Five Ways Tower

52°28′16.74″N 1°54′58.78″W / 52.4713167°N 1.9163278°W / 52.4713167; -1.9163278Completed1979; 45 years ago (1979)Closed2005; 19 years ago (2005)Demolished2024; 0 years ago (2024) (ongoing)Height76 metres (249 ft)Technical detailsStructural systemSteel, ConcreteMaterialBrick, Concrete, Steel, Reinforced Concrete, Precast Concrete, GlassFloor count23Floor area100,000 square feet (9,290 m²)Lifts/elevators6 (installed by Schindler Elevator Corporation)Design and constructionArchitect(s)Philip BrightArchitecture firmProperty Services Agency

Five Ways Tower was a 23-storey commercial building, completed in 1979, on a 2.1-acre (8,500 m²) prime site located in the Birmingham City Centre by the corner of Frederick Road and Islington Road, near to the Five Ways roundabout and close to Five Ways Station, at the gateway to the Edgbaston area of Birmingham 15, England.

The building became vacant with the last tenants evacuating the building in 2005 due to ill health amongst the workforces. It was discovered that the building suffered from sick building syndrome, and although several hotels expressed interest in acquiring the building from its owners, since its solid concrete design could be converted into a business class hotel, it was decided to be demolished due to it being too expensive to refurbish to modern standards.

Over the last couple of years, the building had become a target for trespassers. The building suffered extensively from external damage including many smashed and missing windows, graffiti and structural damage, despite the owner’s extensive efforts to prevent this by installing more fencing, this continued.

The building was in excess of 100,000 sq ft (9,300 m²) of existing net office space, six lifts, basement storage, and a double height floor at the top. The building held a carpark for approximately 200 cars allocated to the Tower.

As of November 2023, the building is undergoing a demolition phase, in which the majority of the tower's car park and office space have already been torn down to make way for a structure of similar scale together with two smaller blocks for student/residential uses.

The building's architect was Philip Bright of the Property Services Agency. Andy Foster described it as being similar to the work of James Stirling.^[1]

See also

• List of tallest buildings and structures in Birmingham

References

External links

• Emporis entry
• Skyscrapernews entry Archived 30 December 2006 at the Wayback Machine