# CASPAR Building, LEEDS July 2008



## sqwasher (Jul 9, 2008)

Not sure if this is strictly the correct place to put this as it's due for demo but i thought it better to serve it as a warning. Had a nosy round here last Sat & there's some big drug use going on plus some of them are living on site too! One of them arrived at one side of the area just as i was leaving at the opposite side! I've heard there's dealers living here!? Anyhow i got some pics if anyone's not seen this big waste of time & money!

The view joe public sees nowadays.






Inside the courtyard





Some of the nicer views










And a not so nice one! 





Flickr has got a few more of my pics if you're interested but as for this building i'd give it a miss? Cheers :thumb


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## sqwasher (Jul 9, 2008)

Thought i'd better put some info up for those that don't know any history...

CASPAR (city centre apartments for single people at affordable rents), a development of 42 apartments on North St in Leeds (just opposite Hansa’s Gujarati curry house) is now to be demolished.
The site was initially open to competition and won by Levitt Bernstein on behalf of the client, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Contractor was Kajima UK Engineering Ltd, structural engineers were Alan Conisbee and Associates and Services Engineers were Max Fordham and Partners. According to RIBA contract value was £2,432,916 and was reportedly built without subsidy. JRF expected a return of 6.2%, compared to their average portfolio of 2.9%. Each apartment cost in the region of £60k to build, high for apartments, especially for one occupant dwellings.
The project won much acclaim after it’s completion in 2000 and won awards with both RIBA and the Civic Trust. The SDC (Sustainable Development Commission) have the development rated as a 5 star sustainable case study. The energy efficiency of the development appears to be very good. Where it was obviously fallen down on the sustainable front is that instead of the 60 year expected lifespan, the development has lasted less than 7 years.

It was vacated in Jan 2007 & is due for demo due to the fact that surveys found that the roof may blow off in very high winds (surely most roofs would too!?) Cheers


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## krela (Jul 9, 2008)

Wow, what a waste. Bet the JRF aren't too happy about that.


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## The_Revolution (Jul 9, 2008)

What a complete waste; I remember this being built. As flats go it's not too bad a building; not the best location being surrounded by that slip road though.

Surely redevelopment of the building would of been a better option; but I guess the profit margin from selling the site is more that that of repairing the roof and renting out affordable housing. No doubt the new development will be expensive flats; just what Leeds needs....


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## communist daughter (Jul 9, 2008)

I had no idea this place was derelict, looks pretty dodgy though so i might not bother having a look. Good pics though and thanks for the history...


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## mcl (Jul 9, 2008)

Apparently it is more beneficial tax wise to demolish and rebuild a new structure.


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## sqwasher (Jul 9, 2008)

krela said:


> Wow, what a waste. Bet the JRF aren't too happy about that.



It is a waste when there are homless people just needing a roof over their heads!
I guess it depends how much Kajima paid JRF for the building when they bought it to save themselves fighting a possible lawsuit!


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## The_Revolution (Jul 9, 2008)

mcl said:


> Apparently it is more beneficial tax wise to demolish and rebuild a new structure.



There's no VAT on a new builds but there is on refurbs. Which is why so many buildings seem to burn down.


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## Sabtr (Jul 9, 2008)

A shocking waste. If this building has been built badly I bet there are stacks of these apartments we are seeing being built recently on derelict sites/buildings that are just as faulty. I have friends in the building trade who tell me that some new housing they are building is just like "tissue paper".


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## thompski (Jul 9, 2008)

Seven years!? I thought 60s tower blocks had short lifespans!

Such a terrible waste.


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## krela (Jul 10, 2008)

Sausage said:


> A shocking waste. If this building has been built badly I bet there are stacks of these apartments we are seeing being built recently on derelict sites/buildings that are just as faulty. I have friends in the building trade who tell me that some new housing they are building is just like "tissue paper".



Yeah, and all the house buildings companies are on the verge of bankruptcy at the moment so wont have the money to do anything about it once the complaints roll in!


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## Sabtr (Jul 10, 2008)

krela said:


> Yeah, and all the house buildings companies are on the verge of bankruptcy at the moment so wont have the money to do anything about it once the complaints roll in!



It is already happening up here at Great North park near Kenton in Newcastle upon Tyne. They have built on a flood plain (some mortgage companies refused to mortgage for a home there) and now the builders have left due to lack of orders. The estate is half built and each day the water, which is at one end of the site, creeps a little further along the site. Houses are crumbling and no-one is listening.


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## The_Revolution (Jul 10, 2008)

krela said:


> Yeah, and all the house buildings companies are on the verge of bankruptcy at the moment so wont have the money to do anything about it once the complaints roll in!



Still it should make sure the lawyers of this country make it through the impending recession....


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## smileysal (Jul 12, 2008)

Am I the only one who likes the look of this building? I think it's great. Shame on them for knocking it down in this day and age when there's thousands of homeless people who would cry out for a roof over their heads.

Like the pics too, especially the one of the steps with nature taking over.

Cheers,

 Sal


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## carew (Jul 12, 2008)

What a waste. 

Shame about the drug use. It looks like the places that i have to deal with on a daily basis.


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## Foxylady (Jul 13, 2008)

Sausage said:


> They have built on a flood plain (some mortgage companies refused to mortgage for a home there) and now the builders have left due to lack of orders. The estate is half built and each day the water, which is at one end of the site, creeps a little further along the site. Houses are crumbling and no-one is listening.



And yet councils and developers are _still_ doing it...the estuary flood plain in Seaton is earmarked for a new-build estate. The marching of the morons! :icon_evil



smileysal said:


> Am I the only one who likes the look of this building? I think it's great...Like the pics too, especially the one of the steps with nature taking over.



Me too Sal. I think it's quite a stunning building. Love that pic of the steps too.


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## nighthawk (Jul 16, 2008)

I had a quick look at this on Sunday. I went into the main courtyard and noticed one of the ground floor balcony door was open. I went over for a quick look through the door.... the flat was very clean inside with only a few crisp wrappers on the floor - lovely cream carpets  

I then walked away and looked back to see a figure walk across the window... so I can safely say that these flats ARE currently been squatted in! - or it could have been a curious explorer.


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## crumbler (Jul 17, 2008)

Great shots, amazing to think it was inhabited not that long ago, and now will be destroyed after a short lifespan.


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