Please add a comment. I would love to hear your reactions. At the moment I am able reply to every comment either straight away or within 24 hours. By commenting you will help the channel to succeed.
Well I'm very glad that it did appear in your recommended, that's very useful to know. Glad to receive your positive feedback. There is a Swiss flag in my logo alongside Germany and Austria, because I also use German in my videos. Many thanks for commenting!
Hi, just saw this in my recommended and really enjoyed it. Am currently in first year at sixth form yet found a love for urban spaces/redevelopment/architectural design over first lockdown. Am currently interested in urban regeneration in cities. Really enjoyed this vid so will check out some more 👍🏼😄
I'm glad to hear it's appearing as 'recommended'. This is my most viewed video so far. I've been interested in the development of Manchester since I was a child and produced my Eyewitness in Manchester website from 1997-2005. A few of the photos in this video are from my old website. Plenty more on the way! Many thanks! Aidan
Many thanks for the comment. Yes, I am back to my old tricks documenting Manchester and also Liverpool, now using the medium of video but recycling my photo archive, though for this video, most of the images were taken in 2019. I'm impressed with Deansgate Gardens, not so sure about some of the other stuff! A similar video about construction in Liverpool is in planning!
@@AidanEyewitness Nice one. There is a missing 'still' from my post above.... didn't want to imply that your previous stuff was not interesting! I'll look forward to watching that new Liverpool one.
It certainly has changed a lot since 1992. It's difficult to remember how it was before all the changes. I think most would agree, things are better now than they were. Many thanks for commenting and for your positive appraisal.
You maybe interested to know that in 2021, Manchester will start its largest construction era in its history (yes, far exceeding 2018) - astonishing in light of everything that's happened. From Salford Quays to Trafford to Eastlands and the older and traditional city centre. No less than 4 skyscrapers above 500ft will begin (2 at Greengage 508ft & 568ft, one at Great Jackson at 504ft, another at Oxford Road - 551ft) with many in the 3-400ft range blow that. There will be more cranes and construction than at any time since Manchester's regeneration began. That is credit to those rebuilding, whom have the confidence that Manchester is going to reach its new status in this decade. The work is not yet done in Manchester, but the international business and investment is paying off. Manchester is the fastest growing tech city outside London in the entirety of Europe now - astonishing feat. It is also rare in Europe, having a second city with skyscrapers in this manner. Manchester will have more than most major or capital cities in Europe (not that one should judge an economy or beauty by skyscrapers as many are ugly), but it will be a point of note, that Manchester is possibly alone in Europe, unapologetically aiming for the future, and the sky, without restrictions placed elsewhere. This is perhaps only matched by Frankfurt (which of course is far ahead at this stage) but Manchester is much newer in its new world story. Manchester could possibly become major city in Europe within a decade or a bit more. All the ingredients are there. The most incredible development right now is Therme Manchester starting next year!
Wow, thank you very much for your long, detailed and very informative comment. You've pointed out an astonishing truth about the development of Manchester, and how it is, as you say, unique within Europe. No other city in Europe is experiencing such rapid construction of high rise buildings. The way things are looking, I think that Manchester will soon far exceed Frankfurt in height, density and number of tall buildings. Many thanks again for your contribution! :)
@@AidanEyewitness other cities in Europe are experiencing skyline booms notably: Moscow, Rotterdam, Milano, Madrid, Warsaw, Frankfurt, and Istanbul European sector
Manchester has been a major city economically in Europe for a long time, i like your comment but its about 20 years out of date. Many many European cities have Skyscrapers now, Rotterdam, Frankfurt, Paris, Barcelona, Warsaw, Milan etc….also Manchester isn’t even alone in the UK as being a city outside of London with a skyscraper building boom, Birmingham in particular has its own very tall buildings being built and so does Leeds.
@@juicyfruit4378 absolutely. They seem to be Manchester biased or out of touch. But yes other cities are also building Skyscrapers, not taking anything away from Manchester though, the pace of the boom here is phenomenal.
@@chrispaw1 The Manchester area has been for a long time, the city centre has not. In fact, Manchester's central area is weak compared to many European cities economically and developmentally. Its public realm is appalling on aggregate. It is addressing these issues but it has a long way to go. Where did I say other European cities don't have skyscrapers? Where did I say they are even desirable?! Damn ugly from what I can see. 500ft in Birmingham is hardly a skyscraper - more a hillock! High-rise, yes, skyscraper? Absolutely not. Birmingham is also built on a 500ft AOD hill which means nothing above 650ft (or 200m) will ever likely pass the planners as it is on a flight path. Leeds....they don't have a skyscraper yet, but a few high-rises of very modest proportions. Leeds should not try to follow Manchester's and Birmingham. it used to have far more class than that. Sadly they are all following suit and are very undemanding in what goes up.
I think that most of these office buildings were commissioned before the pandemic. Lots of money was invested in them, so they must have thought, they would bring a return on investment. It remains to be seen whether they are all going to be filled. Many thanks for your comment.
@@AidanEyewitness The point I was trying to make AVZINE ( which obviously I didn't do very well ) was that we need to repatriate high tech industry back to the north. However I appreciate your comment.
Hi, here's a question: has Manc-Hattan been unsafely cladded? I mean, there's all this talk about Machester making 'boom money', etc, etc ... but when the end of the boom comes, what will be the cladding legacy? It would be interesting to see an inventory of buildings affected by this inadequately resolved scandal. Its simply not the case that buildings of excellence are changing the city, and what is being built now the city will be left with for a very long time to come.
That's interesting, as I was riding past the student residences next to the Mancunian Way yesterday, the ones with diagonal walls and I noticed there is work being carried out on the exterior cladding. I'll feature it a follow up Building Boom video. I'm not sure about other buildings, that will need some investigation. Many thanks for pointing this out!
@@AidanEyewitness Sure, I think student blocks will be resolved by universities due building ownership and, ultimately absorbing the remedial costs can be factored into their business model. Its more of an unresolved problem elsewhere though, especially with 'private' blocks where most of the units are mainly apartments. That's what I'm inclined to think. Regards
@@rodneyhenchliffe754 I think there have been some horror stories where owners of apartments have been saddled with the bill for re-cladding. I’ll keep an eye on this issue.
@@AidanEyewitness Sure, the media focuses on the horror stories where large amounts are being asked from tenant owners for such remedial works. I was affected myself in Birmingham City center. But cladding isn't the only issue: unsafe internal insulation and external balconies floored in wood are also common problems that still cost tenants hundreds of pounds to remedy. I was asked for £600 in our block. This is massively widespread it turns out. Relating back to Manchester, the city is looking rather 'groovey' at best, but see what comes up and do keep your mind's eye on a problem that no place seems to have escaped. Regards to you. Rodney
Yes, I agree with you. Not every new building can be like the Shard or Urbis but architects should try to produce more buildings like this - innovative, distinctive, eye-catching,, not the endless 'blanditecture' or 'banalitecture' we seem to see everywhere.
Yes though the London Docklands boom happened many years ago, the boom up here has only got into gear in the last few years. Many thanks for your comment
Doesn’t look like a small Manhattan at all! We have and need our own identity. I hope you build for less fortunate people as well. Balconies and more plants would make your city look fantastic.
I think plenty of people will agree with you about balconies and plants. There are some developments in Manchester where they feature. As for less fortunate people, they are not really helped by most of the city centre developments. Many thanks for your comment!
I think it will mostly be the normal Manchester water supply, originating in the Lake District. Maybe some projects have rainwater capture. It’s a very good question, I’ll look into it!
Nice buildings but what do they produce , do they replace imports , do they manufacture anything , do they contribute to skills , what are these buildings being used for ??????
