External Redecorations: Week 13

We're at the end of week 13 (w/c 20th Oct) of the external redecoration project. Here is an update from Steven Murray.   Please do let Steve or Sheila know if you are aware of anything which can be improved upon with the work, and please do attend the walk around Steve mentions if you can:

<here is> a rundown on the last couple of weeks on the re-decs for you to share on your blog.

The second stage of Ben Jonson is now 80% complete, Sheila is going to send out a letter to the residents of this section to invite them for a walk around with me and the project team to go through any issues before I sign of as complete, this will be for Wednesday 12th November at 2pm. Scaffold on the north elevation of BenJ for the final stage will start being erected from this coming Monday to complete up to the far eastern end of the block and painters will be starting on common areas and balconies from the middle of next week. A newsletter from the contractor for the residents of the final stage will also be out with info of contact details and programme.

Breton House is now also 80% complete and mostly just the eyebrow windows to do from scaffolding, as above we will have a resident walk around, this will follow at 3pm.

We of course have the little section of windows that are over Golden Lane that need to bridge the road, we are chasing for the date when we can close the road over a weekend so this can be erected.

The project has gone very well so far so fingers crossed it stays this way now we are approaching the home straight – of course this is a team effort and the residents have been fantastic with accommodating the painters and helping with making their appoints for leading edges on doors etc….so pass on my thanks for this so far.

Just let me know if there's any questions

Regards, Steve

Steven Murray
Property Services Team Manager
Housing Property Services
Department of Community & Children's Services
City of London Corporation
Steven.murray@cityoflondon.gov.uk
0207 029 3915
07786 855 580

Bulb Planting: Sun 26 Oct 10.30 - 13.00

Dear Residents

Please see the following message and attachment sent on behalf of Sarah Hudson, Barbican resident and keen gardener!

BULB PLANTING FOR RESIDENTS THIS SUNDAY

When: 10.30 am to 1 pm

Where: meet Thomas More lawn

We have loads of lovely spring flowering bulbs to plant - in beds and planters all over the estate. Gloves and tools will be provided.

Come along and join your neighbours and brighten up planters next to your block. Families and children very welcome. There will also be a wild life treasure hunt for children.

For more information please see attached flyer.

Look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

Best wishes

Sarah

With regards

Barbican Estate Office

Cultural Hub and the Barbican: 1st Dec

Invitation from the Barbican Association to all residents

Monday 1 December 6.30 Weston Theatre, Museum of London

What is the cultural hub?

What plans for development do the Barbican Arts Centre and the Museum of London have?

How might these plans affect the Barbican area?

Come and hear the directors of the Arts Centre and the Museum of London answer these and other questions.

The City of London is currently conducting a wide ranging review of the Barbican Area, including the idea of creating a cultural hub (http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/environment-and-planning/environmental-enhancement/strategies/Pages/Barbican-Area-Strategy-Review.aspx), and the Arts Centre and Museum are heavily involved in that process.

The Arts Centre and the Museum of London both want to attract more visitors and be more accessible and are keen to share their ideas about the cultural hub.

We have invited Sir Nicholas Kenyon, director of the Barbican Arts Centre, and Sharon Ament, director of the Museum of London, to talk to residents about the review, the cultural hub, and their plans for their respective organisations. This meeting will enable them to present their ideas and offer residents an opportunity to comment and ask questions.

We hope that you will come along and hear them.

Chair BA, chairBA@btinternet.com

Barbican Area Strategy & Cultural Hub meeting: 1 Dec 18:30

From the chair of the BA:

Dear All 

I thought I would alert you to a meeting the BA has organised for all Barbican residents on 1 December 6.30 pm Weston Lecture Theatre, Museum of London 

It is so that Nick Kenyon of the Arts Centre and Sharon Ament of the Museum of London can present to residents what they are asking of the Barbican Area strategy and what they want of the "cultural hub" and hear in return what residents think about that - and what residents want. 

Put the date in your diaries, and notices and email broadcast will go out soon. 

Best wishes 

Chair, Barbican Association

External Redecorations: Week 12

During week 12 (w/c 13th Oct) the scaffolding has moved eastwards, but there is a gap. Golden Lane will need to be closed while the scaffolding bridge is built to close the gap shown in this photo.

Do remember to call to make an appointment (call Charlie Demsen on 0796 185 9201) to have your woodwork varnished, otherwise the work will be done while the windows are closed and the finish will not be so good.

Gap to be filled

Barbicania film at Barbican cinema

From the chair of the BA:

As you may know there has been some consternation that the showing of the film recently made about the Barbican and advertised in the Podium was quickly sold out. The Arts centre put on another showing, also sold out.

They have now said they will put on a third - and if that is sold out they'll put on another ... and if that is sold out they'll put on another etc - to meet demand.

The 3rd showing is likely to be the afternoon of 1 November - and will be advertised on the centre website soon.

Fast Internet service: announcement

The company installing the new high speed fibre Internet (and TV) service has sent out an update after an extended period of silence.  Good to hear they are still alive and pressing ahead, and that Ben Jonson House will be switched on in November! ...

