Victoria Square House

Last updated

Victoria Square House
Victoria Square House.jpg
Victoria Square House
Former namesHead Post Office
General information
TypeCommercial
Architectural style French Renaissance
Address Victoria Square, Birmingham
CountryEngland
Coordinates 52°28′45″N1°54′09″W / 52.479275°N 1.902598°W / 52.479275; -1.902598 Coordinates: 52°28′45″N1°54′09″W / 52.479275°N 1.902598°W / 52.479275; -1.902598
Completed1891 (1891)
OwnerArdstone Capital
Technical details
Floor count6
Floor area160,000 square feet (15,000 m2)
Design and construction
Architect Henry Tanner
Listed Building – Grade II
Designated25 September 1972
Reference no.1076142
Interior of General Post Office, photo taken circa 1894 shortly after opening. The statue, of Sir Rowland Hill, is now in Aston Royal Mail Delivery Office, the city's main postal depot. Interior General Post Office Birmingham.jpg
Interior of General Post Office, photo taken circa 1894 shortly after opening. The statue, of Sir Rowland Hill, is now in Aston Royal Mail Delivery Office, the city's main postal depot.

Victoria Square House, is an office building on the south side of Victoria Square, Birmingham, England. It was formerly Birmingham's Head Post Office, designed in the French Renaissance style by architect for the Office of Works Henry Tanner for the General Post Office.

Contents

The building was constructed between 1889—1891 and operated as the city's head post office until the 1972 when administrative and sorting office facilities were moved to a new, larger building on Severn Street (since rebuilt as The Mailbox). There were plans to demolish the building in 1973; however after a seven-year campaign by The Victorian Society it was saved. In 1989 the former sorting office was demolished and in 1991 an office development was opened with the former public counter building forming its entrance lobby.

The building now provides 160,000 sq ft of Grade A office space over six floors with a floor plate of 27,000 sq ft.

History of the site

Corbett's Temperance Hotel in 1887 Corbetts Temperance, Birmingham.jpg
Corbett's Temperance Hotel in 1887
The Head Post Office under construction in 1890. Old Post Office Birmingham Construction.jpg
The Head Post Office under construction in 1890.

Before the site was cleared in 1888—9, it contained a number of smaller buildings including Corbett's Temperance Hotel, Joe Hillman's dining rooms, the Theatre Royal, Christ Church School associated with the nearby church and the 'London Hatters', a small hat shop, amongst many other small shops and Georgian terraces. These buildings were most probably the first buildings built on the site as Birmingham began to expand during the 19th century.

Corbett's Temperance Hotel which stood at the corner of Hill Street and Paradise Street was opened in 1842 in a Georgian building which probably dated from 1750. The boarding house and coffee shop was opened by Joseph Corbett to provide an alternative venue for socialising and relaxation other than public houses and inns. Joseph Corbett was a local activist who worked to improve the lives of the poor of Birmingham, he often provided the hotel as a venue for charities to hold meetings and events. [1]

In July 1830 the plot was considered as the site for the new Town Hall. The E. & C. Robins valuation shows the 60 by 30 square yard Town Hall occupying the northern part of the plot defined by Hill, New and Pinfold Streets. The surveyors' valuation of the site allowed for the construction of a new road across the plot, effectively extending Swallow Street eastward. The total cost of purchasing the full site, minus potential resale values of material saved from demolition of existing buildings, was estimated to be £9,500. [2]

These buildings were most probably the first buildings built on the site as Birmingham began to expand during the 19th century. The site was cleared of all these buildings in 1888—9 to make way for the construction of the large post office. The Post Office opened for business on 3 August 1891.

