Nativity scene at Liverpool
cathedral
-Pint of Okells beer in Rigby's Dale Street
-Seeing The Odd Couple at the Playhouse
-Tea in the Egg Cafe upper Newington Street
-The focaccia Sandwiches at Tabac, Bold Street
-Vespers at The Met Cathedral, 4pm C. Eve
-Winter whisky in the 1st floor bar at FACT
Tall
Buildings Policy
[click
to enlarge]
Growing economy
Growing revival
GROWING SKYLINE!
Unity, Chapel Street
[click to enlarge]
All
of the jobs and culture we want need to be housed somewhere! For more
reading on this topic, check out the following papers on this site:
height
limits
skyline
tall
buildings
The public consultation for the tall
buildings policy in Liverpool has now begun - so have your say and
register on our
Forum.
Back on tap
Downtown's tremendously popular Williamson Sq fountain is working again.
Just as well we say. Regen money is supposed to improve lives and everybody
seems to enjoy the fountain judging by the constant crowds of onlookers
you see around it.
Like a magnet to kids - great isn't it? [click2enlarge]
We should note that the £5.7m spent is not just on the fountain
as some think - that is the sum for the rennovation of the whole square
the furniture and all of the surrounding streets!
Capital of Enterprise
The figures seem a little bogus, but the principle is certainly there.The
number of new business start ups have increased
this year on last -Most of these will be downtown - whilst every
single other city and county has seen a decline! Bravo we say and
more to follow on this soon.
NOW Will You Believe Us?
Two articles last week which support much of what we have been saying
for years.
The first in Building Design is a stinging criticism of architectural
leadership and mediocrity in the city and the 'squandering' of the regeneration
potential of Capital of Culture [Scouse
Shame]
The second in the Observer, by Deyan Sudjic argues that the city
is 'spreading its regeneration too thin'. [Mission
of Mersey]
We at Downtown have attempted to coherently, and often passionately, argue
both these points - perhaps someone - ANYONE in the city will now take
note?
We do not have to stay 20 years behind the urban evolutionary chain just
because we missed out on two decades worth of development theories. The
leader of the Council last week told the Washington Post (rightly) that
"We've got our flair and our self-confidence back."
Good - So let's utilise it! Future city of commerce and culture
not retro Shantytown heritage experience please!
Downtown Continental
Downtown's last winter continental market before Christmas was a fantastic
experience. If you missed out..tut, tut!
A packed Lord Street
There will be more throughout next year, including a host of new and diverse
themes. Just the type of thing we like to see as these bring in the crowds
- and the money!
French Nudgers?
Even some Scouse entrepreneurs may get in on the act?
Liverpool, direct to....
Just a quick reminder that Aer Lingus now allows you
to go from downtown Liverpool to NYC
in comfort, now that the Big Apple is achieved, then hows about more?
All
of these for a start.
Downtown BID taking off
1.5p
in the £ does not seem much, but in the States it is business
that sets the spending agenda.
Church Street in the Business Improvement District
Make sure you take part if you're in the BID
boundaries?
Steady on now!
- go with the spirit of the thing, not the blinding regulation! Portland
is a great city, with a vibrant downtown but you CAN over egg things.
Even urbanist
beaurocrats can stifle a downtown renaissance through excessive 'programming
and templating'
The recent
example of a small downtown Liverpool shop going out of business after
80 years and having to pay £40k rates on top of its
lease and running costs p.a is a salutary lesson...
Check out some other lessons from Dallas
too!
Oops! Spoke too soon
Regular downtowners may have noticed that our favorite new fountain
in Williamson Sq has been turned off.
Williamson Square, Dec 2004
Many reasons as to why are floating round - our favorite one is that the
antifreeze is corroding the expensively designed floorplates!
Breaking the market town mentality
The Government announced last week plans to crack down on binge drinking
in town and city centres across the nation. We welcome this initiative.
Cracking this nut, especially as it expressly targets underage
drinking will enable us to create the vibrant 24/7 place downtown should
really be.
But have we heard it all before?
Littlewoods' Move Downtown
We reported last week that Littlewoods Retail is moving back to their
former HQ in downtown Church St. Speaking to the Daily Post, the
CEO outlined his reasons why:
"It's incredibly important that we return here, not just for sentimental
reasons, but also for commercial reasons too.
There are very few retail businesses which have their head office in the
heart of the city and it means we can make decisions much more quickly
than if we were stuck on an industrial estate."
Right ON!