Dear Resident,

ULTRA-FAST BROADBAND IS HERE, WITH FREE INSTALLATION!*
You have previously registered for the new fibre optic broadband service, brought to you by Vision Fibre Media.
We are pleased to announce that the roll-out to the Barbican Estate has begun with installation for residents in Shakespeare and Lauderdale Towers starting shortly.
The planned rollout (subject to service demand) across the estate is as follows:

November - Shakespeare Tower, Lauderdale Tower, Frobisher Crescent, Cromwell Tower, Breton House, Ben Jonson House

December - Thomas More House, Defoe House, Seddon House, Mountjoy House, Lambert Jones Mews

January - Andrewes House, Speed House, Willoughby House, Gilbert House, Wallside, The Postern, Brandon Mews, Bunyan Court, John Trundle Court, Bryer Court

                                      The Communal TV upgrade is commencing in February 2015 with Resident installs in March 2015

WHAT TO DO NEXT
As one of the first residents to register your interest, you qualify for free installation*.  Two weeks prior to your location's ready for service date, we will contact you via email with the web address where you can choose your package and confirm your payment details.  Once we receive these, we will then contact you to arrange an appointment for the installation. 
In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to email us at support@visionfibremedia.com.

Many thanks,
Vision Fibre Media Support

Vision Fibre Media Ltd

97-101 Cleveland Street

London

W1T 6PL

* RRP of the basic installation service is £200 and is offered free of charge under this promotion. Any different or additional installation options you choose will incur additional charges. This promotional offer expires on 31^st January 2015.

Latest schedule for removing Victor's seats

Here is the latest schedule (received on 13th Oct) for the removal of the 'new' seats from Ben Jonson Highwalk:

Week commencing 20th October

• Planting removed from the planters on St Giles Terrace 
• Planters removed from St Giles Terrace 
• Seats removed from St Giles Terrace 
• Planter/seat fixings removed from St Giles Terrace and tile repairs completed as necessary 
• Replacement park bench style benches installed St Giles Terrace 

Week commencing 10th November

• Replacement double aspect benches (2 no.) installed St Giles Terrace 

Week commencing 24th November

• Seats removed from Ben Jonson Highwalk 
• Replacement benches installed Ben Jonson Highwalk 

Bulb planting: 26th Oct & 2nd Nov 10.30-13.00

Gardens Advisory Group are helping to organise bulb planting sessions for residents on 26th October and 2nd November 10.30 to 13.00. It was great fun last year and well attended. This year we have triple the number of bulbs – 26,000! And we can plant them pretty much all over the estate – so lots of opportunities for brightening up beds and planters next to your blocks. The bulbs are narcissi, snowdrops and alliums and will be allowed to naturalise to provide spring colour and early nectar for bees for many years to come.

The sound of breaking glass

Some time ago residents were disturbed by noise caused by the collection of waste glass from the service yard behind Cote. It seems it's happening again. Here is a note from a resident:

Re the bottle noise, Cote head office replied to say their staff were unaware of any vehicular glass collection on Sunday mornings. They said they’d contact their contractors to confirm that it wasn’t them. I’ve still not heard back.

I was away the following Sunday, but I heard and witnessed a vehicle collection yesterday morning so emailed Cote with confirmation that their contractors were again making noisy collections on Sunday mornings. Members of Cote’s kitchen staff were outside smoking, so they will have seen it too.

If you have heard noise from waste collection from Cote, please add a comment to this post.

Drains and Puddles

The drains from the high walks are still blocked which means any significant rain will cause puddles. The problem is that the drains pass into Arts Centre territory, and so the un-blocking must be coordinated with them.

An update on the drain work from Steve Murray:

I have a meeting Monday with the Barbican centre to fully iron out areas I need access to so I can get to work on these – you may have seen the chaps on the podium with the de-scaling machine – I’m going to do everything I can Bruce to free the podium of ponding around BenJ as quick as I can so thanks for your patience whilst I communicate with the parties it affects below etc….

External Redecorations: Week 11

Week 11 (w/c Mon October 6th).

The redecoration action has reached the middle of the house. The fire doors are looking very red, the soffits (the ceilings over the balconies) are being painted white and the windows and doors facing south are being varnished. Ours looks very nice now.

It's best to be at home when the door and window frames are being varnished. The finish is much better if the work can happen with the doors and windows open and the varnish allowed to dry that way. Call Charlie Demsen on 0796 185 9201 to arrange a time for yours to be done.

... and here is an update from Steve Murray:

Scaffold is being erected up to the west side of Golden lane north elevation of BenJ and I expect to see painters working here from the middle of next week so residents can expect to see them from then – they will then start on the scaffold the other side of Golden Lane, I’m waiting to be up-dated on the road closure needed to bridge over Golden Lane so the middle section can be done and will let you know the date for this asap, works are also on going on the south elevation of BenJ and good progress is being made.

Breton Hse is well under way and again good progress has been made on the top 3 floors and residents can expect to see painters on the 3rd & 2nd floors from Mid to late next week.

There is a resident walk on the first stage of the project set up by Sheila for next Weds 8th at 2,30 pm where I will be available to meet anyone that would like to go over anything with me.