Demolition Proposal

The building was given Grade II protection as a listed building on 25 September 1972. [3] However, in 1973 a plan by the Midlands Postal Board to demolish the building and replace it with a high rise scheme by R. Seifert and Partners was granted permission. [4] After a seven-year campaign by the Victorian Society, joined in 1976 by the Green Ban Action Committee, led by Pete Carter, the building was saved from demolition. [5] The Victorian Society broke new ground in conservation tactics by submitting for planning permission an alternative scheme which retained the post office. The postal board adopted this scheme as a basis for the future development of the site. [4] The future development involved the demolition of the red brick sorting office at the rear of building. The adjacent parcels office which was connected by a link bridge over Hill Street was also demolished, and was replaced in 1985 by One Victoria Square, designed by Watkins Grey Woodgate International. The preservation of the Post Office was one of the first and most important victories for architectural conservation by the Victorian Society. [4]

After the Post Office

The old Post Office in 1983, after cleaning and before demolition of the rear building. Note that the central arch is not yet a doorway. One Victoria Square is visible to the right. OldPostOffice1983.jpg
The old Post Office in 1983, after cleaning and before demolition of the rear building. Note that the central arch is not yet a doorway. One Victoria Square is visible to the right.

In 1990-91 the former Royal Mail sorting office was demolished and replaced with a six-storey modern office block bounded by Pinfold Hill, Hill Street and the tracks of New Street railway station. The office block was financed by John Laing Developments and SC Properties Limited, built by John Laing Construction and designed by Seymour Harris Partnership. The listed part of the building was retained, forming the entrance lobby to the offices beyond. The new building was completed on 23 December 1991 at a cost of £25 million. [6]

In 1992, TSB Bank plc made the building its national headquarters taking a lease of all six floors. The Post Office maintained a presence in the building with a branch office on the ground floor of the office block with entrances on Pinfold Street and Hill Street. TSB commissioned Antony Gormley's Iron: Man statue to stand outside the entrance of the building in 1993 during the redevelopment works to Victoria Square. TSB vacated the building in 1998 following its merger with Lloyds Bank.

The building now provides 160,000 sq ft of Grade A office space over six floors. The Grade II listed building, with a new doorway cut into the central arch of its facade, forms the entrance lobby to the offices which are located in the modern extension which overlooks New Street station. The building is managed by GVA Bilfinger.

F&C Reit Asset Management put Victoria Square House up for sale for £40m in October 2013. [7] Irish investment firm Ardstone Capital bought the property for the asking price in November 2013. [8]

Tenants

The law firm DLA Piper is the largest tenant in the building occupying 54,000 square metres (580,000 sq ft) across two floors and signed a 10-year lease in 2012. [9] Post Office Ltd have their main city centre branch on the ground floor with entrances on Pinfold Street and Hill Street. Other tenants include the Gambling Commission, the National Lottery Commission, Consumer Council for Water, Avanti West Coast and law firm Browne Jacobson. [10]

Related Research Articles

Birmingham Central Library Former main public library in Birmingham, England

Birmingham Central Library was the main public library in Birmingham, England, from 1974 until 2013, replacing a library opened in 1865 and rebuilt in 1882. For a time the largest non-national library in Europe, it closed on 29 June 2013 and was replaced by the Library of Birmingham. The building was demolished in 2016, after 41 years, as part of the redevelopment of Paradise Circus by Argent Group. Designed by architect John Madin in the brutalist style, the library was part of an ambitious development project by Birmingham City Council to create a civic centre on its new Inner Ring Road system; however, for economic reasons significant parts of the master plan were not completed, and quality was reduced on materials as an economic measure. Two previous libraries occupied the adjacent site before Madin's library opened in 1974. The previous library, designed by John Henry Chamberlain, opened in 1883 and featured a tall clerestoried reading room. It was demolished in 1974 after the new library had opened.

Brindleyplace

Brindleyplace is a large mixed-use canalside development, in the Westside district of Birmingham, England. It was named after Brindley Place, the name of the street around which it is built. It was developed by the Argent Group from 1993 onwards. In addition to shops, bars and restaurants, Brindleyplace is home to the National Sea Life Centre, Royal Bank of Scotland, Orion Media, Ikon Gallery of art and the Crescent Theatre. The site covers 17 acres (69,000 m²) of mixed-use redevelopment on a grand scale - the UK's largest such project. The Birmingham Canal Navigations Main Line Canal separates Brindleyplace from the International Convention Centre, although there are linking bridges. The National Indoor Arena, Old Turn Junction and bustling bars of Broad Street are nearby and it is easily accessible and within walking distance of the main bus, metro (tram) and rail routes.

