Latest news with #redevelopment
The Review Geek
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Review Geek
The Nice Guy – K-drama Episode 1 Recap & Review
Episode 1 Episode 1 of The Nice Guy begins with our protagonist, Seok-cheol, returning from a fight to meet Mi-young at the bus station, only to get stabbed. The scene shifts to Seok-cheol reflecting on how he once wanted to become a poet or a novelist, as we see him attending a poetry workshop where people discover he's a gangster. Meanwhile, Seok-cheol learns that his police officer friend is bringing two rival gangs, one of which he belongs to, for a mediation led by his father, a former gangster. When he gets home, we find out his eldest sister, Seok-kyung, lost the deed to their family home in a gambling incident and has gone into hiding, leaving her son in the care of their grandparents. We also learn that his youngest sister, Seok-hee, works as a nurse and is dating one of Seok-cheol's school friends, now a doctor. On his way to deliver kimchi to Seok-hee at her workplace, Seok-cheol stops by his 'workplace' to inform his boss that he's quitting the gangster life. They agree on his release… after he completes one last job: reclaiming land from protestors resisting a redevelopment project. Seok-cheol then waits for his sister when he runs into Mi-young, a musician with a YouTube channel where she shares her compositions. She recently turned down a performance offer because of her stage fright. It becomes clear they have history, and they soon discover that Mi-young is friends with Seok-hee. Later, we learn that Seok-cheol and Mi-young had feelings for each other in school until Mi-young suddenly disappeared. Through Seok-hee, we also learn that Mi-young has been struggling financially, which is why she reached out to Seok-hee for help. The next day, Mi-young shows up for an audition she had been preparing for but freezes when more people arrive. Unable to sing in front of an audience, she loses her chance. Meanwhile, Mi-young and Seok-cheol reconnect and decide to meet again. Mi-young opens up about her stage fright, and Seok-cheol gives her space to express herself. They visit Mi-young's mother at a nursing home, where Seok-cheol encourages her to sing for the elderly residents. Despite her hesitation and memories of being bullied, she manages a short performance. Seok-cheol then drops her home. That evening, Seok-hee calls Seok-cheol to tell him she's found Seok-kyung. One of Seok-kyung's best friends had come to her hospital for a herniated disc, and through her, Seok-hee found out where Seok-kyung had been staying. The siblings then head to a gambling den where Seok-kyung has been working. Chaos erupts as the den's owner and her henchmen attack Seok-cheol and Seok-hee when they try to bring Seok-kyung home. In the midst of it all, Seok-kyung sees the owner attacking Seok-hee and, in a burst of rage, headbutts her, as the episode ends. The Episode Review The debut episode of The Nice Guy lays the foundation for the characters and plot. We are introduced to the Park family—three generations entangled in the gangster world. But the episode also hints at how this family has been forced into this life, especially Seok-cheol, who never wanted to be a part of it. We also get strong introductions to Seok-cheol and Mi-young. Seok-cheol is a man trapped in a life he never chose, while Mi-young is fighting an internal battle that threatens her dream of becoming a singer. Then there's Seok-hee, the youngest sibling who's managed to leave behind the family's legacy and build a life of her own as a nurse. She's energetic, grounded, and brings some lightness to the show. It'll be interesting to see how these characters navigate their lineage, their financial burdens, and the emotional weight that ties them all—especially Seok-cheol, who is trying so hard to step away from a path he never wanted. Next Episode Expect A Full Season Write-Up When This Season Concludes!
Washington Post
6 hours ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Pressure heats up on D.C. Council to hold vote on RFK Stadium deal
A pressure campaign to push the D.C. Council to take faster action to approve the RFK Stadium redevelopment deal with the Washington Commanders is mounting, with a new group and a Republican congressman joining the effort. D.C. lawmakers have said for weeks that they are doing their due diligence on the $3.7 billion dollar deal, which includes more than $1 billion in public funds, and they expect to approve a stadium — just not as fast as the mayor or team or their allies may want. Lawmakers are looking for ways to either save taxpayers money, change certain arrangements — such as with the parking revenue or rent — or extract certain community benefits before holding a vote.
