Reading Station improvements

[whole diary]

[Visoflex]

Yes, they are services.  Starbucks are moving their concession area to the top of the Western gateline escalators, and the large spaces between the lifts will be occupied by new businesses in glass kiosks such as Boots, Upper Crust, Oliver Bonas, etc.  Details of the new concessionaires are on the current white hoarding.

[stuving]

Now here's a thing. Underneath the back edge of the P7 canopy, where it is fitted round the back of the 3 Guineas, there are some odd-shaped steel sections. Towards P6, they are stepped to follow the profile of the masonry band at first-floor level, so presumably are to do with weatherproofing the join. Further along toward P3, they are shaped with an extra step into the building above each window - but the masonry doesn't do that. That stonework is being cut into in several places, and no doubt that could be done here. But why make it that shape?

See? It does fit ... sort of.

Looking along the rest of this wall, the idea seems to be to leave a gap of 4-6 inches round each pilaster, following its shape. This gap is narrowed to 1-2 inches for most of the length of each bay. But what has gone wrong with this one? A classic negative clearance problem, I'd call it.

[lbraine]

Starbucks moved to new position (atop the Southern escalator/stairs) overnight.

It's right in that corner - so the view over the RBC^‡(resolve) works outside is now restricted.

[paul7575]

Starbucks moved to new position (atop the Southern escalator/stairs) overnight.

It's right in that corner - so the view over the RBC^‡(resolve) works outside is now restricted.

Perhaps Starbucks didn't want to wait until RBC's project is finished - after all rents might be out of their reach in about 5 years time, at present rate of progress on the site...

[stuving]

Starbucks moved to new position (atop the Southern escalator/stairs) overnight.

It's right in that corner - so the view over the RBC^‡(resolve) works outside is now restricted.

Well, so far it hardly affects the view - certainly not compared with the area their seating is shown as spreading into eventually.

So you can still see that the monsters are feeling hungry again. Two more pillars-worth of of raised roadway are coming down now, ages after the rest. It does look rather like a change of plan, doesn't it?

[Oxman]

It looks as though ground works have started on the North side of the station for the open space outside the new North entrance. NR^» (Network Rail - home page) appears to have handed over the space to another contractor and lots of drainage work going on.

[Jason]

So you can still see that the monsters are feeling hungry again. Two more pillars-worth of of raised roadway are coming down now, ages after the rest. It does look rather like a change of plan, doesn't it?

I can't fathom what they're building apart from a 3/4 width staircase to view some graffiti ridden pillars against a grim backdrop of derelict architecture

A lot of the area under the bubble roof over P1/2/3 is now accessible though much of P3 is now closed off again whilst the temporary light and power scaffolding is removed and the holes filled in.
The country end of P3 is still incomplete but overall that space is much nicer now.

[ellendune]

I assume it is part of the redevelopment of the building.  If they are going to redevelop and reclad the building they will want to do it down to ground level so removing the last of the concrete slab is presumably a  that work. 

[paul7575]

The complete building in the view above, including the tall block (out of shot above at the south end of it) is being fully demolished AIUI^▸ (as I understand it).

Paul

[ellendune]

The complete building in the view above, including the tall block (out of shot above at the south end of it) is being fully demolished AIUI^▸ (as I understand it).

Paul

My understanding was that they were now proposing to strip it back to the frame and reclad the tower and redevelop the other buildings at the bottom. 

[Jonty]

No, the whole lot is coming down, praise The Lord.

It's The NCP car park behind that stays, and gets a re-cladding and a  5 a side football pitch on its roof...!!

[stuving]

Are these not all just proposals? I don't think anything has been designed yet, let alone gone to planning. And probably nothing is even half-funded either.

Certainly all the raised roadway and the row of tatty shops will eventually be replaced by something else. However, the change I was talking about is to the interim arrangement, when first opened to the public.  Were were some pictures? I though so, but I can't now find any.

[paul7575]

The latest idea for a 'temporary events space' was only approved in January this year, having been submitted April last year:

RBC^‡(resolve) planning ref:     130440

Site Address:  Western Tower Office and 26-58 Station Hill Reading RG1 1NF

Description:   Demolition of Station Hill Retail Parade (including 26 to 58 Station Hill) to create a multipurpose area to be used for holding temporary events. Works of hard and soft landscaping and other incidental works.

It looks to me as though there will be some sort of temporary wall in line with the far side of the new steps (parallel to the line of the station) until they decide what to build on the site.

Paul

[paul7575]

My understanding was that they were now proposing to strip it back to the frame and reclad the tower and redevelop the other buildings at the bottom. 

Ah, I think that is the current plan for the independent 'Thames Tower' which is across the road from the old station entrance.   (The dark brown coloured tower with the nets fastened round it.)  That is a change from the original full demolition of everything.   But the site at the address I just posted (the one in stuving's photo) is just about to come down, and seems to have been proposed for full demolition in all the earlier plans I can find.

Paul

[stuving]

It looks to me as though there will be some sort of temporary wall in line with the far side of the new steps (parallel to the line of the station) until they decide what to build on the site.

You have to look quite hard at that application to work out what level it is at. It says the ground level will be raised slightly after demolition, but I think that just means up to the lower (bottom of the steps) level. There will obviously need to be a wall to separate this low level from the high level towards Thames Tower. Incidentally, this application does still talk about demolishing that (but of course it's a year old now).

I wasn't sure if this "temporary" plan would get done right away - but it looks as if it is, so in that sense it is a change of plan (from waiting for a decision to having one). Of course it may not be actually finished at the time the steps are opened.