They must be useful for something and somebody, otherwise the money wouldn't have been found to build them. However it's true that they are not productive and ironically are often built on the site of factories. The site of Deansgate Gardens used to be an area of factories standing by the River Medlock.
Well The Blade and Three60 at Deansgate have already completely sold out and are only slightly more than 50% built so Covid had zero impact on those developments. Both 52 story skyscrapers and both full 🤷🏼
Thank you very much for that information. It seems there are plenty of people around who are doing well and can afford these new super residences. That says something about the local economy too. Many thanks for your comment.
Best not to compare Manchester to Asian or US cities. Just appreciate the city and its tall buildings in it's own right. And there are many more to come. Fantastic and very impressive I think!
Manchester is Londond PT2 with no greenery! There are more parking ticket machines than trees and more signs saying bus lanes than trees or grass lol... Top video very informative.
Thanks very much for your comment. It's been a while since I did that video - two years. Things have moved on since then - that is to be featured in my next 'The and Now 21/22' construction video. That's an interesting view of Manchester by comparison to London! Manchester city centre is short of green spaces, but a new one recently opened - Mayfield Park - the only park I know guarded by security personnel!
Another ill fated attempt for Manchester to compete with London, which it simply cannot. This is the main difference between Brum and Manc - Brum doesn’t try to compete with London as it knows better - same with Leeds - these two cities are investing in their own scenes and identity - Liverpool too, is developing its waterfront to be distinctive. Manchester is only building upwards in an attempt to secure its position as the 2nd city which is and will remain debatable with Brum regardless as neither one of them can compete with London to begin with. All these soulless block buildings don’t secure anything but a skyline - it’s the character of the city that’s important - no one likes a copy cat
Well, that's a very interesting and well-expressed perspective and you make a lot of very valid points. I like to be diplomatic and I don't take sides. I've always been sceptical about this 'second city' business. I prefer to think of the cities outside London as unique in their own right. Theire relative size or importance is irrelevant. Birmingham is the second city by population size. Manchester is considered by many to be the second city for other factors that are more difficult to quantify. I say 'second city' is irrelevant! I hope to do video features soon on Leeds and Birmingham. I did a then and now book about Birmingham, which I think is a very interesting city with a great city centre. Many thanks for your comment!
I think Manchester is the one city that really doesn’t care about London. Nobody talks about London ever and people live a life which is equally as vivid, if different. Londoners have this assumption that people in our regional cities spend their lives trying to emulate them. If I want Manchester to emulate another city, London would be way down the list. Economically and political the Scandinavian cities, or German cities, are a much better model, for Birmingham and Leeds too. They are progressive, have a good green agenda and a fair approach to their citizens. London with it multi- million pound regency squares has no affinity with the poverty scoured high rises of Tower Hamlets. Manchester can be better than that, I am sure.
@@paulwild3676 it can be, but it won’t so long as London reigns supreme in the UK which it does. How many videos do you see UK cities being compared to European or US cities? None. Why? Because London is the comparison notch for all UK cities to compare against. I studied in Nuremberg Germany for 8 years - it best every city that I lived in the UK and Italy by miles in all areas - however, Nuremberg is not on a global scale as London is and neither is Manchester. I don’t believe the citizens of any UK city spends time wanting their town to emulate London - but Social Media does. After the skyscraper boom in London became a RUclips interest, now you seeing a skyscraper boom in the regional cities in the UK. My only concern is that we shouldn’t be just popping up skyscrapers for city competition as happened in the US where the majority of them are a hit or miss with many vacant.
@@juicyfruit4378 Manchester has a political and industrial history to rival a European empire, let alone cities. I get tired of this, “Outside London,” comment each time we measure a city, like in some way people should aspire to be like that place. Manchester has been a dynamic and progressive community for many a moon and never looked at London, as some sort sort of stencil of how to develop. All the firsts would not have happened there if those pioneers cared about London.This superiority complex which London has, is frankly boring. I love Manchester because nobody judges you on your background, your accent, what you do for a living, how much you earn, whether your Father knew all the right people,they accept you at face value.
I do like a lot of the new buildings but hate seeing older buildings being torn down, landlords let them go to ruin to the point there’s no choice but to demolish them. I’m so glad that many of the mills around Ancoats’ New Islington area are, or have been put to new use, being originally from Miles Platting this means more to me than most. I would love to get in some of the higher floors of these new buildings and can’t wait to get some photos from Tower X. Congratulations on having your photos in that book, I’ll have to look out for it. Thanks for Subscribing to my channel Aidan, unfortunately you won’t find much there but I’m hoping to do something in the future, rather than just these photo ones
Many thanks for your comment and I totally agree, it is depressing to see many viable buildings being destroyed, buildings that could be renovated. Old facades are almost always better and more interesting than anything that present-day architects can come up with. I am very disillusioned with most of today's architecture. Only a small number of visionary architects are creating buildings that I like. Yes, it's nice to gain access to buildings but it can be difficult. I've tried to gain access to some in the past but have been refused. Rebuilding Manchester is available to purchase and I think there's also a Kindle edition www.amazon.co.uk/Rebuilding-Manchester-Euan-Kellie/dp/1859837867 Many thanks for subscribing!
The rampant destruction of heritage in Manchester that has seen historic parts of the low-rise city replaced with luxury glass towers that most people cannot afford. I understand that there’s always difficulty balancing heritage and progress, but the way it’s being done is stripping Manchester of its heritage. Replacing it with faceless modernist buildings that could be plucked out of most major cities in Europe. With the working-class heritage of Manchester is particularly under threat
I sympathise very much with your view. I've witnessed the demolition of many historic structures in Manchester. I've been saying for years that the pendulum has swung too far in the direction of new construction. Several mills have been lost in the Ancoats area, including the one where the first transatlantic cable was manuactured. As you say working class history is often forgotten. The Pump House Museum do a good job. Many thanks for your comment.
I’m Manchester man live at Leigh cos cheap to purchase my house , I’m very concerned that true Manc people would’ve left out of town due to cost to live there. You need earn £1,000 a week to afford it.
Some people have said that not all the apartments are expensive. They say there are also some cheaper apartments, however many developments have no affordable homes available and in general, the developments look to cater for younger, high-earning professionals. In Manhattan, rents and property prices are eye-watering and many people commute from upstate New York or New Jersey. Looks like Manchester is going the same way! Many thanks for your comment!
Hello AidanEyewitness: Yes, this is oh-so-true. The old adage of "you get what you pay for". Some places on the UES (Upper East Side) would, at today's prices, run you close to, nay, often exceed $2,000 a month, no bull. But it's all TOTR (top of the range). When I compare what I've seen in NYC with some parts of Manchester (thinking Ancoats) then for me there is by far/away absolutely no comparison. Have a nice day. LS.
Just visited Manchester for the weekend. We went to see those skyscrapers at the bottom of deansgate. Really impressive up close. When the Trinity Islands complex is completed in 2024 it will look even better than it does now. I think Manchester should make use not having any height restrictions on how tall their buildings can be and build 2 or 3 super skyscrapers in excess of 300m that would really transform the skyline
Yes, some super skyscrapers with an amazing design would finally put Manchester on the map as far as tall buildings is concerned, taller than any in London. Many thanks for commenting!
A bit like Dubai, then? The world's tallest skyscrapers outside of the US that for the most part are one-third empty!! Wow, what a chef d'oeuvre of town planning that would be!! A total concrete/steel & glass miasma developed without any architectural prowess at all. At least NYC does it with style. If anyone could develop a silk purse out of a sow's ear, then Mancs could, Corrie-style. Give me Birmingham, Liverpool or Leeds any day, at least they seem to show some respect for their environment.
@@gazriley624 What? On my channel? I didn't see them. People on RUclips can behave very badly but most of the people who comment on my channel make sensible comments. Have you seen my Liverpool Then and Now video?
