Latest news with #historicbuilding
BBC News
19 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Keelmen's Hospital in Newcastle gets housing planning approval
Proposals to turn an 18th Century hospital into an apartment building have been Keelmen's Hospital in Newcastle will be converted into 20 flats, with work set to start next Grade II* listed building was most recently used as student accommodation, but has been left derelict since and Wear Building Preservation Trust (TWBPT), which is behind the plans, said the renovation would "bring people back into the heart of the city". The trust, Newcastle City Council and Historic England joined forces last year in an attempt to finally secure a viable future for the at-risk site on City Keelmen's Hospital dates back to 1701 and was built as an almshouse to look after the workers who delivered coal from the banks of the Tyne to waiting 1,600 keelmen of Newcastle paid for the construction of the hospital themselves by giving one penny a tide from the wages of each crew, totalling a £2,000 collection to provide somewhere that would look after sick and ageing workers and their families. TWBPT trustee Shona Alexander confirmed building work was due to start in April next year and the project was expected to take 18 months to two years to includes the reconfiguration of the building to create 20 apartments, restoration and cleaning, installation of solar panels, and the addition of a new entrance from Garth Heads."It is the most fantastic building," Ms Alexander said."It has been there since 1701 and we want to make sure it lives on for another 200 years at least."This will bring people back into the heart of the city and bring new life to a building that really needs it. It has been empty for a long time and it is a waste of a really lovely building." 'Centuries of history' Granting listed building consent for the refurbishment works, city planners concluded that the plans would " secure the long term future survival" of the Keelmen's said there would be "some elements of harm to the significance of the heritage asset", but that any negatives were outweighed by the public benefits of bringing the vacant site back into Greenhough, the council's cabinet member for economy, jobs and skills, said: "The Keelmen's Hospital is one of Newcastle's most storied buildings and it's brilliant to see its next chapter being written."With centuries of history, it's been a huge shame to see this listed building stand empty over the last few years. " There had been numerous attempts to save the building before the current vision to turn it into affordable housing made progress, the Local Democracy Reporting Service year a £437,732 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant was awarded for surveys and design work, with TWBPT hoping to receive a further £4.5m to support the full restoration. Follow BBC Newcastle on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
CTV News
a day ago
- Business
- CTV News
Restoration project of historic hotel brings affordable housing to Woodstock
The Oxford Hotel in Woodstock is under restoration to provide affordable housing. (Lauren Stallone/CTV News London) It was once an iconic hotel. Located in downtown Woodstock, The Oxford Hotel is getting a suite upgrade. 'We're expecting five commercial units on the main level, focused on business professionals,' said Keith Beres, a developer with the project. 'On top of that we're expecting 22 residential on the upper two floors, with an additional six in the basement.' The restoration project is aimed at providing affordable housing in the city's downtown core, while making sure the building's history never checks out. 'Oxford Hotel is hundreds of years old,' said Kerry Barid, a development officer with the city. 'It has been vacant for over 30 years.' Developers said they found several fascinating artifacts, including old textbooks and a concrete structure in the hotel lobby. 'The building was designed by the O'Neil family,' said Beres. 'They were Tip O'Neil's parents, the founder of Major League Baseball, and they created this concrete wall in the lobby so he could practice his curveball.' With the city's population rapidly growing, Mayor Jerry Acchione said the restoration is a great opportunity to open the doors to everything downtown Woodstock has to offer. 'People living and working downtown has always been the goal,' said Acchione. 'Having more affordable units for people to move into downtown is essential.' Acchione said the project came at a good time for Woodstock, noting the city is in the middle of a $51-million streetscape project. 'Just finishing up the first phase of streetscape, this ties it all together,' said Acchione. 'Trying to intensify and do a lot more with what we have here in the city.' Developers are expecting to have the commercial units occupied by the end of 2025 and people living in the former hotel by next summer.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Demolition of historic Newport hotel 'could prove only option'
