Blade Runner Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Agree with GD4ELI & Bladerunner. Clearly there are a few examples of victoriana that should and will be preserved (Gaity) but most is typical of Victorian seaside resorts. I also think that the standard of modern development is utterly dull, either low grade pastiches of earlier eras (e.g. concrete apartments with "gothic" turrets) or utilitarian buildings that just disappear in anonymity. Douglas sea front could look superb with some uncompromising modern development to contrast with the Victorian era buildings. I had forgotten about the Gaiety, really fine example of decorative plasterwork inside that and has been restored and looked after properly it seems. Douglas Prom could of been a lot better, I actually find the DD flats quite pleasing to the eye, if you compare them to the 70s hotels and even the recent flats by a "local" developer which are just a wall of featureless painted render, horrible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hagar the horrible Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Agree with GD4ELI & Bladerunner. Clearly there are a few examples of victoriana that should and will be preserved (Gaity) but most is typical of Victorian seaside resorts. I also think that the standard of modern development is utterly dull, either low grade pastiches of earlier eras (e.g. concrete apartments with "gothic" turrets) or utilitarian buildings that just disappear in anonymity. Douglas sea front could look superb with some uncompromising modern development to contrast with the Victorian era buildings. I had forgotten about the Gaiety, really fine example of decorative plasterwork inside that and has been restored and looked after properly it seems. Douglas Prom could of been a lot better, I actually find the DD flats quite pleasing to the eye, if you compare them to the 70s hotels and even the recent flats by a "local" developer which are just a wall of featureless painted render, horrible! I like what has been done with the Ocean Castle site in Port Erin, much classier than anything built on PE promenade in the last 30 years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manx1Bloke Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I wonder what exclusive development will appear on Langness after it's been bought by Dan the man The Indie today says it has been sold to Dandara..... so does it matter.........anything will be better than a crumbling building that becomes more and more of an eyesore.........just so long as the access all along to St Michael's Isle is kept open as it is now who cares.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bishbashbosh Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 Maybe its not so much the crap they knock down, but the crap they put up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Power Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I have to agree that there are, or have been very few buildings which should have been preserved on the island. The Castle Mona is one which we need to save if at all possible but overall there are probably only about twenty odd buildings worth saving. I still mourn the Majestic and the Palace Lido which were both criminally condemned and pulled down under very suspicious circumstances! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blade Runner Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I think the main problem with saving buildings, even the Castle Mona is the method of construction of most old IOM buildings. That method is random rubble Manx stone held together with sometimes mud and sometimes lime mortar, these walls tend to absorb moisture and expand/become unstable whereas in other places the big buildings are built of very large cut blocks of sandstone/granite with a very small amount of mortar between the big blocks. It is this random pile of small bits of slate that cause all the problems for people trying to refurbish - just try to inject a damp-proof course into a Manx building, it don't work, (despite what the damp proofing Cos say) the slate is impervious and the soil just soil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hagar the horrible Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I think the main problem with saving buildings, even the Castle Mona is the method of construction of most old IOM buildings. That method is random rubble Manx stone held together with sometimes mud and sometimes lime mortar, theses walls tend to absorb moisture and expand/become unstable whereas in other places the big buildings are built of very large cut blocks of sandstone/granite with a very small amount of mortar between the big blocks. It is this random pile of small bits of slate that cause all the problems for people trying to refurbish - just try to inject a damp-proof course into a Manx building, it don't work, (despite what the damp proofing Cos say) the slate is impervious and the soil just soil. Agreed, tried it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinnieK Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I have to agree that there are, or have been very few buildings which should have been preserved on the island. The Castle Mona is one which we need to save if at all possible but overall there are probably only about twenty odd buildings worth saving. Just out of interest, whatever happened to Prospect Hill? In the old photos I've seen, it looks like it had a row of simple Georgian-esque townhouses running along one side of it which collectively gave the area a nice, genteel look which is sadly lacking in much of Douglas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 The IHMES is no more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hagar the horrible Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 The IHMES is no more Neither is the Windsor or Brobourne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxy Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 I've never liked the 'glass zoo' Bank on the corner of Victoria Street and the prom, not far away from the sea terminal. It just looks out of character to the rest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbon selector Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 Once the speculators got hold of the Villiers it was only ever going to go one way. What is left of Loch Promenade is pretty well preserved (apart from the planners allowing square windows in rounded top window openings) and there iis no reason why it couldn't all have remained an icon of Douglas and the Isle of Man: I'll have to look up who the planning committee and those responsible were who allowed the Villiers to be knocked down and replaced in such a vulgar way. I wouldn't be surprised if they've mostly buggared off the Island to Cyprus or wherever it is the old establishmnet take their huge pensions these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbon selector Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 The IHMES is no more And Jim Williams paper shop where I bight my first pack of cigarettes. It is disgusting how the once majestic architecture of Port Erin Promenade has become a mish-mash of gargantuan stacked apartments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxy Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 Found this link via google, then ancestry Would it be classed as modern? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hagar the horrible Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 The IHMES is no more And Jim Williams paper shop where I bight my first pack of cigarettes. It is disgusting how the once majestic architecture of Port Erin Promenade has become a mish-mash of gargantuan stacked apartments. George Shields newsagents when I was a kid, did a paper round for him, quite likely got my first packet of fags from there too, had a really good look at the prom from the beach and the paths this morning and agree with everything you say, an absolute eyesore, quite upsetting really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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