@@AidanEyewitness yes on here i'm sorry to say. i will take a look thanks. Liverpool really needs to build itself up and grow the mayor and the council here don't seem to be any good at promoting the city which they need to if it wants to compete with the likes of London and Birmingham
What use are apartments to a family.. you want a family home. They appeal to students... but students can’t afford to buy them and can’t afford the high rent... many will lie empty for years before eventually getting demolished as a waste of money. Who’s paying £295000 to buy one of these yet alone hundreds of them 😂 but ultimately as a family man... I prefer a family house away from the busy non stop stress of city life
Many thanks. I think a lot of people will sympathise with your view and wonder how all these apartments are going to be filled. We’ll just have to wait and see. Today’s exciting new building soon becomes the old, outdated building of yesteryear.
I live in Deansgate Square and love it. Moved to Manchester from Leeds during covid because of the job prospects. I absolutely love the new developments and quality of life in the city. However I must note that it is rather dirty. There's a ton of garbage scattered all over, gardens and parks are not maintained and there are barely any green areas ... not to mention the garbage in the canal. If this problem is solved I think Manchester would be the best city to live in the UK
I would hold your breath...people in Manchester have been complaining about the state of the city centre for years.....time to vote out the useless councillors. They have now apparently appointed someone who will be in cage of the environmental aspects of the city centre...we can only hope they start to make a change.
You’re absolutely right. Manchester is very untidy, especially when you go to places like Levenshulme and Longsight. But the city centre is also has a problem of rubbish piling up on the streets. I don’t know what the cause is or what the solution is. It’s definitely not like Switzerland! Also the new buildings are often built next to waste ground that still looks the same as it did 30 years ago, post-apocalyptic! There ought to be more of a grand plan to create a tidy, well organised and co-ordinated city. Can I ask what floor of Deansgate Square you’re on?
@@rufdymond There is no possibility of ousting the Labour council, due to the effect of local boundaries. I think the only thing that could make a difference would be local initiatives or if the Greater Manchester Mayor could come up with an action plan. Many thanks for replying.
@@AidanEyewitness 53rd floor :) Well I think the problem is that no one cleans, rubbish is a problem in all major cities. I've lived in Vancouver, Stockholm and London before ... generally in the USA and Canada they have a law which fines ($2-5k) anyone who throws rubbish on the streets (unless there are no bins for security reasons) and awards those who report someone who's done that ($1-2k) award. I feel that in the UK in general that culture of keeping things clean simply doesn't exist. Also, all places I've lived in have had a lot of force working to keep the place clean all the time. I am yet to see a single person do that in the UK. In the US and Canada you have a ton of ppl on community service and they employ an equal amount of hygienist. London has someone picking the rubbish constantly, every area has a few people ... surely it can't be that expensive for a large city like manchester to employ 50 people to keep the central bits clean and dispatch that many more on community service in the parks. What's the point of ppl laying in jails doing nothing
@@TheVesko95 Wow, the 53rd floor? I'm impressed! Yes, I think you are absolutely right. Tough measures and decisive actions are needed if Manchester is going to fully make the transition from grimy, run-down, depressed provincial city to prosperous, confident, modernised and clean world city. Great to hear about your experiences in other cities comparing to Manchester, that's what the channel is about. Very best wishes and thanks again.
That’s very true. It depends whether you see that as a good thing or not such a good thing! Is it becoming a place for people of all backgrounds, income levels and ages, for families as well as single people, or just a ghetto for high earning younger professionals?
These buildings are great and make Manchester look amazing and a great worldwide tourist attraction. I really admire the council's ambition. Some of the lower end apartments seem relatively affordable for working couples. I just wished there were more tall office towers to add more variation.
@@retronostalgic Yes, Manchester's skyline probably has the most tall buildings outside London but they are still small in comparison to many North American and.Asian cities. Manchester has embraced tall tower living and there's no going back now!
Yes it is, was shocked when I saw it.......and I christened it "Man-TAT-tan", you know, the poorer, tattier version of NYC which has everything that it doesn't, including a great big park at its centre. You can keep it, thanks.
For your next UK adventure you could try one of the following: Leeds, Birmingham, York, Liverpool, Norwich, Bristol, Bath or Canterbury. All top-class A1 places to go and each with their own special bit of UK magic. And all, if I have to be brutally honest, have a lot more going for them than Manchester ever did or had, sorry.
@@lesskeels3417 It's refreshing to hear someone recommending Birmingham over Manchester, I like Birmingham. My daughter is studying in Leeds and I have plans for my first Leeds feature. My main focus will always be Manchester/Liverpool as that's my home base, but I also want to feature innovative architecture & urban development in cities further afield including my 'home from home' cities Dublin and Berlin and maybe Lisbon, Copenhagen, Helsinki, none of which I've visited (yet). Many thanks for the suggestions.
@@lesskeels3417 York, Bath, Norwich and Canterbury are merrie England theme parks for American tourists. The other cities in your list are way behind Manchester. Two of them were built on slavery and Leeds and Birmingham are decades behind Manchester regarding a progressive outlook. You clearly are in awe of Manchester so need to make disparaging comments about it. No intelligent person would claim that any of those cities are on par with Manchester.
@@paulwild3676 We all have our own versions of history. It helps model our futures. But if you're telling me that a giant massive concrete/steel miasma indifferently designed & unimaginatively blended with architecture already in situ then I'm afraid you've lost me. Modernization for the sake of it? Knock 'em all down & build 'em all up again? You call this PROGRESS? I know what I call it!! And no, I am in no way in awe of Manchester: I detest the place, blame Corrie for that. I am in awe of NYC, awesome blend of old & new. Toronto as well. London also has some splendid new buildings. Manchester? Lowry could've designed it the same way he painted it, it wouldn't look much different as to how it does today. Goodbye.
Very interesting indeed. My mum & dad were both born in Manchester in 1930. They immigrated to Canada in 1951. Both my sister and I were born in British Columbia, me, in Vancouver and my sister on Vancouver Island in a little place called Comox where my parents first settled when arriving by train from the East coast of Canada, (Pier 21 in Halifax) and like so many Brits and other Europeans chose to do after the war. My Mothers told me that she had seen an advertisement for passage to Canada I believe for 10 Pounds pp and mentioned it in passing to my father who, to my Mothers surprise, said let go! I may have the cost wrong but the idea was to populate the Colony of Canada so as to give survivors of the war a fresh start at life in a new Country. They both remained here. In Manchester, my father like so many sons, apprenticed under his father as a master printer and lithographer and were known as Smith & Son. The last time my mother visited Manchester in 2000, my Grandfathers business name was still on the side of that building where his printing shop had been and the layout inside was incorporated into what then became a wine bar. I would love to know if the street sign - Smith & Son has survived all this construction you have shared with us? I'm afraid I find it very ugly, very ugly indeed. I shall share this insightful work on my FB page and direct my mum to it and who is now in her 90th year. Thank you and kind regards, Julia M Smith.
Thanks very much indeed for your reply. It's great to hear how your parents made the journey from Manchester to Canada and then all the way over to Vancouver BC. Do you have the address or the name of the street where the printing shop was? If so I can take a look. I couldn't find any reference to Smith and Son printers when I did a search. It can be traumatic when a familiar place changes and well-loved places just disappear. That's what is happening in Manchester, but it has changed radicaly before - in the Victorian era, during WW2 after bombing, in the 60s and in the 90s after the Manchester bomb. It's just a part of what Manchester is, like it or not. There are still plenty of places that haven't changed so much. I intend to do more portayals of Manchester. Many thanks for sharing my video!