Mailbox Birmingham Shopping mall in Birmingham, England

Mailbox Birmingham is a mixed-use development located within the city centre of Birmingham, England. It houses British luxury department store chain Harvey Nichols, and the BBC Birmingham studios.

Council House, Birmingham Municipal building in Birmingham, West Midlands, England

Birmingham City Council House in Birmingham, England, is the home of Birmingham City Council, and thus the seat of local government for the city. It provides office accommodation for both employed council officers, including the Chief Executive, and elected council members, plus the council chamber, Lord Mayor's Suite, committee rooms and a large and ornate banqueting suite, complete with minstrel's gallery. The first-floor's exterior balcony is used by visiting dignitaries and victorious sports teams, to address crowds assembled below. The Council House, which has its own postcode, B1 1BB, is located in Victoria Square in the city centre and is a Grade II* listed building.

New Street, Birmingham

New Street is a street in central Birmingham, England. It is one of the city's principal thoroughfares and shopping streets linking Victoria Square to the Bullring Shopping Centre. It gives its name to New Street railway station, although the station has never had direct access to New Street except via the Grand Central shopping centre through Stephenson Street.

103 Colmore Row Office skyscraper in Birmingham

103 Colmore Row is a 108-metre tall, 26-storey commercial office skyscraper located on Colmore Row, Birmingham, England. Completed in 2021, this building replaced the former NatWest Tower designed by John Madin and completed in 1975. In 2008, a plan by then owners British Land to demolish Natwest Tower and replace it with a taller modern equivalent was approved. This plan never progressed and in 2015 the building passed to the developer Sterling Property Ventures, who successfully applied to have the building demolished. Construction of the new tower began in June 2019 and completed in 2021.

Taikoo Place Office in Westlands Road, Hong Kong

Taikoo Place is a commercial building complex located in Quarry Bay, east Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It comprises grade A office towers, car parking, clubs, office apartment, parks, and shops to meet the needs from business people worldwide. Island line (MTR) are available alongside Taikoo Place, Cityplaza and Taikoo Shing. These three complexes are all managed by Swire Properties since the beginning from Taikoo Sugar Refinery, the subsequent Taikoo Dockyard and the recent demolitions of the industrial buildings.

Corporation Street, Birmingham

Corporation Street is a main shopping street in Birmingham city centre, England. It runs from the law courts at its northern end to the centre of New Street at its southern.

Baskerville House Building in Centenary Square, Birmingham, England

Baskerville House, previously called the Civic Centre, is a former civic building in Centenary Square, Birmingham, England. After serving as offices for the Birmingham City Council, it was extended with additional floors in 2007.

Martineau Galleries is a proposed mixed-use development for Birmingham, England which was shelved in 2009 but re-approved in 2020. It was to connect the Eastside to the city centre core, a major retail area.

Detroit Statler Hotel Hotel in Detroit, Michigan

The Detroit Statler Hotel was a building located at 1539 Washington Boulevard across from Grand Circus Park between the David Whitney Building and the Hotel Tuller in Downtown Detroit, Michigan. In addition to Washington Boulevard, the hotel also fronted Bagley Street and Park Avenue.

The Cube, Birmingham Mixed use - Office, Retail, Residential, Hotel in West Midlands, England

The Cube is a 25-storey mixed-use development in the centre of Birmingham, England. Designed by Ken Shuttleworth of Make Architects, it contains 135 flats, 111,500 square feet (10,359 m2) of offices, shops, a hotel and a 'skyline' restaurant. It is the final phase of The Mailbox development.

Colmore Row

Colmore Row is a street in Birmingham City Centre in the centre of Birmingham, England, running from Victoria Square to just beyond Snow Hill station. It is traditionally the city's most prestigious business address.