A "deteriorating" Grade II listed hotel could be demolished, says a town's mayor. Councillor Thomas Janke said the Royal Victoria Hotel in St Mary's Street, Newport, has become a "significant eyesore" due to demolition of the historic building, which dates back to 1830, is not yet being considered, the town's mayor said it could "ultimately" prove to be the safest option for the site. Telford & Wrekin Council in Shropshire said it was using legal channels to pursue a compulsory purchase order after the owner of the hotel failed to comply with its urgent works notice. A spokesperson said the authority remained firmly committed to protecting the Royal Victoria added: "When the owner of the Royal Victoria Hotel failed to comply with the Urgent Works Notice, the council took decisive action to safeguard this important Grade II listed building."Our intervention was necessary to prevent further deterioration, and the costs will rightly be recovered from the owner."The building's owner, Roger Brock, told the BBC last year that council bosses had "consciously frustrated" efforts to implement planning consent for 12 flats that the council passed in Brock previously had expressed a desire to see the scaffold-covered building demolished after a report highlighted structural damage that he said had left him with "no other option".But the council rejected the proposal, saying it would not allow the hotel to be torn week Mr Brock declined to added: "While we hope demolition isn't being considered at this stage, it may ultimately prove to be the only cost-effective, safe, and practical option."Given the building's deteriorating condition and the prolonged legal complications surrounding it, a difficult decision may soon need to be made."No Newport councillor wants to see such an outcome, but if the structure continues to decline, the risks will only grow, making action increasingly urgent."The council said specialist contractors have been appointed to remove asbestos from the site. The Royal Victoria Hotel has been closed since 2015. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
6 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Plans to demolish 400-year-old Coventry building for new home
A historic building, parts of which are thought to be more than 400 years old, could be demolished to make way for a new have been submitted to the city council to knock down The Langleys, in Stoke Green, Coventry, which was built in property, most recently used as a care home, was put up for sale for £800,000 in 2023.A statement included in plans submitted by Warwickshire firm Agility Planning & Design Ltd said that once the property was demolished, a self-build house would be put in its place. The replacement building would be of "high-quality design" that would "potentially enhance the conservation", the heritage statement said."The existing building has had extensive alterations and much of the original features have been lost over time," it added."Although the historical age of the property dates to the 17th century, changes have been unsympathetic and diminished the overall quality and attractiveness of the heritage asset."The building, which is located near to the Joseph Levi Clock in the Stoke Green Conservation Area, has been considerably altered and extended prior to being opened as a care home in to the Coventry Society and Stoke Local History Group, owners Jeffrey Graham and his brother Leonard Rawnsley spent £30,000 converting the house into a retirement Graham said he had been told that the house was once known as The Bowling Green Inn, with historic records mentioning a Bowling Alley House at Stoke Green in 1641. This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations. Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
What's up with all the scaffolding at the York County Admin Center? Here's what to know.
Did you notice the scaffolding outside the York County Administrative Center downtown? It's part of a multi-phased building renovation and preservation initiative to restore the 127-year-old building. Following the move of the courthouse to the current York County Judicial Center in 2004, the county chose to preserve and renovate the historic courthouse building, transforming it into the York County Administrative Center since 2006, according to a media relations spokesperson for York County. The first phases of the renovation were completed in 2024 at a total cost of $338,500. The current phases of the project include extensive repairs and renovations to the building's north-side exterior, including repairs to the existing masonry by fixing and replacing any damaged stones, repairing and upgrading windows, as well general repairs and exterior cleaning, which is expected to be completed by late summer or early fall this year. These improvements are needed to ensure this historic building is well-maintained and preserved for future generations. According to a spokesperson, the total cost of the current project is $1.185 million, funded through a capital improvement fund, rather than the county's General Fund operating budget. This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: What's up with all the scaffolding at the York County PA Admin Center? Solve the daily Crossword