@@AidanEyewitness. Hello again, thank you for writing back to me. I have forwarded your Zine to my mother...she isn't so good with getting to her Facebook page but I have told her all about your visual of Manchester and I'm sure she will have an opinion or 10 of the new landscape. I have some information regarding my Grandfathers business location for you. My mother can only remember that one of the 2 streets was Charles Street and that it was across from the river Irwell and there is/was a bridge right there too. I'm afraid that's all I can give you and thank you for offering to have a look-see for me. Kind regards, Julia. M Smith.
Very interesting video about Manchester. I was born in Liverpool and would visit Manchester occasionally in the late 60's / early 70's, and always found it depressing. Maybe the incessant rain and low clouds had a lot to do with it. I just can't remember ever being there with blue skies. It seems that Manchester really has become the defacto northern power house in the last few years, and the building boom reflects this - a very impressive feat. I look at Liverpool and see limited development comparatively. I get the sense that companies are using Manchester as their consolidated northwestern headquarters rather than having offices in both Liverpool and Manchester. All this high rise student apartments is a new thing to me. How do students afford the high rents? I saw the comments about the cladding of these buildings - is this a problem just in Manchester or all over the UK? My guess is that these apartments will eventually become as run down as the old council blocks of flats so prevalent when I lived in the UK. And then what becomes of them?
The council blocks have mostly been renovated and have had new exterior cladding added to them. Some blocks were demolished but most have been renovated. I have a daughter who is going to university - the rent is very high but they are just about able to pay it because the student loan is just about enough to cover the rent, but not much else. I think it's true that companies have offices in Manchester. Manchester is a bigger conurbation and is not limited by the sea to the west. Still, Liverpool is also moving ahead at its own pace. It's not a race between cities. Manchester is certainly a powerhouse but Leeds is also impressive as well as Manchester. As for the weather, that's subjective! The weather in Manchester is pretty similar to the weather all over north west Europe, it's changeable. But grey weather is still associated with Manchester, it's part of its mood. But let's not forget the countless sunny days on which I've taken photos and made videos! Thanks very much indeed for your observations and hope you can visit the local region again to see how it looks today.
Most of these towers have really poor quality public space around them. Somebody living on the 41st floor doesn't feel connected with or in ownership of the ground around them. Hell they barely are connected to the city! I'd prefer to see mid rise buildings, most being between 5-8 storeys, with shops and restaurants etc on the ground floor. Thats how good cities have been made for thousands of years and copying Le Corbusiers outdated vision isn't going to make a more attractive and comfortable place to live. These towers don't even help with population density as the ground around them is empty. Every city around the world, including Manchester, should take lessons from Paris, which has a higher population density than Manhattan despite most buildings being 7 storeys. Mancunians might not love cafe's as much as Parisians but I'm sure they would appreciate a more coherent city, rather than a series of 'developments' that are poorly connected. Vancouver also shows how tall buildings can exist while maintaining active streets, by having mid rise buildings on the street and the towers are set back, that could also be a good option. Hopefully they'll also sort out their cycling infrastructure. No child or elderly person can safely cycle in the city, and even for an able bodied adult its still very unsafe and not very convenient. Still, I have lots of faith in the city, the progress there is immense!
You have made some very valid points. The new buildings look like they are off the desk of Le Corbusier in the 1920s. Futuristic, and yet the area around them still looks like the ex-industrial area that it was. Central Manchester has facades and proper streets. In St Peters Square facades were demolished and replaced with a taller building (No 1 St Peters Square). As for the cycling infrastructure, that is something I want to look at in a future video. Many thanks for your comments!
shut up!! i was just thinking about that, before the plane showed up!! yes!! make a video about lisboa if you want!! manchester and lisbon have more or less the same people and they are both major european cities ( although we dont have the same wealth as you have... the usual problem). lisbon prefer to build cubic close to the ground buildings instead towards the sky... i guess we are afraid of something, i dont know... shame tho. the future is racing to the skies
I've never been to Lisbon, but I know people who have. My Auntie from Ireland was a nun and she was at the Convent Bom Succeso. My sister went to visit her. I have a German language student, he's from Porto. I'd very much like to visit Lisbon. I'm also interested in the trams, they look great. I could either do a video based on a 'covid' visit, i.e. remotely - not going there but staying at home, gathering information online and using library photographs and videoclips - or I could go there in person and see it with my own eyes - or I could do 'covid' soon and 'in person later. Wel'll see! I hope to take that direct flight on the TAP Airbus one day. Many thanks for your comment!
I'll tell you how Manchester could outdo London. By building the tallest skyscraper in Britain, overtaking the Shard. Achievable with the right will and ambition.... Over to you Ian Simpson! Lol
Yes I think that's a very good point. Although all the recent construction is impressive, there is still no single, iconic building like the CN Tower, the Burj Khalifa or Petronas Towers that marks the city out. The height of buildings is determined by the level of economic activity but there are ways a project like that could be helped along. Most of all I want to see a public viewing platform. There will be one on the Trinity Islands tower. That building has not yet been started, as you'll see in my upcoming video 'Manchester Building Boom 2021 - 20 construction projects and two lost pubs!'
@@AidanEyewitness A super tall tower in Manchester could be more viable if it had 3 different uses: Office section, residential section and hotel section. And of course access for tourists from around the world on a public viewing platform. Then Mancheser could boast 'come here, we have the tallest building in the UK!!!'
Yes, but with how much HARD CASH? Do you Corrie-ites have carte blanche to print your own endless supply of currency at a whim or a fancy? Ain't never gonna happen.
Thank you very much for your comment, which I find intriguing. Can you explain a bit more? Is it that Vancouver is on a more similar scale than Manhattan, which is many times bigger and taller than Manchester? Is there a building boom going on also in Vancouver?
having lived in Vancouver for year and moving back to Manchester in July I don't really see any resemblance except for weather. With no disrespect to Manchester but its a different league
@@LDNpat That's an interesting comment. The question is, what would it take to move Manchester up into a higher league? Why does Vancouver seem to be in a different classification to the one Manchester is in?
manchester is a farce all it did was swallow up all the surrounding towns and lump them together as "greater manchester" to make it look bigger than it actually is! Wigan and Bolton are nowhere near manchester they were towns in Lancashire please don't fooled or confused by the name Greater. it's upsetting that Liverpool gets left behind and has Prejudice and discrimination from other parts of the country Liverpool needs help and investment which it's not getting it should be booming by now it's still the biggest city in the north and gets the most Tourists in the UK outside London
![Stroads are Ugly, Expensive, and Dangerous (and they're everywhere) [ST05]](/img/1.gif)
Please add a comment. I would love to hear your reactions. At the moment I am able reply to every comment either straight away or within 24 hours. By commenting you will help the channel to succeed.
I have absolutely no idea why this appeared in my recommended, but good quality video.
Well I'm very glad that it did appear in your recommended, that's very useful to know. Glad to receive your positive feedback. There is a Swiss flag in my logo alongside Germany and Austria, because I also use German in my videos. Many thanks for commenting!
Hi, just saw this in my recommended and really enjoyed it. Am currently in first year at sixth form yet found a love for urban spaces/redevelopment/architectural design over first lockdown. Am currently interested in urban regeneration in cities. Really enjoyed this vid so will check out some more 👍🏼😄
I'm glad to hear it's appearing as 'recommended'. This is my most viewed video so far. I've been interested in the development of Manchester since I was a child and produced my Eyewitness in Manchester website from 1997-2005. A few of the photos in this video are from my old website. Plenty more on the way! Many thanks! Aidan
Tens of thousands of new inhabitants and still the roads are the same as 70 years ago.
Yes, that’s a good point. It seems new buildings are just placed within the existing road layout inherited from the industrial era. Many thanks!
True. Corrie's cobbles look just the same as they did back in 1965 when........
