Discuss: Old Factory Buildings (Totally NRR)
kenny
1,024 Posts
i want to know how government deals with old obsolete industrial buildings in your country. I know in some where in Europe, or maybe even US, there are club districts or art/cultural districts funded by government which were once old obsolete factory areas, turned into somethign the young and hip dudes would hang out and do their thing.The reason is:government here is thinking about loosening up the current control policy over the conversion of old obsolete industrial/factory buildings into residential/hotel developments, which is currently still prohibited (i.e. the government won't even accept any applications for redeveloping industrial buildings into residentials/hotels, in some areas)now, at first, the government wanted to push our local creative/art industry, which is definitely much needed and is a very good look. ever since, many self employed artists/ creative dudes/ musicians had a much affordable alternative to work in, as leasing or buying a factory unit as art/creative use is much economical and was under government support.but now, with this new policy, people are afriad that it is simply a pass for developers to buy up these old buildings cheap and redevlop it as a hip hotel to make loot. Now THIS shit ain't right.So thats why I wanted to see how they do it in other countries.Totally random, boring and non-record related thread, i apologize, but I thought some people here might just be interested to shed some light or throw in their 2 cent and share the story on their side of the world
Comments
I've read an article about the vast abandoned/polluted landscapes of Chernobyl...nothing like that, but a nice little pocket of industrial history in my city.
GAH.
It's a good look, as far as I am concerned. These areas were spooky to walk through in the wee hours.
This is in the heart of the city btw.
http://www.abbotsfordconvent.com.au/convent-community
thanks guys!
so far, mostly revitalization intiatives by way of new real estate projects.
Hmm thats understandable, of course in reality, why pay out the pocket for something that doesn't quite yield as much profit as say a real estate development?
intially, i was trying to go narrower as to if there had been any redevelopment of old factory areas into something like an art/cultural or creative industry districts per se...
Thats what I was trying to get to find out, thanks for this info!
The main problem is in the UK we have protected land called green belt around all the cities and towns, so developers cant buy it to build on. It's supposed to prevent urban sprawl, but in reality all it does is force the price of land and property in the city up to astronomical levels. Many of our city parks and sports fields are giving way because of this. I think it's a disgrace. Now it's too claustrophobic and expensive, there is hardly any open space left, and in my opinion doesn't look any better, or provide better standard of living.
Anyhow...can US folks from the Strut massive shed some lights on an area known as Williamsburg in NYC? Hipster factor aside, I understand that the area went through something similar in the last decade or two? Much thanks in advance!
South of the bridge is where the development has happened much faster. Hunterspoint and them.
The area has now become the new Queens Hotel Zone. One subway stop away from Manhattan and cheaper rates.
Years ago L.I.C. was supposed to blow up...way before Williamsburg became the artists enclave.
Mark DiSuvero has a beautiful waterfront studio, near Queensbridge Projects. He helped establish The Socrates Sculpture Park which was just a dump. He did this in the 70's and LIC has yet to really join the canon of new NYC spots to live/hang/create.
It hasnt really happened. Since he's been workin' out there, he's seen Williamsburg spawn East Williamsburg and then witness Greenpoint emergence.
I would argue the expansion and growth in Williamsburg is a product more so of new development & gentrification than any Gov't/Private Industry push to utilize old mainstay buildings. The Domino Sugar factory near the W'Burg bridge is often cited as a possible building that will be revitalized into livable space, but I think that boat has sailed for the time being.
http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2008/02/domino_sugar_fa_2.php
The growth in Williamburg since the late 90's is often noted as some bohemian expansion from Manhattan's East Village, where artists and the like moved just over the river to get cheaper space. Although before my time, there is probably some truth in that, but since I've moved to BKLYN in '04 its pretty much just been your typical private market expansion of apartment buildings (many not yet completed/sold as a result of the market implosion) as well as a general rise in apartment prices in the area as the area became the soup de jour of all things "cool and young". The area of Williamsburg prior was largely Hispanic and Jewish and its pretty fair to say that the make up has changed dramatically over the past 10 years (and many would argue not for the best).
As an aside, in Oklahoma City where I grew up near, the city and private business did a major transformation of an old warehouse district (known as Bricktown) which has now be utilized for restaurants, clubs and even a baseball stadium (very touristy for those odd persons that do want to tour OKC). Much of this area was delapadated in the 80's but the revitalization started in the early 90's and last I was there is still very much a success for the city.
I moved to Williamsburg in 1991 and I can tell you firsthand that it was all about cheap space where you could do your thing and live on low money. For several years me and some friends rented a loft space where we lived and ran an art studio where we had a drakroom, a silkscreen press and space to make music, thousands of sq feet for less than a dollar a foot. This was technically illegal, but the city didn't bother about people living in industrial spaces back in the Dinkins years. Things started to change as Guiliani took over as mayor and early developers realized that there were people besides the Hasids and Dominicans in W-burg who would support a new reataurant or bar. By 95 or 96 the first new nightspots opened, and those were the best years of W-burg IMO. It still hasn't blown up, there was a real neighborhood feel, and people were really protective of it. By 98 or so it became obvious saw that there was money being made and that is when the neighborhood really started to gentrify. When I moved into my apt on South 2nd and Bedford in 93 it was all Dominican families on the block and my rent was $650 a month for a huge 3 bedroom. That apartment now must be in the $2500+ range I would imagine. I got priced out of the neighborhood years ago and when I go back I dont recognize the place.
With the risk of this post turning into geoexpat.com, I gotta say it's so nice to hear about the good old days of Hong Kong, local and expat...I love hearing about these stories about expats in Hong Kong.
I have a million of 'em. Those were some of the best days of my life - Hong Kong was wide open for an adventurous kid with some cool friends and dough in his pocket.
When I was 15 my girl and I were VIPs at the bar on top of the Hilton - whenever we went we got the prime location and they would put a little brass cube with my name engraved on it on our table. I was never really sure why we got this treatment, but they loved us. We would sip top-shelf Scotch and look out over the city. Believe it or not, this was not an expensive evening, everything was so cheap back then.
That's my token story, I'll stop now.
Where's Kenny???? I might pay White Noise a visit tonight, you keen?
damn man! thats some VIP experience right thur. Back then Hilton was like the only 5 star hotel on HK Island! I believe the site now is occupied by the notorious developer in HK as their head office/landmark skyscrapper.
Nah I think AIG was Mandarin Oriental
Hilton is now Cheung Kong Building no ??
Yeah, the AIG building is too close to the water to be the old Hilton.
If that shot was aimed a little higher you could see the building I used to live in at the May Road stop on the Peak Tram.
I doubt I would even recognize most of downtown now. When I was there the tallest building was the Connaught Center and now you can't even see it because it's surrounded by buildings twice the size. No subway then, either.