Nothing wrong with good 60s' architecture
University of Liverpool campus
With Liverpool's 'design aesthetes' baulking
at anything more contemporary than bonded brick and taking us on a headlong
rush into 'olde worlde Victoriana' we thought this great link was a nice
way to show what the rest of the relevant world was doing:
US National Building
Museum
Reaction to the mass destruction and shoddy practices in the 1960s was
understandable, but remember the Victorians built lots of bad stuff too!
Fourth Grace Inquiry Published
A fuller account of this depressing saga can be found in Andy Kelly's
report in the Liverpool Daily
Post. As we have said on this site before -in future, can Liverpool
Vision please be left to get on with the job and provide the
much needed leadership in regeneration the city needs.
LBC Rebrands
Liverpool Business Centre, the partnership between Liverpool Chamber of
Commerce, Business Link and Liverpool City Council has repackaged itself
as BusinessLiverpool. Aiming to be a one-stop shop this is good
news for downtown.
Will they perhaps get a wireless drop-in capability in their proposed
coffe lounge so we can surf somewhere other than Starbucks in Castle
Street?!
City building
Paradise street area from Church St
We have some niggles with missed opportunity through underdeveloping parts
of the Paradise scheme, but we must remember that on the whole
they ARE helping to recreate a metropolitan experience, rather than purely
a 'retail destination' (visited Birmingham recently?)
For example vast swathes of long term downtown dereliction is being remedied
with sensitive renovation of some fine buildings!
Winter Warmer
Mount Pleasant sidewalk
[click2enlarge]
Two downtown entrepreneurs (Pumpernickels) take in the winter sun and
watch the world go by with two of their customers on downtown's Mount
Pleasant/Clarence St junction
Well...there ARE exceptions!
As we keep banging on about on this site, downtown Liverpool is the
beating heart, the centre of all scouse consciousness, hub of the cultural
universe.
But, as with most things there are, of course, exceptions - like when
Liverpool FC win in the European Cup at Anfield! Well done the Reds!
Liverpool vs St Etienne 1977
Culture
Just to remind everyone that we have TWO great European clubs in
the city [see UEFA,
NML]
and the two of them will play an historic 200th league derby match
this weekend - a great event for the city.
Cruise Liner Terminal Starts On Site
Liverpool Pier Head landing stage
River bed drilling has started in preparation for the new 1000 ft long
cruise liner terminal on the Mersey adjacent to the Pier Head.
Liners berthing along side this, the ferries and super sea cats coming
soon -spectacular.
Earlier this year we noted however some hacks scoffing at this
news, in the misconception that this was another bandwagon
the city was jumping on. They may wish to read up on their history
[also 2
and 3]
Littlewoods make the intelligent choice
Littlewoods have decided to maintain their workers' quality of working
life by foregoing the grant gravy train move to Speke, electing instead
to move back to their original home in Spinney House in downtown
Church St.
Spinney House, Church St
Hurrah, we say! And the workers will be able to get a decent butty for
their lunch!
Downtown skyline 'proving point'
Liverpool Waterfront North - sort of... well,
just stops!
Anybody doubting that downtown needs more tall buildings should take a
ride on the ferry as we did this week. It's crying out for them!
Waterfront marketing suite
Also open for City Lofts.
Quite a natty little building in its own right - wonder if the council
could cadge it for something?
Tithebarn
Street
City Square
Work is progressing rapidly on City Square. Still Two floors to let though!
Get your order in before Christmas!
Colquitt Street Reopened
Colquitt
Street
The junction at Colquitt and Wood St re-opened earlier this month. Unlike
some other organisations we love the new scale and density in Ropewalks
- we're just not sure about the architecture!
Pownall Square consultation
Designs have been released by 2020Liverpool for the re-design of downtown's
Pownall Square as part of the CCMS. Have your say online.
New
Fountain Opens
Poet Roger McGough opened the splendid new £5.75m fountain and landscaping
at Williamson Square this week.
Now that this has been done - do the planners now see the folly of
previous decisions which led to the construction of the lamentable
retail box on the northern edge of the square (housing the LFC Club store
and others).
Willamson Square South
By the looks of the banner on the Southern side, it looks like the Playhouse
is to have a repeat performance of this kind of junk retail box
that has no place in a city centre.
DOWNTOWN
Stop
the Bus - I want an esoteric experience!
The
electronic system for the downtown Queen Sq gyratory is in perfect sync.
The times of the next 6 buses appear in order, number and destination.
One minute before it is due a comprehensive breakdown appears of the route,
where it stops enroute (with ETA for each one)etc, is displayed. The time
for said bus turns and - nothing - no bus, no explanation!