Alright Aidan. Glad to see you are doing interesting things! Some great stuff going up in Manchester
Many thanks for the comment. Yes, I am back to my old tricks documenting Manchester and also Liverpool, now using the medium of video but recycling my photo archive, though for this video, most of the images were taken in 2019. I'm impressed with Deansgate Gardens, not so sure about some of the other stuff! A similar video about construction in Liverpool is in planning!
@@AidanEyewitness Nice one. There is a missing 'still' from my post above.... didn't want to imply that your previous stuff was not interesting!
I'll look forward to watching that new Liverpool one.
I was in Manchester 30 odd years ago it's truly amazing how it has changed so much a very interesting video
It certainly has changed a lot since 1992. It's difficult to remember how it was before all the changes. I think most would agree, things are better now than they were. Many thanks for commenting and for your positive appraisal.
'A vertical village in the sky', that sounds eerily similar to the expectations of the 1960s.
Yes, that’s right. The infamous Crescents had walkways in the sky. We will have to wait and see how it fares over the coming decades!
You maybe interested to know that in 2021, Manchester will start its largest construction era in its history (yes, far exceeding 2018) - astonishing in light of everything that's happened. From Salford Quays to Trafford to Eastlands and the older and traditional city centre. No less than 4 skyscrapers above 500ft will begin (2 at Greengage 508ft & 568ft, one at Great Jackson at 504ft, another at Oxford Road - 551ft) with many in the 3-400ft range blow that. There will be more cranes and construction than at any time since Manchester's regeneration began. That is credit to those rebuilding, whom have the confidence that Manchester is going to reach its new status in this decade. The work is not yet done in Manchester, but the international business and investment is paying off. Manchester is the fastest growing tech city outside London in the entirety of Europe now - astonishing feat. It is also rare in Europe, having a second city with skyscrapers in this manner. Manchester will have more than most major or capital cities in Europe (not that one should judge an economy or beauty by skyscrapers as many are ugly), but it will be a point of note, that Manchester is possibly alone in Europe, unapologetically aiming for the future, and the sky, without restrictions placed elsewhere. This is perhaps only matched by Frankfurt (which of course is far ahead at this stage) but Manchester is much newer in its new world story. Manchester could possibly become major city in Europe within a decade or a bit more. All the ingredients are there. The most incredible development right now is Therme Manchester starting next year!
Wow, thank you very much for your long, detailed and very informative comment. You've pointed out an astonishing truth about the development of Manchester, and how it is, as you say, unique within Europe. No other city in Europe is experiencing such rapid construction of high rise buildings. The way things are looking, I think that Manchester will soon far exceed Frankfurt in height, density and number of tall buildings. Many thanks again for your contribution! :)
@@AidanEyewitness other cities in Europe are experiencing skyline booms notably: Moscow, Rotterdam, Milano, Madrid, Warsaw, Frankfurt, and Istanbul European sector
Manchester has been a major city economically in Europe for a long time, i like your comment but its about 20 years out of date. Many many European cities have Skyscrapers now, Rotterdam, Frankfurt, Paris, Barcelona, Warsaw, Milan etc….also Manchester isn’t even alone in the UK as being a city outside of London with a skyscraper building boom, Birmingham in particular has its own very tall buildings being built and so does Leeds.
@@juicyfruit4378 absolutely. They seem to be Manchester biased or out of touch. But yes other cities are also building Skyscrapers, not taking anything away from Manchester though, the pace of the boom here is phenomenal.
@@chrispaw1 The Manchester area has been for a long time, the city centre has not. In fact, Manchester's central area is weak compared to many European cities economically and developmentally. Its public realm is appalling on aggregate. It is addressing these issues but it has a long way to go. Where did I say other European cities don't have skyscrapers? Where did I say they are even desirable?! Damn ugly from what I can see. 500ft in Birmingham is hardly a skyscraper - more a hillock! High-rise, yes, skyscraper? Absolutely not. Birmingham is also built on a 500ft AOD hill which means nothing above 650ft (or 200m) will ever likely pass the planners as it is on a flight path. Leeds....they don't have a skyscraper yet, but a few high-rises of very modest proportions. Leeds should not try to follow Manchester's and Birmingham. it used to have far more class than that. Sadly they are all following suit and are very undemanding in what goes up.
New Office Buildings........Well that's what this Country and the North of England really needs isn't it.
I think that most of these office buildings were commissioned before the pandemic. Lots of money was invested in them, so they must have thought, they would bring a return on investment. It remains to be seen whether they are all going to be filled. Many thanks for your comment.
@@AidanEyewitness The point I was trying to make AVZINE ( which obviously I didn't do very well ) was that we need to repatriate high tech industry back to the north. However I appreciate your comment.
@@peterfeltham5612 Yes, that's also a very good point. Thanks again! :)
Hi, here's a question: has Manc-Hattan been unsafely cladded?
I mean, there's all this talk about Machester making 'boom money', etc, etc ... but when the end of the boom comes, what will be the cladding legacy? It would be interesting to see an inventory of buildings affected by this inadequately resolved scandal. Its simply not the case that buildings of excellence are changing the city, and what is being built now the city will be left with for a very long time to come.
That's interesting, as I was riding past the student residences next to the Mancunian Way yesterday, the ones with diagonal walls and I noticed there is work being carried out on the exterior cladding. I'll feature it a follow up Building Boom video. I'm not sure about other buildings, that will need some investigation. Many thanks for pointing this out!
@@AidanEyewitness Sure, I think student blocks will be resolved by universities due building ownership and, ultimately absorbing the remedial costs can be factored into their business model. Its more of an unresolved problem elsewhere though, especially with 'private' blocks where most of the units are mainly apartments. That's what I'm inclined to think.
Regards
@@rodneyhenchliffe754 I think there have been some horror stories where owners of apartments have been saddled with the bill for re-cladding. I’ll keep an eye on this issue.
@@AidanEyewitness Sure, the media focuses on the horror stories where large amounts are being asked from tenant owners for such remedial works. I was affected myself in Birmingham City center. But cladding isn't the only issue: unsafe internal insulation and external balconies floored in wood are also common problems that still cost tenants hundreds of pounds to remedy. I was asked for £600 in our block. This is massively widespread it turns out.
Relating back to Manchester, the city is looking rather 'groovey' at best, but see what comes up and do keep your mind's eye on a problem that no place seems to have escaped.
Regards to you.
Rodney
@@rodneyhenchliffe754 Many thanks for drawing my attention to these problems. Very best wishes to you too.
Enjoyed this but we need dramatic architecture. Anybody can build square boxes and towers but we want buildings like the Shard, The football museum.
Yes, I agree with you. Not every new building can be like the Shard or Urbis but architects should try to produce more buildings like this - innovative, distinctive, eye-catching,, not the endless 'blanditecture' or 'banalitecture' we seem to see everywhere.
Looks like a mini Docklands Development in the area of the old London Docks
Yes though the London Docklands boom happened many years ago, the boom up here has only got into gear in the last few years. Many thanks for your comment
Doesn’t look like a small Manhattan at all! We have and need our own identity. I hope you build for less fortunate people as well. Balconies and more plants would make your city look fantastic.
I think plenty of people will agree with you about balconies and plants. There are some developments in Manchester where they feature. As for less fortunate people, they are not really helped by most of the city centre developments. Many thanks for your comment!
Good, informative video! Great watch, cheers
Many thanks for your comment and many thanks for subscribing!
Aiden. Where is all the water coming from to flush all the loos in these new apartment blocks?
I think it will mostly be the normal Manchester water supply, originating in the Lake District. Maybe some projects have rainwater capture. It’s a very good question, I’ll look into it!
Nice buildings but what do they produce , do they replace imports , do they manufacture anything , do they contribute to skills , what are these buildings being used for ??????
They must be useful for something and somebody, otherwise the money wouldn't have been found to build them. However it's true that they are not productive and ironically are often built on the site of factories. The site of Deansgate Gardens used to be an area of factories standing by the River Medlock.