Irish Times
a day ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Fresh bid for Dublin's tallest building on City Arts Centre site after High Court quashes An Bord Pleanála ruling
The company behind a plan to redevelop the site of the former City Arts Centre at City Quay is to renew its bid to build Dublin's tallest building there. Having secured planning permission from Dublin City Council just two weeks ago for a 14-storey office block, Ventaway, a company headed up by David Kennan and Winthrop engineering group founder Barry English, is aiming once again to deliver a 24-storey structure on the site. The proposal is being revived on foot of a judgment delivered by Mr Justice Richard Humphreys earlier this week in which he quashed the decision made by An Bord Pleanála in May 2024 to refuse planning permission for the scheme. In arriving at his decision, the judge found that the board was in breach of Section 172 of the 2000 Planning and Development Act by refusing permission for the scheme 'in the absence of a properly conducted environmental impact assessment (EIA) by the board with a reasoned conclusion'. READ MORE The judge also found that there was a 'complete absence of engagement' by the board in relation to the ten-page analysis of its own inspector, which highlighted the fact that the urban development and building heights guidelines for planning authorities issued by former minister for housing Eoghan Murphy in December 2018 supported the granting of permission for a taller building. According to these, local authorities may assess permissible building heights on a qualitative basis, rather than by the limitations imposed by development plans or local area plans. The former City Arts Centre as it is today Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill The Irish Times understands that following this week's court ruling, Ventaway will pursue its entitlement to submit its proposal for the 24-storey tower to the planning appeals board, which is now known An Coimisiún Pleanála, for its consideration. Should it get the go-ahead, the 24-storey tower would rise to a height of 108m (354.33ft) and comprise 22,587 sq m of office space over 23 of its floors, along with 1,404 sq m of artist studios and exhibition space distributed across the front of the building at its lower-ground, ground and first-floor levels. A computer generated aerial image of the scheme proposed for the former City Arts Centre site While the 14-storey building, for which Ventaway currently has permission, would, in contrast, be 61.05m (200ft) in height, the building would be wider, providing additional office space – 23,501 sq m compared to the 22,587 sq m in the taller scheme. The lower-rise scheme would provide less arts and cultural space, with 910 sq m being dedicated to artist studios and exhibition areas compared to the 1,404 sq m provided for in the proposed 24-storey structure.
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's URA may review compensation cuts for residents affected by redevelopment
Hong Kong's cash-strapped Urban Renewal Authority (URA) may review its policy to reduce compensation to residents affected by redevelopments, its new chief has said, as the organisation faces rising financial challenges. URA managing director Donald Choi Wun-hing said on Friday in his first meeting with the media that it was an appropriate time to review the current compensation package. Residential flat owners receive the cash equivalent of the market price of a comparable seven-year-old flat in the same district under the current arrangement. 'We have room to discuss and review the compensation arrangement,' Choi said, adding that there should be flexibility for adjustments. He cited offering cross-district resettlement with new land granted by the government in Tseung Kwan O as one of the examples. The government last month made a rare move of granting the URA two land parcels in Hung Hom and Tseung Kwan O to provide extra financial help for its projects, under the conditions that the authority had to undertake urban redevelopment in a financially sustainable manner, 'irrespective of market ups and downs'.
BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
Council votes to Ashford Park Mall amid 'heated' debate
A controversial plan to demolish an Ashford shopping centre has been passed. Ashford Borough Council (ABC) voted in favour of a motion to bulldoze Park Mall to, what the council called, a "heated" response from people who had attended the meeting on Thursday. A petition with 3,500 signatures opposed removing the existing site, which the council said was losing £700k a year, to create an interim car park while redevelopment plans are considered. An ABC spokesperson described the debate as "long, and at times heated" but said while considering public feeling, they had voted to pass the motion. Ahead of the vote, which passed with a majority of 30, traders at Park Mall accused the council of making their minds up and not consulting the public over the decision. Save Park Mall campaigner and trader David Hebditch said: "If you'd done even the briefest of public engagements on this subject you would have discovered this overwhelming viewpoint but sadly you didn't."Audible discontent later came from attendees after Reform councillor Bill Barrett was told he could not raise a motion to reverse the decision in part. A member of the public shouted: "This is why this country's in decline. You disgust us." Following an adjournment, Ashford mayor Lyn Suddards told attendees: "I just want to apologise to people who were troubled by the clapping, by the noise, by the upset."I'm afraid I did let the jovial clapping at the start go by but it did become aggressive and some people felt intimidated by the end of that, by the end of the debate and I am sorry about that."Green Party councillor Steve Campkin described how he was "still shaking" after the disturbance. On Friday, an ABC spokesman said that social media speculation police were called "doesn't appear to be true".Kent Police confirmed they did not attend. An ABC spokesperson added: "The Park Mall site is not financially sustainable, with annual losses of £700,000 and significant maintenance costs projected of £980,000 by 2026/27 and £9.3 million from 2028 onwards."