The ETA and route of the next phantom bus then appears. If you're soft
enough to wait you can see that this happens many times - quite surreal.
Next time just get a taxi, so much for 'integrated transport'.
Downtown
should go bananas
Superlambanana
at an edge city 'gateway', lost amongst the vast emptyness of Speke/Garston,
by the Matchworks... behind a fence, in a CAR PARK!
Superlambanana is a downtowner and proud of it. It should be placed by
the Georges Dock building.
They are trying to develop an 'Artists Village' up in Garston so we say
- use the talents you have identified to come up with something new, refreshing
and original and keep yer bloody great bananas off SLB!
Please take time to visit the excellent Future
Cities Project website and complete the brief survey on attitudes
to the city - the results will be fed through to the ODPM's Urban Summit
in Jan 2005.
Downtown Liverpool
- miles ahead in so many ways, an eternity behind in others!
This ten year
old article reminds us that the infrastructure we have here in Liverpool
gives us a tremendous potential advantage to push our downtown renaissance,
but it sadly is not being utilised and therefore is not being realised.
We need to concentrate on enterprise as the main economic priority and
we need to build tall. The rest, as they say, will take care of itself!
Are
downtowners forcing these issues? You must!
Washington Post
Interesting
article last week in the Washington Post about the resurgance of Liverpool.
Yet another example of the unique interest in our city from North America.
Liverpool John Lennon Airport
A
detailed and highly informed discussion has just broken out in our community
section surrounding the positioining of LJLA in the light of the ODPM's
Northern Way strategy. Essential reading.
Sadly Not, it seems
We
refer you to the news we broke last
April regarding plans by Maro and Simpson to construct a world class
tower at Brunswick Quay.
'..Can we at last get the buildings the waterfront deserves?'
Site
of proposed Brunswick Quay
Contacts tell us that the city are adamant that the project will not see
the light of day and are preparing all manner of absurd 'justifications'
for refusal.
Please stay informed, especially in light of the pillorying we took last
year for raising concerns that WHS would be detrimental to the aspirations
of a contemporary commercial city undergoing a downtown renaissance!
It does indeed seem that those that determine such things do NOT want
to build a city or a waterfront to engender pride!
2 stories from icliverpool
Most business friendly city? (part 300095!)
LCC
are coming
down hard on companies who place goods on the pavement. Perhaps their
true attitude to business is summed up in the terminology they use for
this henious crime - 'OVER TRADING!'
Says it all we think.
Could have been better (part 709374)
Work
started this week on Liverpool company, Downing Developments' latest
downtown scheme on the site of the old Fire Brigade Headquarters.
The scheme is a much compromised version of the original proposal for
higer towers.
Lots of really interesting stuff as usual, especially in the biz section.
See for yourself
Downtown boobs?
A
new report by the RAC
Foundation highlights dire consequences of overbearing approaches
to downtown parking management, with up to a third of folk often giving
up and going home!
One sure way of keeping the traffic flowing we suppose- only thing is
it kills off trade!
We hear of one plucky
business in Dale Street who have been forced to negotiate short term
parking provision for their customers to stop losing trade.
Downtown
- heart of an eco metropolis?
Liverpool City Council has been invited to sign the The Aalborg
Charter [link]
that commits them to being as eco-friendly and sustainable as possible
-including being signed up for 'Fair Trade' purchasing , which we welcome.
The Big Dig
Has
well and truly started at the Paradise Project.
Lunar Landscape? Chavasse
Park Dec 04
click to enlarge
Excavation is at an advanced stage at Chavasse Park future home of 2100
underground car parking spaces.
Quick message to Grosvenor - check out the picture of Spinney House (see
left) for a development cue for building massing in the PSDA.
Build em BIG - building the mix - every downtown store no matter how big
benefits from having multi-storey offices or housing above.
Transport Envy
A
reminder, not to forget that other cities have needed trams, Liverpool
ditched its trams in the 50's and has had an integrated rail system and
underground metro since the 1970's.. Where was Manchester's city centre
loop and metro?
Nice Fountain..
Shame about its neighbours..
The new fountain in Williamson Square is magnificent, but now
the planning decisions of yesteryear come to haunt us as the retail box
on its northern side (background of pic above) shows.
Fragile Downtown?
A
small sign that the downtown recovery in Liverpool is still some
way from being a revolution. News that the excellent Vernon Arms pub
on Dale Street is to be closed.
Downtown entrepreneur Martin Ainscough suggests that the closure of the
city council's Municipal Annexe has hit takings hard. If this is
the effect of just one office block - imagine the effect of all
those decisions to house inward investment out-of-town and limiting floorspace
of new proposals?