Well The Blade and Three60 at Deansgate have already completely sold out and are only slightly more than 50% built so Covid had zero impact on those developments. Both 52 story skyscrapers and both full 🤷🏼
Thank you very much for that information. It seems there are plenty of people around who are doing well and can afford these new super residences. That says something about the local economy too. Many thanks for your comment.
Best not to compare Manchester to Asian or US cities. Just appreciate the city and its tall buildings in it's own right. And there are many more to come.
Fantastic and very impressive I think!
Yeah, you're right! By the way I am going to do the follow up video 'Manchester Building Boom 2021'. I'm just waiting for sunny weather!
@@AidanEyewitness A video of upcoming buildings would be exciting
Yes very true. Manchester is in a class by itself, and long may it stay there, far as I'm concerned.
Manchester is Londond PT2 with no greenery! There are more parking ticket machines than trees and more signs saying bus lanes than trees or grass lol... Top video very informative.
Thanks very much for your comment. It's been a while since I did that video - two years. Things have moved on since then - that is to be featured in my next 'The and Now 21/22' construction video. That's an interesting view of Manchester by comparison to London! Manchester city centre is short of green spaces, but a new one recently opened - Mayfield Park - the only park I know guarded by security personnel!
Another ill fated attempt for Manchester to compete with London, which it simply cannot. This is the main difference between Brum and Manc - Brum doesn’t try to compete with London as it knows better - same with Leeds - these two cities are investing in their own scenes and identity - Liverpool too, is developing its waterfront to be distinctive. Manchester is only building upwards in an attempt to secure its position as the 2nd city which is and will remain debatable with Brum regardless as neither one of them can compete with London to begin with. All these soulless block buildings don’t secure anything but a skyline - it’s the character of the city that’s important - no one likes a copy cat
Well, that's a very interesting and well-expressed perspective and you make a lot of very valid points. I like to be diplomatic and I don't take sides. I've always been sceptical about this 'second city' business. I prefer to think of the cities outside London as unique in their own right. Theire relative size or importance is irrelevant. Birmingham is the second city by population size. Manchester is considered by many to be the second city for other factors that are more difficult to quantify. I say 'second city' is irrelevant! I hope to do video features soon on Leeds and Birmingham. I did a then and now book about Birmingham, which I think is a very interesting city with a great city centre. Many thanks for your comment!
They need to build an underground in Manchester to be any were near London
I think Manchester is the one city that really doesn’t care about London. Nobody talks about London ever and people live a life which is equally as vivid, if different. Londoners have this assumption that people in our regional cities spend their lives trying to emulate them. If I want Manchester to emulate another city, London would be way down the list. Economically and political the Scandinavian cities, or German cities, are a much better model, for Birmingham and Leeds too. They are progressive, have a good green agenda and a fair approach to their citizens. London with it multi- million pound regency squares has no affinity with the poverty scoured high rises of Tower Hamlets. Manchester can be better than that, I am sure.
@@paulwild3676 it can be, but it won’t so long as London reigns supreme in the UK which it does. How many videos do you see UK cities being compared to European or US cities? None. Why? Because London is the comparison notch for all UK cities to compare against. I studied in Nuremberg Germany for 8 years - it best every city that I lived in the UK and Italy by miles in all areas - however, Nuremberg is not on a global scale as London is and neither is Manchester. I don’t believe the citizens of any UK city spends time wanting their town to emulate London - but Social Media does. After the skyscraper boom in London became a RUclips interest, now you seeing a skyscraper boom in the regional cities in the UK. My only concern is that we shouldn’t be just popping up skyscrapers for city competition as happened in the US where the majority of them are a hit or miss with many vacant.
@@juicyfruit4378 Manchester has a political and industrial history to rival a European empire, let alone cities. I get tired of this, “Outside London,” comment each time we measure a city, like in some way people should aspire to be like that place. Manchester has been a dynamic and progressive community for many a moon and never looked at London, as some sort sort of stencil of how to develop. All the firsts would not have happened there if those pioneers cared about London.This superiority complex which London has, is frankly boring. I love Manchester because nobody judges you on your background, your accent, what you do for a living, how much you earn, whether your Father knew all the right people,they accept you at face value.
I do like a lot of the new buildings but hate seeing older buildings being torn down, landlords let them go to ruin to the point there’s no choice but to demolish them. I’m so glad that many of the mills around Ancoats’ New Islington area are, or have been put to new use, being originally from Miles Platting this means more to me than most. I would love to get in some of the higher floors of these new buildings and can’t wait to get some photos from Tower X.
Congratulations on having your photos in that book, I’ll have to look out for it.
Thanks for Subscribing to my channel Aidan, unfortunately you won’t find much there but I’m hoping to do something in the future, rather than just these photo ones
Many thanks for your comment and I totally agree, it is depressing to see many viable buildings being destroyed, buildings that could be renovated. Old facades are almost always better and more interesting than anything that present-day architects can come up with. I am very disillusioned with most of today's architecture. Only a small number of visionary architects are creating buildings that I like. Yes, it's nice to gain access to buildings but it can be difficult. I've tried to gain access to some in the past but have been refused. Rebuilding Manchester is available to purchase and I think there's also a Kindle edition www.amazon.co.uk/Rebuilding-Manchester-Euan-Kellie/dp/1859837867 Many thanks for subscribing!
The rampant destruction of heritage in Manchester that has seen historic parts of the low-rise city replaced with luxury glass towers that most people cannot afford.
I understand that there’s always difficulty balancing heritage and progress, but the way it’s being done is stripping Manchester of its heritage. Replacing it with faceless modernist buildings that could be plucked out of most major cities in Europe.
With the working-class heritage of Manchester is particularly under threat
I sympathise very much with your view. I've witnessed the demolition of many historic structures in Manchester. I've been saying for years that the pendulum has swung too far in the direction of new construction. Several mills have been lost in the Ancoats area, including the one where the first transatlantic cable was manuactured. As you say working class history is often forgotten. The Pump House Museum do a good job. Many thanks for your comment.
I’m Manchester man live at Leigh cos cheap to purchase my house , I’m very concerned that true Manc people would’ve left out of town due to cost to live there. You need earn £1,000 a week to afford it.
Some people have said that not all the apartments are expensive. They say there are also some cheaper apartments, however many developments have no affordable homes available and in general, the developments look to cater for younger, high-earning professionals. In Manhattan, rents and property prices are eye-watering and many people commute from upstate New York or New Jersey. Looks like Manchester is going the same way! Many thanks for your comment!
Hello AidanEyewitness: Yes, this is oh-so-true. The old adage of "you get what you pay for". Some places on the UES (Upper East Side) would, at today's prices, run you close to, nay, often exceed $2,000 a month, no bull. But it's all TOTR (top of the range). When I compare what I've seen in NYC with some parts of Manchester (thinking Ancoats) then for me there is by far/away absolutely no comparison. Have a nice day. LS.
Just visited Manchester for the weekend. We went to see those skyscrapers at the bottom of deansgate. Really impressive up close. When the Trinity Islands complex is completed in 2024 it will look even better than it does now. I think Manchester should make use not having any height restrictions on how tall their buildings can be and build 2 or 3 super skyscrapers in excess of 300m that would really transform the skyline
Yes, some super skyscrapers with an amazing design would finally put Manchester on the map as far as tall buildings is concerned, taller than any in London. Many thanks for commenting!
A bit like Dubai, then? The world's tallest skyscrapers outside of the US that for the most part are one-third empty!! Wow, what a chef d'oeuvre of town planning that would be!! A total concrete/steel & glass miasma developed without any architectural prowess at all. At least NYC does it with style. If anyone could develop a silk purse out of a sow's ear, then Mancs could, Corrie-style. Give me Birmingham, Liverpool or Leeds any day, at least they seem to show some respect for their environment.
