Streets in transition
We normally (quite rightly) celebrate regeneration projects and new developments when they are ‘finished’, such as the luminary St James Quarter in Edinburgh that opened its doors earlier this summer. Conversely, we less often focus on places that are in transition, perhaps because we are concerned that we are not sure exactly what the final result will be.
What is instructive about looking at places in transition is to note that, given any number of hurdles, just how many potential solutions there are. Choosing the right option (and there may be more than one) is crucial if we want redevelopment to deliver amazing places of the future.
My view is that that doesn’t necessarily matter – the fact that positive change is happening right in front of our eyes is exciting, invigorating and potentially inspiring. Charing Cross Road in London’s West End is a perfect example.
Once a proud outpost on the edge of Theatreland and with top literary retail connections, not least its famous bookstore tenant Foyles, the location has suffered in recent years, in the way that many streets across the UK have, from – ironically enough – infrastructure improvements. In the case of Charing Cross Road, it is the now seriously-delayed Crossrail project that has blighted not just the street itself, but much of the surrounding area.
With that disruption now finally at an end the street is already picking itself up and looking to reinvent itself. What is in equal measure interesting and impressive about this is that, unlike nearby parts of the West End, Charing Cross Road is not in single ownership. Yet there has been a sustained effort by multiple investors to make improvements, the sum of which could well prove to be greater than its individual constituents.
And these are worth noting: Soho Estates has done an excellent job redeveloping the former Foyles store. Derwent London is well underway on Soho Place, a significant scheme on the corner of Charing Cross Road and Oxford Street. The much-anticipated Outernet London, housing London’s first dedicated events venue for over quarter of a century, is due to open next month. There has been positive occupational activity, too: upmarket furniture brand Made.com has upsized its showroom, gaming cafe Wanyoo has demonstrated the potential of the growing eSports market, while restaurant group JKS has arrived to revive the Arcade Food Hall below Centre Point.
The progress evident along Charing Cross Road is in marked contrast to neighbouring Tottenham Court Road where, in spite of local improvements, such as a major pavement-widening scheme, the street appears to be in decline, not helped by the store closure of long-time major occupier Habitat.
This is not to say that Charing Cross Road doesn’t have issues. We’ve already pointed to disparate ownership. And the charming local environs of Denmark Street, for example, have yet to be replicated in the public realm of Charing Cross Road itself. Plus, like many parts of central London, there are still major transport issues to be overcome. Visit today and the area is gritty, noisy and not hugely welcoming.
But it’s worth remembering what we see today isn’t the finished article. What is instructive about looking at places in transition is to note that, given any number of hurdles, just how many potential solutions there are. Choosing the right option (and there may be more than one) is crucial if we want redevelopment to deliver amazing places of the future. This is something we often miss by looking at a completed development. Right now, Charing Cross Road is something of a rough diamond. This time next year it could be a polished gem.
Article by Justin Taylor, Co-founder P-THREE
Photo credit: https://www.outernetglobal.com