Snowhill Hotel, residential, office and retail in Birmingham, England

Snowhill is a mixed-use development in the Colmore business district, known historically as Snow Hill, in Central Birmingham, England. The area, between Snow Hill Queensway and Birmingham Snow Hill station, is being redeveloped by the Ballymore Group. The £500 million phased scheme has been partly completed on the site of a former surface car park adjacent to the railway station and West Midlands Metro terminus.

EY Tower Skyscraper in Toronto, Ontario

The EY Tower is a skyscraper in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at 100 Adelaide Street West. The building was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and WZMH Architects.

Central Square, Cardiff Large public space and transport hub in Wales

Central Square is a large public space in Cardiff, Wales, adjacent to Cardiff Central railway station and included Cardiff Central bus station between 1954 and 2015. It was redeveloped and extended in the late 2010s and early 2020s.

Grand Hotel, Birmingham Grade II* listed Victorian hotel in the city centre of Birmingham, England

The Grand Hotel is a Grade II* listed Victorian five star hotel in the city centre of Birmingham, England. The hotel occupies the greater part of a block bounded by Colmore Row, Church Street, Barwick Street and Livery Street and overlooks St Philip's Cathedral and churchyard. Designed by architect Thomson Plevins, construction began in 1875 and the hotel opened in 1879. Extensions and extensive interior renovations were undertaken by prominent Birmingham architecture firm Martin & Chamberlain from 1890 to 1895. Interior renovations included the building of the Grosvenor Room with Louis XIV style decoration.

Paradise, Birmingham Area in the city centre of Birmingham, England

Paradise, formerly named Paradise Circus, is the name given to an area of approximately 7 hectares in Birmingham city centre between Chamberlain and Centenary Squares. The area has been part of the civic centre of Birmingham, England since the 19th century when it contained buildings such as the Town Hall, Mason Science College, Birmingham and Midland Institute buildings and Central Library. The site was redeveloped from 1960 to 1975 into the present Paradise Circus based within a roundabout on the Inner Ring Road system containing a new Central Library and School of Music. From 2015 Argent Group will redevelop the area into new mixed use buildings and public squares.

Ringway Centre

Ringway Centre or SBQ is a Grade B locally listed building located on Smallbrook Queensway in the city centre of Birmingham, England. The six-storey, 230 metres (750 ft) long building was designed by architect, James Roberts as part of the Inner Ring Road scheme in the 1950s and is notable for its gentle sweeping curved elevation along Smallbrook Queensway. Completed in 1962 the building originally named the Ringway Centre was the first part of the Inner Ring Road scheme to be completed and the only part with street level shops and footways. The building currently provides office space on its upper floors and commercial space at street level.

Melbourne, the capital city of the state of Victoria, in Australia, has been described as an important Victorian era city, and has a wealth of buildings from the period, including public buildings like the State Library, Parliament House, and the General Post Office, the Royal Exhibition Buildings, and commercial buildings like the Windsor Hotel, the Block Arcade the Rialto Group, and the Gothic Bank. The inner suburbs are also largely Victorian, composed of terraced houses with cast iron lace, and streets of continuous shop-houses dotted with elaborate pubs, while beyond that are suburban areas of freestanding Victorian villas, and dozens of large, often towered, mansions.

References

  1. The Opportunities of Industry: Corbett's Temperance Hotel and Joseph Corbett, Birmingham's Georgian & Regency Streets, retrieved 22 January 2013
  2. Peers, Anthony (2012). Birmingham Town Hall: An Architectural History. Lund Humphries.
  3. Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1076142)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 Holyoak, Joe (1989). All About Victoria Square. Birmingham, United Kingdom: The Victorian Society, Birmingham Group. ISBN   0-901657-14-X.
  5. Jon Bloomfield, "Pete Carter", The Guardian , 25 October 2011
  6. Seymour Harris Architecture - Victoria House , retrieved 16 August 2013
  7. "F&C Reit's Victorian values". Property Week. 18 October 2013. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  8. "Ardstone agrees to buy €48m block in the UK". Independent.ie. 24 November 2013. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  9. "Refurb on the cards for Victoria Square House". Birmingham Post. 17 February 2012.
  10. Tenants Victoria Square House