All be eyesores in 30 years
Some of them are eyesores already! Others might last the test of time. We'll have to see. Many thanks!
Eyesores as we speak!!
Please do a video on the growth of Liverpool
Thanks, definitely a good topic. Leave it with me!
@@AidanEyewitness Thank you. i had to delete my last comment i had some horrible Reply's to it really nasty and vicious and uncalled for
@@gazriley624 What? On my channel? I didn't see them. People on RUclips can behave very badly but most of the people who comment on my channel make sensible comments. Have you seen my Liverpool Then and Now video?
@@AidanEyewitness yes on here i'm sorry to say. i will take a look thanks. Liverpool really needs to build itself up and grow the mayor and the council here don't seem to be any good at promoting the city which they need to if it wants to compete with the likes of London and Birmingham
@@gazriley624 and Manchester
What use are apartments to a family.. you want a family home. They appeal to students... but students can’t afford to buy them and can’t afford the high rent... many will lie empty for years before eventually getting demolished as a waste of money. Who’s paying £295000 to buy one of these yet alone hundreds of them 😂 but ultimately as a family man... I prefer a family house away from the busy non stop stress of city life
Many thanks. I think a lot of people will sympathise with your view and wonder how all these apartments are going to be filled. We’ll just have to wait and see. Today’s exciting new building soon becomes the old, outdated building of yesteryear.
100% agree with you, but that's typical manc boom n' bust logic, which gives a whole new meaning to the term "golden fleece".......
I live in Deansgate Square and love it. Moved to Manchester from Leeds during covid because of the job prospects. I absolutely love the new developments and quality of life in the city. However I must note that it is rather dirty. There's a ton of garbage scattered all over, gardens and parks are not maintained and there are barely any green areas ... not to mention the garbage in the canal. If this problem is solved I think Manchester would be the best city to live in the UK
I would hold your breath...people in Manchester have been complaining about the state of the city centre for years.....time to vote out the useless councillors. They have now apparently appointed someone who will be in cage of the environmental aspects of the city centre...we can only hope they start to make a change.
You’re absolutely right. Manchester is very untidy, especially when you go to places like Levenshulme and Longsight. But the city centre is also has a problem of rubbish piling up on the streets. I don’t know what the cause is or what the solution is. It’s definitely not like Switzerland! Also the new buildings are often built next to waste ground that still looks the same as it did 30 years ago, post-apocalyptic! There ought to be more of a grand plan to create a tidy, well organised and co-ordinated city. Can I ask what floor of Deansgate Square you’re on?
@@rufdymond There is no possibility of ousting the Labour council, due to the effect of local boundaries. I think the only thing that could make a difference would be local initiatives or if the Greater Manchester Mayor could come up with an action plan. Many thanks for replying.
@@AidanEyewitness 53rd floor :)
Well I think the problem is that no one cleans, rubbish is a problem in all major cities. I've lived in Vancouver, Stockholm and London before ... generally in the USA and Canada they have a law which fines ($2-5k) anyone who throws rubbish on the streets (unless there are no bins for security reasons) and awards those who report someone who's done that ($1-2k) award. I feel that in the UK in general that culture of keeping things clean simply doesn't exist. Also, all places I've lived in have had a lot of force working to keep the place clean all the time. I am yet to see a single person do that in the UK. In the US and Canada you have a ton of ppl on community service and they employ an equal amount of hygienist. London has someone picking the rubbish constantly, every area has a few people ... surely it can't be that expensive for a large city like manchester to employ 50 people to keep the central bits clean and dispatch that many more on community service in the parks. What's the point of ppl laying in jails doing nothing
@@TheVesko95 Wow, the 53rd floor? I'm impressed! Yes, I think you are absolutely right. Tough measures and decisive actions are needed if Manchester is going to fully make the transition from grimy, run-down, depressed provincial city to prosperous, confident, modernised and clean world city. Great to hear about your experiences in other cities comparing to Manchester, that's what the channel is about. Very best wishes and thanks again.
Manchester city centre is becoming one big residential tower area!
That’s very true. It depends whether you see that as a good thing or not such a good thing! Is it becoming a place for people of all backgrounds, income levels and ages, for families as well as single people, or just a ghetto for high earning younger professionals?
These buildings are great and make Manchester look amazing and a great worldwide tourist attraction. I really admire the council's ambition.
Some of the lower end apartments seem relatively affordable for working couples.
I just wished there were more tall office towers to add more variation.
@@retronostalgic Yes, Manchester's skyline probably has the most tall buildings outside London but they are still small in comparison to many North American and.Asian cities. Manchester has embraced tall tower living and there's no going back now!
Yes it is, was shocked when I saw it.......and I christened it "Man-TAT-tan", you know, the poorer, tattier version of NYC which has everything that it doesn't, including a great big park at its centre. You can keep it, thanks.
Manchester is my favourite UK city
Glad to hear that! What are the main reasons why you like Manchester the best?
For your next UK adventure you could try one of the following: Leeds, Birmingham, York, Liverpool, Norwich, Bristol, Bath or Canterbury. All top-class A1 places to go and each with their own special bit of UK magic. And all, if I have to be brutally honest, have a lot more going for them than Manchester ever did or had, sorry.
@@lesskeels3417 It's refreshing to hear someone recommending Birmingham over Manchester, I like Birmingham. My daughter is studying in Leeds and I have plans for my first Leeds feature. My main focus will always be Manchester/Liverpool as that's my home base, but I also want to feature innovative architecture & urban development in cities further afield including my 'home from home' cities Dublin and Berlin and maybe Lisbon, Copenhagen, Helsinki, none of which I've visited (yet). Many thanks for the suggestions.
@@lesskeels3417 York, Bath, Norwich and Canterbury are merrie England theme parks for American tourists. The other cities in your list are way behind Manchester. Two of them were built on slavery and Leeds and Birmingham are decades behind Manchester regarding a progressive outlook. You clearly are in awe of Manchester so need to make disparaging comments about it. No intelligent person would claim that any of those cities are on par with Manchester.
@@paulwild3676 We all have our own versions of history. It helps model our futures. But if you're telling me that a giant massive concrete/steel miasma indifferently designed & unimaginatively blended with architecture already in situ then I'm afraid you've lost me. Modernization for the sake of it? Knock 'em all down & build 'em all up again? You call this PROGRESS? I know what I call it!! And no, I am in no way in awe of Manchester: I detest the place, blame Corrie for that. I am in awe of NYC, awesome blend of old & new. Toronto as well. London also has some splendid new buildings. Manchester? Lowry could've designed it the same way he painted it, it wouldn't look much different as to how it does today. Goodbye.
Very interesting indeed. My mum & dad were both born in Manchester in 1930. They immigrated to Canada in 1951. Both my sister and I were born in British Columbia, me, in Vancouver and my sister on Vancouver Island in a little place called Comox where my parents first settled when arriving by train from the East coast of Canada, (Pier 21 in Halifax) and like so many Brits and other Europeans chose to do after the war. My Mothers told me that she had seen an advertisement for passage to Canada I believe for 10 Pounds pp and mentioned it in passing to my father who, to my Mothers surprise, said let go! I may have the cost wrong but the idea was to populate the Colony of Canada so as to give survivors of the war a fresh start at life in a new Country. They both remained here. In Manchester, my father like so many sons, apprenticed under his father as a master printer and lithographer and were known as Smith & Son. The last time my mother visited Manchester in 2000, my Grandfathers business name was still on the side of that building where his printing shop had been and the layout inside was incorporated into what then became a wine bar. I would love to know if the street sign - Smith & Son has survived all this construction you have shared with us? I'm afraid I find it very ugly, very ugly indeed. I shall share this insightful work on my FB page and direct my mum to it and who is now in her 90th year. Thank you and kind regards, Julia M Smith.
