Coventry Point, Market Way

Hi all, hope you are well? I've just got in from work and heard from someone in the my family that they thought they heard the Midlands evening news talking about demolishing Coventry Point? If it's true I think it's fantastic as the building looks hideous and stands out like a sore thumb!! We can't decide which skyscraper Coventry Point is? Is it the one that stands outside the old Woolworth or is it by where Mr G's? Does anybody know what they plan to do with the area once they have demolished the building? Cheerio, thanks

Yes it's good news - it's the block between what used to be Woolworths and British Home Stores They plan to open up access to the Retail Market Report

I worked up on the 11th floor of Coventry Point for a while in the mid 80's. In fact, I've got a short video somewhere that I took from the office looking across the old West Orchards car park and Precinct - must look it out and convert it for the forum. The only thing that this building is good for now is testing the aerodynamic properties of peoples shopping - boy is it always windy round there!

It's a watered down version of the plan Jerde produced a few years back. It looks as if they are now really just keeping the current precinct, demolishing a few bits and remodelling the area around the market. The improvements to Hertford Street are long, long overdue! I wonder if they'll manage to get a tenant for the large store. Or another cinema operator in the city centre! We've already got one down the road. Why can't we have a city centre music venue instead?

Is there anything/anyone actually in Coventry Point these days? Always wondered what it was used for. More student accommodation?

I don't know about these days, but I'm sure I took my driving theory test up there on the 9th floor or something like that. What was it built for originally, as it must have been a nightmare to park round there in the morning for work!!

I don't know what is in there now, I worked in financial services in 1986-87 and was based in an office on the 11th floor. I seem to recall a job agency of some sort on the 9th. I think the rest were leased to separate companies. Yes parking was an issue. I generally parked in the old West Orchards car park. I recall almost bumping into Greg Downs in there just before the cup final

It wasn't Irish Life was it? I hope not! We were "sold" an endowment policy by them in 1991 - full of the typical false promises of the time, like "the mortgage will be paid back in triplicate"! Fortunately, when it became worthless a few years ago the Ombudsman decided in our favour, and we were compensated and reverted to a "proper" repayment mortgage. Glad you didn't flatten him - he came in handy that May!

No Rob, it definitely wasn't - but I do admit, endowments were all the rage - mabe 'cos they provided the "agent" with about 50% of the first year's premiums in commission! No he was just getting into his car next to ours. Do you remember the last game of the season, when the completely bald Greg came onto the pitch at the start of the match wearing a long blond wig! All the players lined up in the middle of the pitch to receive the crowd's applause - with just about everyone whispering to each other "Who the devils that with the blond hair?". After the team waved to the crowd, Greg grabbed the top of his "hair" and pulled off the wig - much to everyone's amusement!!

I wonder if people are aware that Coventry Point is actually TWO towers? Both towers joined by a central link corridor. The second tower being accessed either from the main tower via the "link" or through the alleyway round the back of BHS or a service entrance via Barracks Way at the rear.

Not quite Petronas Towers though I was based in Cov Point for a short time. CSV Media were on the 9th floor for about a couple of years.

Is it my imagination or does it seem that everything was on the 9th floor?

I remember going there for an interview at some employment agency or other in about 1983, and my daughter took her driving theory there a few years back. Anyway - HOORAY - can I press the button?

Anybody know what will be built in its place? Hopefully the won't build another tower block!

It has taken me weeks to find, but I eventually rediscovered this clip, taken in 1986, and thought the best place to put it would be in this thread. This is a short (42 seconds) video, taken from my office, facing north(ish), on the 11th floor of Coventry Point - and also from the link corridor between the two towers, facing south. Sorry about the quality, it was taken with one of the new (at the time) consumer video cameras, supplied free for the weekend when we rented a new VHS video recorder from Multi-Broadcast in the Upper Precinct (at a whopping £30 per month!!). It was a balance-it-on-your-shoulder-job, which took full-size VHS tapes. The quality of which, at a cost of £10 each, left a lot to be desired! In the first part, look out for the old West Orchard car park - and the library tower which has yet to be moved to its current position. And the absence of the Staybright Windows showroom (sorry, entrance to West Orchard) from the Upper Precinct. Shame I didn't pan as far as Broadgate. The second part switches to the south view, which starts with The Quadrant on the very left of the view, panning right, in the foreground the ramp that linked the Barracks car park with the Market car park is still in place, while in the distance we can see Station Tower, with the huge Parkside Tax Office taking the opposite corner where Central Six now stands. In the middle ground at this point, is a cluster of trees in Greyfriars Road (you can see cars travelling along here) which were cleared to make way for the new "Sheriffs Orchard" building. Enjoy http://www.youtube.com/v/Of1xFlFbgkY