The Princesshay Redevelopment - Page 3

Christmas - and the lights are glowing

13th December 2005 - Just a couple of night shots of the development this week. The new Debenhams steelwork is expanding and the sparks from the welders were flashing as the sun went down. The cranes on the Eastgate end are covered with Christmas lights - ahhh. Land Securities think of everything don't they!

Christmas light draped cranes are working under floodlights at the Eastgate end of the development. The Cathedral can be seen in silhouette. 13 December 2005

Although it doen't look like it, this was taken after sunset. Taken from the observation area. The new Debenhams has added a wing since the photo of 28 November. 13 December 2005

28th November 2005 - it started with a heavy frost this morning but within a half hour it changed to drizzle and heavy cloud. The Debenhams steelwork is expanding and what was an empty Bedford Street is reestablishing its boundaries.

The steelwork expands for the new Debenhams. This is the view from the observation window off the High Street. The weather is wet and dark. 28 November 2005

The new Debenhams steelwork from opposite the old entrance to Post Office Street. 28 November 2005

5th January 2006 - The Christmas break has seen the new Debenhams grow and its full extent is now obvious. I think that many will be horrified at its scale and how small the new Bedford Square will be. There have already been letters to the Express and Echo about it.

The view from Debenhams. The foundations are extensive and there is a large excavation on the left for the new underground carpark. The new Debenhams has grown larger since before Christmas. 5th January 2006

19th January 2006 - At first view, it does not look as though much has happened. However, work is progressing - all the floors are in the new Debenhams and the steelwork for the second stage opposite, on the old single storey shop site is complete. At the Eastgate end, along Paris Street, the excavations for the underground carpark is progressing and a lot of concrete has been poured for the ground floor of the new Eastgate House. Is it my imagination, or do ALL the McAlpine managers always stand around, discussing anything but building.

A view down Bedford Street and the new Bedford Square. The square will be much smaller than many, I suspect, imagined - still retail is king as it pays the biggest rent - space for the people is wasted space and lost rent! 19 January 200

A scissor platform supports two workers measuring up all their errors on the new steelwork! 19 January 2006

The side of the new Debenhams from the street. 24 January 2006

The corner of the new Debenhams with the rear of the High Street shops beyond. 24 January 2006

5th February 2006 - The first view today is of Bedford Street and the second, a Land Securities sponsored 'artwork' behind Broadwalk House.

The narrow gap of the new Bedford Street. Debenhams looms over on the right and the replacement buildings for Rosticceria Italia, the Taverna, and other shops. 5 February 2006

The temporary artwork at the rear of Broadwalk House. Called Ancient & Modern and designed by Patrick Shanahan, it is 30 metres long by 5 metres high. Made up of six photographs, it took 9 months of work to produce. My version is three photos joined together. 5 February 2006

20th February 2006 - The building is going through a stage on consolidating what they have done - this means bolting bits on to existing structures and filling in the gaps. No major steelwork has appeared elsewhere on the site

The front of Debenhams is beginning to take shape - the brick sections are a complete fake as they are delivered as pre-made brick veneered panels and bolted on. 20 February 2006

Three workers cutting up sections of insulation on the back of a truck. They are standing on one of the brick panels, mentioned in the previous photo. 20 February 2006

20th March 2006 - The front of the new Debenhams is starting to take shape. There is a lot of work going on elsewhere digging the basement lorry park, but essentially, it is more consolidation at the moment. A news item mentioned that the steelwork is to start going up at the new Eastgate very soon.

Looking up at the front of the new Debenhams. The photo gives some idea of the height of the building. 20th March 2006

Three photos joined together - from the left, the new, narrow Bedford Street, centre right Post Office Street with the city wall and right, Broadwalk House. 20th March 2006

28th March 2006 - At last - the steelwork for the replacement for Eastgate House being assembled. I checked yesterday morning and nothing was in place - this morning, and several uprights and crossbeams were installed

The first steelwork for the new Eastgate House has been assembled, sprouting like the much delayed spring daffodils. The workers must welcome the milder weather of the last few days. 28th March 2006

The steelwork from the corner of Debenhams - it won't be long before this is a maze of iron, woven together by the welders. 28th March 2006

18th April 2006 - A bonus today as I have posted four photos of the development. The whole site is swarming with workers and a lot of concrete has been pored. The new Eastgate is expanding and its circular shape stating to emerge. Elsewhere, retaining walls and the basement delivery area is emerging.

Two buses stop in front of the circular front of the new Eastgate House in the High Street. 18th April 2006

A worker rides his cherry picker in front of the new Debenhams. This is the first of the glass panelling. 18th April 2006

28th April 2006 - A bright spring day shows the development's progress - the building at Eastgate that will be the new Next is showing its oval shape. The Cathedral is disappearing behind more steelwork and a worker takes a moment to admire his handy work.

Debenhams faces the curved steelwork of the new Next at Eastgate. 28th April 2006

'Can we fix it - yes we can' - a worker surveys the progress of the development so far. 18th April 2006

6th May 2006 - The new Eastgate House that will become Next is taking shape, so today there are two photos to show the progress.

The steelwork for the floors are going in, so the new Eastgate House is looking more solid now. There is a continuous scream of metal cutters, as they shape the corrugated panels to fit. 5th May 2006

Eastgate House, showing the progress from street level. Paris Street is to be closed in one direction soon, for a year, to enable work to continue on this section.
5th May 2006

Eastgate showing the top of Paris Street. The street has been closed to traffic going towards Heavitree. 1st June 2006

The cross of St George has appeared over Eastgate - not to remember the victory over Perkins Warbeck, or Henry VII passing the great gate, or William the Conqueror besieging the city, but to remind us of the modern fields of blood (not literally, one hopes), at the World Cup. 23rd May 2006

12th June 2006 - The observation window in the High Street has been closed to allow for work on the new Bampfylde Lane. The two shots this week are of the new Debenhams in Bedford Street.

The front of the new Debenhams is taking shape - does it look like a cardboard box with the flaps turned outwards, or what?
12th June 2006

Bedford Street with the new Debenhams on the right and the buildings replacing Fanum House and the old shops on the left.
12th June 2006

23rd June 2006 - Every time I go to take photos something has happened at Princesshay - sometimes its quite subtle and sometimes a big change. The new Debenhams is starting to look complete on the outside, apart from detail, such as windows. There were a few workers around who had to get in front of the lens - shrinking violets not!

The new Next at Eastgate. Photo taken from the front of Boots. The full height of the building can now be seen by the addition of the steelwork above the scaffolding. 23rd June 2006

McAlpine workers pose for a photo between intensive periods of graft - or so they told me! 23rd June 2006

6th July 2006 - Bedford Street is really becoming closed in now and the wide open space that existed last summer has completely gone. Eastgate is gradually emerging and the top section is now in place. It is becoming increasingly difficult to photograph what is going on in the centre of the site.

Eastgate from Debenhams last Saturday. The steelwork on the roof can be clearly seen. 1st July 2006

The gap between two of the new buildings in Bedford Street - the area is very congested with scaffolding, boards and the covered, pedestrian walkway. 6th July 2006

12th July 2006 - More from the new Eastgate today, and from the new Bedford Square....

The new Eastgate does seem to blend in quite well to this end of the High Street. Replace Debenhams with a more sensitive structure, and I may actually come to like the crossroads. 12th July 2006

The view along Bedford Street towards the High Street from the new Bedford Square. The steelwork defines the footprint of the north west side of Princesshay quite nicely. 12th July 2006