Thanks very much indeed for your reply. It's great to hear how your parents made the journey from Manchester to Canada and then all the way over to Vancouver BC. Do you have the address or the name of the street where the printing shop was? If so I can take a look. I couldn't find any reference to Smith and Son printers when I did a search. It can be traumatic when a familiar place changes and well-loved places just disappear. That's what is happening in Manchester, but it has changed radicaly before - in the Victorian era, during WW2 after bombing, in the 60s and in the 90s after the Manchester bomb. It's just a part of what Manchester is, like it or not. There are still plenty of places that haven't changed so much. I intend to do more portayals of Manchester. Many thanks for sharing my video!
@@AidanEyewitness. Hello again, thank you for writing back to me. I have forwarded your Zine to my mother...she isn't so good with getting to her Facebook page but I have told her all about your visual of Manchester and I'm sure she will have an opinion or 10 of the new landscape. I have some information regarding my Grandfathers business location for you. My mother can only remember that one of the 2 streets was Charles Street and that it was across from the river Irwell and there is/was a bridge right there too. I'm afraid that's all I can give you and thank you for offering to have a look-see for me. Kind regards, Julia. M Smith.
Very interesting video about Manchester. I was born in Liverpool and would visit Manchester occasionally in the late 60's / early 70's, and always found it depressing. Maybe the incessant rain and low clouds had a lot to do with it. I just can't remember ever being there with blue skies. It seems that Manchester really has become the defacto northern power house in the last few years, and the building boom reflects this - a very impressive feat. I look at Liverpool and see limited development comparatively. I get the sense that companies are using Manchester as their consolidated northwestern headquarters rather than having offices in both Liverpool and Manchester. All this high rise student apartments is a new thing to me. How do students afford the high rents? I saw the comments about the cladding of these buildings - is this a problem just in Manchester or all over the UK? My guess is that these apartments will eventually become as run down as the old council blocks of flats so prevalent when I lived in the UK. And then what becomes of them?
The council blocks have mostly been renovated and have had new exterior cladding added to them. Some blocks were demolished but most have been renovated. I have a daughter who is going to university - the rent is very high but they are just about able to pay it because the student loan is just about enough to cover the rent, but not much else. I think it's true that companies have offices in Manchester. Manchester is a bigger conurbation and is not limited by the sea to the west. Still, Liverpool is also moving ahead at its own pace. It's not a race between cities. Manchester is certainly a powerhouse but Leeds is also impressive as well as Manchester. As for the weather, that's subjective! The weather in Manchester is pretty similar to the weather all over north west Europe, it's changeable. But grey weather is still associated with Manchester, it's part of its mood. But let's not forget the countless sunny days on which I've taken photos and made videos! Thanks very much indeed for your observations and hope you can visit the local region again to see how it looks today.
The IRA bomb didn't destroy anything (structurally speaking)
I see your point. Despite the force of the blast, the concrete structural skeleton of the Arndale Centre was still intact. Many thanks :)
No sir, you're right. All in all, it did about £10 worth of damage!!
Most of these towers have really poor quality public space around them. Somebody living on the 41st floor doesn't feel connected with or in ownership of the ground around them. Hell they barely are connected to the city! I'd prefer to see mid rise buildings, most being between 5-8 storeys, with shops and restaurants etc on the ground floor. Thats how good cities have been made for thousands of years and copying Le Corbusiers outdated vision isn't going to make a more attractive and comfortable place to live. These towers don't even help with population density as the ground around them is empty. Every city around the world, including Manchester, should take lessons from Paris, which has a higher population density than Manhattan despite most buildings being 7 storeys. Mancunians might not love cafe's as much as Parisians but I'm sure they would appreciate a more coherent city, rather than a series of 'developments' that are poorly connected. Vancouver also shows how tall buildings can exist while maintaining active streets, by having mid rise buildings on the street and the towers are set back, that could also be a good option. Hopefully they'll also sort out their cycling infrastructure. No child or elderly person can safely cycle in the city, and even for an able bodied adult its still very unsafe and not very convenient. Still, I have lots of faith in the city, the progress there is immense!
You have made some very valid points. The new buildings look like they are off the desk of Le Corbusier in the 1920s. Futuristic, and yet the area around them still looks like the ex-industrial area that it was. Central Manchester has facades and proper streets. In St Peters Square facades were demolished and replaced with a taller building (No 1 St Peters Square). As for the cycling infrastructure, that is something I want to look at in a future video. Many thanks for your comments!
Totally agree with what you are saying here! Vancouver is doing these things much better (though they also have their own issues).
shut up!! i was just thinking about that, before the plane showed up!! yes!! make a video about lisboa if you want!! manchester and lisbon have more or less the same people and they are both major european cities ( although we dont have the same wealth as you have... the usual problem). lisbon prefer to build cubic close to the ground buildings instead towards the sky... i guess we are afraid of something, i dont know... shame tho. the future is racing to the skies
I've never been to Lisbon, but I know people who have. My Auntie from Ireland was a nun and she was at the Convent Bom Succeso. My sister went to visit her. I have a German language student, he's from Porto. I'd very much like to visit Lisbon. I'm also interested in the trams, they look great. I could either do a video based on a 'covid' visit, i.e. remotely - not going there but staying at home, gathering information online and using library photographs and videoclips - or I could go there in person and see it with my own eyes - or I could do 'covid' soon and 'in person later. Wel'll see! I hope to take that direct flight on the TAP Airbus one day. Many thanks for your comment!
I love Lisbon. Beautiful city and so refreshing to go to a capital city, where people have manners and respect for each other.
I'll tell you how Manchester could outdo London. By building the tallest skyscraper in Britain, overtaking the Shard.
Achievable with the right will and ambition....
Over to you Ian Simpson! Lol
Yes I think that's a very good point. Although all the recent construction is impressive, there is still no single, iconic building like the CN Tower, the Burj Khalifa or Petronas Towers that marks the city out. The height of buildings is determined by the level of economic activity but there are ways a project like that could be helped along. Most of all I want to see a public viewing platform. There will be one on the Trinity Islands tower. That building has not yet been started, as you'll see in my upcoming video 'Manchester Building Boom 2021 - 20 construction projects and two lost pubs!'
@@AidanEyewitness A super tall tower in Manchester could be more viable if it had 3 different uses: Office section, residential section and hotel section. And of course access for tourists from around the world on a public viewing platform. Then Mancheser could boast 'come here, we have the tallest building in the UK!!!'
Yes, but with how much HARD CASH? Do you Corrie-ites have carte blanche to print your own endless supply of currency at a whim or a fancy? Ain't never gonna happen.
Manc-ouver would be more appropriate.
Thank you very much for your comment, which I find intriguing. Can you explain a bit more? Is it that Vancouver is on a more similar scale than Manhattan, which is many times bigger and taller than Manchester? Is there a building boom going on also in Vancouver?
having lived in Vancouver for year and moving back to Manchester in July I don't really see any resemblance except for weather. With no disrespect to Manchester but its a different league
@@LDNpat That's an interesting comment. The question is, what would it take to move Manchester up into a higher league? Why does Vancouver seem to be in a different classification to the one Manchester is in?
manchester is a farce all it did was swallow up all the surrounding towns and lump them together as "greater manchester" to make it look bigger than it actually is! Wigan and Bolton are nowhere near manchester they were towns in Lancashire please don't fooled or confused by the name Greater. it's upsetting that Liverpool gets left behind and has Prejudice and discrimination from other parts of the country Liverpool needs help and investment which it's not getting it should be booming by now it's still the biggest city in the north and gets the most Tourists in the UK outside London
@@gazriley624 salty Scouser. Manchester runs the north