Posted February 24, 201015 yr US diplomats add a moat to their expenses at $1bn London embassy The United States has unveiled plans for its new $1 billion high-security embassy in London — the most expensive it has ever built. The proposals were met with relief from both the present embassy’s Mayfair neighbours and the residents and developers of the Battersea wasteland where the vast crystalline cube, surrounded by a moat, will be built. more: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7038550.ece $1 billion seems very excessive.
February 24, 201015 yr It's the US government. $1 billion is like putting a dollar into a quarter machine at the car wash for them. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 25, 201015 yr ^But it still costs less then we sold the old one for: "the embassy was still sold for more than $1 billion to a Qatari company that plans to turn it into a luxury hotel."
February 25, 201015 yr A friend of mine was on the competition jury for this project. As I understand it, it's a good design in terms of the requirements it had to meet. It's attractive and can still take a few tons worth of explosives driving into it without falling down. Take a look (or try to take a look) at the Baghdad embassy to see what most buildings that can withstand that kind of brunt force attack look like.
February 26, 201015 yr I like the fact that good old-fashioned military fortifications are still being built. This is a modern-day castle. It's a surprising setting, though.
March 3, 201015 yr Author I like the fact that good old-fashioned military fortifications are still being built. This is a modern-day castle. It's a surprising setting, though. That's an interesting way to look at it.
March 4, 201015 yr I like the fact that good old-fashioned military fortifications are still being built. This is a modern-day castle. It's a surprising setting, though. That's an interesting way to look at it. I thought that was the obvious psychological reaction to the word 'moat'. It's kind of humorous. Also sad. The US is a slave to terror and fear.
March 4, 201015 yr Making our embassy blast proof and a massive fortification is not being a slave to terror and fear, its a show of force and ingenuity. This is an interesting design in that it is both one of the most fortified buildings built in modern times, but it doesn't look like it.
March 14, 201015 yr More renderings are available here: http://www.usembassy.org.uk/new_embassy/new_embassy5.html "I thought that was the obvious psychological reaction to the word 'moat'" What can I say? The proposed building is surrounded by a real, honest to goodness moat. The purpose of the moat is to hinder attacks from the ground. In the old days, castle moats hindered siege engines such as battering rams, attack towers, and the like. I'm sure what they had in mind for this building was vehicle bombs. Not only is there a moat, but there is an embankment, too, and a bridge over the moat. This building was designed to withstand an attack! It really is a castle. "The US is a slave to terror and fear" After Beirut and Oklahoma City, how would you design an embassy?
November 21, 20213 yr At just a stones throw From Buckingham Palace this soon to be open palatial facility is truly fit for a Queen. Establishing a foothold here and elsewhere, such as Abu Dubai and southeast Florida that has a lot of high net worth individuals, is a great strategy for grow their endowment and ensure their long term survival. Not only that, having its namesake city incorporated into their brand is great for the city itself by extension. Exciting stuff! I mean can you imagine the publicity if the Queen of England ends up using this facility? It can't be more convenient and the quality is top notch. https://newsroom.clevelandclinic.org/2021/10/11/cleveland-clinic-london-facts-figures/
November 21, 20213 yr 4 hours ago, shack said: At just a stones throw From Buckingham Palace this soon to be open palatial facility is truly fit for a Queen. Establishing a foothold here and elsewhere, such as Abu Dubai and southeast Florida that has a lot of high net worth individuals, is a great strategy for grow their endowment and ensure their long term survival. Not only that, having its namesake city incorporated into their brand is great for the city itself by extension. Exciting stuff! I mean can you imagine the publicity if the Queen of England ends up using this facility? It can't be more convenient and the quality is top notch. https://newsroom.clevelandclinic.org/2021/10/11/cleveland-clinic-london-facts-figures/ Clearly not part of the NHS system...so I doubt you'd see the Queen there. https://clevelandcliniclondon.uk/patients/payments I would also guess that long term this will hurt the Clinic main campus. Depending on the procedures provided, I'm sure many of the middle eastern royals will opt to fly to London for a procedure vs Cleveland. Most already maintain homes there.
November 21, 20213 yr Talk about a prime piece of real estate though! You couldn't ask for a better location to cater to high net worth individuals. One Hyde Park that has some of the most expensive condos in the world in excess of 100 million per unit and is just blocks away. https://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2011/04/18/worlds-most-expensive-apartment-sold-to-mystery-buyer-for-221-million/?sh=2f12d1734414 This is no coincidence and should pay high dividends for the Clinic overall whether the Queen stays there or not.
November 23, 20213 yr ^ those kinds of neighbors, or should we say neighbours, can only help the brand.
December 3, 20213 yr post brexit development news The property developers still betting on London offices The market is splitting in two, between modern, flexible spaces and older buildings whose value is likely to decline https://www.ft.com/content/d6b8d468-e339-497d-b165-0de10bcddcae David Camp, CEO of Stanhope, a London developer whose projects include Bloomberg’s London headquarters pictured, says ‘the big tenants have got to move’ © Nigel Young
March 27, 20223 yr Finally be opening in about a week at the end of this month. Should make a big splash among the power elites of London and a windfall for its endowment: https://www.thenationalnews.com/weekend/2022/03/25/cleveland-clinic-london-a-new-era-of-private-luxury-health-care-in-the-uk/
March 10, 20241 yr st helens tower demo — https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1DGDkNrkJR/?igsh=M2xtYzF5OHk0aG0y
Create an account or sign in to comment