Let's
get building bigger and better mixed-use buildings in the heart of
downtown then? Temple Court and Renaissance Buildings are
great starts, but just so diminutive.
As for the Vernon, read about its tempestuous past as the after-hours
'office' of the nightmare Militant regime in the 1980's here.
More latterly -a favourite hang-out of Liverpool Architecture and Design
Trust (remember them..?) when they were in Vernon St...
Filling in the Gaps
Bold
Place
Better news then as this picture shows, the city is slowly healing
itself, filling in the gaps in the cityscape which had previously
been seen as lo-value, derelict sites.
Sensible planning decisions such as this will over ten years add 000's
of sqm of additional lettable space downtown, bring in £000's
of additional local taxes and most importantly bring in 000's more
people to live downtown.
Reaching for the sky
Excellent
piece on tall buildings in London on this week's BBC Newsnight.
All sorts of considerations discussed about building a dynamic city that
attracts young people to live, rather than older people to visit on heritage
holidays! read
article
Nothing new, just a reminder
This
nice
article from a year ago in the Daily Telgraph got it slightly
wrong. We are not looking for a new identity as such, rather just to remind
people that Liverpool always has been and will continue to be a warm creative
place - we think that sometimes we need to remember that ourselves!
City Centre Cardiff booming
Cardiff's new Millennium Centre is
opening this weekend. With the rest of their Bay Area taking on form through
a LONG TERM plan of urban growth dividends are evident. Plenty for us
to learn from here?www.visitcardiff.info
Remember though that Liverpool has had these types of facilities for over
100 years- not too bad!
INTERNATIONAL
Downtown
NYC Special
Fifth Avenue & 53rd Street
Reproduced by permission.
Copyright Jeff Greenberg/NYC & Company, Inc.
As we have mentioned on this site for many months now, there is a deep
cultural and physical bond between Liverpool and New York.
From the early days of the Packet ships to the Liverpudlians who played
that gig at
the home of the New York Mets - oh, and the 12 million + people
who emigrated to North America thru NYC from Liverpool.
No other downtown in the world can rival New York! But with our
own steets tumbling down to the river Mersey, our unique un-English architecture
and our gritty, humourous, have-a-go citizens -we of all UK cities come
closest to the Big Apple.
Which
UK city queued round the block for days to sign the 9/11 condolence book?
Which UK city has the earlier forms of steel-structured tall buildings
than NYC (or Chicago!)
Where else in the USA can you find Strawberry Field, Water Street, Jamaica Street, and the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board?
Check
out these great downtown NYC links:
Skyscrapers
Transport
Planning
Parks
Tourism
also the excellent lowermanhattan.info
Also read this seminal
editorial from David Charters of the Liverpool Daily Post on
Sep 11 2002.
The
United States unfettered by warped and overburdening ideas of 'tradition'
in architecture has some of the greatest modern buildings in the World
[www.building-america.org]
Remember that most U.S downtowns are as historic as our very own! Downtown
Liverpool was never an historic religious, academic or governmental centre..it
was a mighty, continually changing and growing, commercial and cultural
heart of an international metropolis...and it could be again if we put
our minds to it!
A great link too from author
Pete Hamill in his latest book about NYC 'downtown'
Calling All City Builders
Global City is a unique
networking opportunity for international urban decision-makers from the
private and public sector.
If you're interested in coming to Cannes with Downtown Liverpool
from March 6-8 2005, then email
us.
Remember you can fly to Nice from Liverpool in 3h15'!
Lots of lessons from Minneapolis
credit: relocationcentral
A truly inspiring story from the US where Minneapolis never followed the
vogue for tearing the heart out of cities, gives us many indicators of
not only the policies we should be following here, but vitally, the perceptions
that underpin development of sound policies for urban growth we have lobbied
for!
asu.edu
Design
Review-ed: Town Centre Retail - Lessons Learnt From Projects
Reviewed by CABE's Expert Design Panel
Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment
[CABE]
ISBN: none
0.7Mb pdf download
it
Great City Search
R. Heywood, Kamimi Khanduri (Editor), David Hancock (Illustrator)
Usborne Publishing Ltd
ISBN: 0746027052
32pp
'Revealing the secrets of the city, this amazingly detailed book for
young children shows what goes on under the streets, how a skyscraper
is built and much more' (amazon).
Ideal for Christmas and to help shape the Urbanists of the Future!
The
Downtown Liverpool Organisation
info@downtownliverpool.org
mobile: 07951 049 095
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