Elevator World

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast!

This week’s news podcast is sponsored by Electric Elevator Pads.

Electric Elevator Pads is a patent-approved technological invention that helps protect the overall integrity and aesthetics of interior elevator walls. Fitted with an electric motor, and controlled remotely, the walls can quickly be covered for protection or rolled up to expose the existing cab interior.  

These pads can be modified to fit any elevator size and/or design. And, this patent is now for sale!  For more information on purchasing the patent or more information on the product, call: (561) 789-1383 or (561) 236-6805; e-mail [email protected]; or visit the website at electricelevatorpads.com. 

GAL ACQUIRES ST. LOUIS-BASED COURION

GAL Manufacturing Corp., part of San Francisco-based Golden Gate Capital's portfolio, has acquired Comprehensive Manufacturing Services, LLC, also known as Courion, headquartered in St. Louis. A provider of door systems for freight elevators, Courion was founded in 1921 and is led by owners/principals Michael Garner and Bob Jackson, who will remain in their current roles. Along with Courion and Security Freight door systems, and Harris Preble and Guilbert replacement parts, CART-MATIC© and TOTE-MATIC© cartlift systems are now part of the GAL product portfolio. Freight Tech, LLC, a New York City-based International Union of Elevator Constructors freight door services contractor wholly owned by Courion, is also part of the transaction.

 

LAKHTA CENTER SETTING RECORDS

Construction work on Lakhta Center, already Europe's tallest building, is now focused on its crown and spire, Skyrise Cities reported in January. Glass panels were also being installed on the lower levels of the St. Petersburg, Russia, building. The 462-m-tall, 87-story skyscraper is to be headquarters of Russian natural gas company Gazprom, which has been planning the tower since 2005. The building has also already set the record of nearly 20,000 m3 of concrete being dispatched in a continuous pour, topping the previous title held by the Wilshire Grand Center in Los Angeles. To keep abreast of Lakhta Center’s construction, view the fascinating official live camera.

 

SECURITY CAMERAS IN ELEVATORS AT INDIAN METRO STATION

Kochi Metro Rail Ltd. (KMRL) on the southwest India coast plans to install security cameras in its station elevators "without delay," in response to a January 6 incident that exposed lack of proper surveillance, The Times of India reports. In that incident, KMRL was unable to provide police with CCTV footage of a molestation that allegedly occurred in one of the lifts. KMRL stated the move will improve security as it continues to deal with an inadequate number of security personnel, which are provided by the police. 

 

FINAL PIECE OF FINANCING SECURED FOR NYC SUPERTALL

Extell Development, which is behind the plan to build Central Park Tower (also known as Nordstrom Tower for the seven-story flagship store that will be at its base) in New York City (NYC), has secured US$1.14 billion in financing, which will enable it to move forward with the 95-story condominium building at 217 West 57th Street, The Real Deal reports. Central Park Tower will be the most expensive condo tower in Manhattan, with 20 of its 179 units priced at US$60 million or more. Selling US$500 million worth of units by December 2020 is a contingency of Extell’s US$900 million in construction financing from JPMorgan Chase.

Image courtesy of Lakhta Center:

https://skyrisecities.com/news/2018/01/crews-working-spire-europes-tallest-building

Subscribe to the Podcast: iTunes│Google Play | SoundCloud│Stitcher│TuneIn

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast!

This week’s news podcast is sponsored by Electric Elevator Pads.

Electric Elevator Pads is a patent-approved technological invention that helps protect the overall integrity and aesthetics of interior elevator walls. Fitted with an electric motor, and controlled remotely, the walls can quickly be covered for protection or rolled up to expose the existing cab interior.  

These pads can be modified to fit any elevator size and/or design. And, this patent is now for sale!  For more information on purchasing the patent or more information on the product, call: (561) 789-1383 or (561) 236-6805; e-mail [email protected]; or visit the website at electricelevatorpads.com. 

GAL ACQUIRES ST. LOUIS-BASED COURION

GAL Manufacturing Corp., part of San Francisco-based Golden Gate Capital's portfolio, has acquired Comprehensive Manufacturing Services, LLC, also known as Courion, headquartered in St. Louis. A provider of door systems for freight elevators, Courion was founded in 1921 and is led by owners/principals Michael Garner and Bob Jackson, who will remain in their current roles. Along with Courion and Security Freight door systems, and Harris Preble and Guilbert replacement parts, CART-MATIC© and TOTE-MATIC© cartlift systems are now part of the GAL product portfolio. Freight Tech, LLC, a New York City-based International Union of Elevator Constructors freight door services contractor wholly owned by Courion, is also part of the transaction.

 

LAKHTA CENTER SETTING RECORDS

Construction work on Lakhta Center, already Europe's tallest building, is now focused on its crown and spire, Skyrise Cities reported in January. Glass panels were also being installed on the lower levels of the St. Petersburg, Russia, building. The 462-m-tall, 87-story skyscraper is to be headquarters of Russian natural gas company Gazprom, which has been planning the tower since 2005. The building has also already set the record of nearly 20,000 m3 of concrete being dispatched in a continuous pour, topping the previous title held by the Wilshire Grand Center in Los Angeles. To keep abreast of Lakhta Center’s construction, view the fascinating official live camera.

 

SECURITY CAMERAS IN ELEVATORS AT INDIAN METRO STATION

Kochi Metro Rail Ltd. (KMRL) on the southwest India coast plans to install security cameras in its station elevators "without delay," in response to a January 6 incident that exposed lack of proper surveillance, The Times of India reports. In that incident, KMRL was unable to provide police with CCTV footage of a molestation that allegedly occurred in one of the lifts. KMRL stated the move will improve security as it continues to deal with an inadequate number of security personnel, which are provided by the police. 

 

FINAL PIECE OF FINANCING SECURED FOR NYC SUPERTALL

Extell Development, which is behind the plan to build Central Park Tower (also known as Nordstrom Tower for the seven-story flagship store that will be at its base) in New York City (NYC), has secured US$1.14 billion in financing, which will enable it to move forward with the 95-story condominium building at 217 West 57th Street, The Real Deal reports. Central Park Tower will be the most expensive condo tower in Manhattan, with 20 of its 179 units priced at US$60 million or more. Selling US$500 million worth of units by December 2020 is a contingency of Extell’s US$900 million in construction financing from JPMorgan Chase.

Image courtesy of Lakhta Center:

https://skyrisecities.com/news/2018/01/crews-working-spire-europes-tallest-building

Subscribe to the Podcast: iTunes│Google Play | SoundCloud│Stitcher│TuneIn

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: http://www.elevatorbooks.com

FINANCING SECURED FOR HOTEL IN NYC’s CHELSEA

New York YIMBY reports progress in financing for a high-rise hotel in New York City’s (NYC) Chelsea neighborhood. Developer Eastern Consolidated has secured a US$121.35-million debt-and-equity package for the construction of the 45-story, 526-room hotel at 140 West 28th Street. The 419-ft.-tall tower holding 178,000 sq. ft. of space will include a 1,500-sq.-ft. public arcade, a fitness center and meeting and dining rooms. Lodging space will be divided between two Marriott brands, TownePlace Suites and Springhill Suites, with each having its own lobby but sharing common spaces. The hotel is targeted for opening by the end of 2019.

NEW TALLEST RESIDENTIAL TOWER FOR BIRMINGHAM, U.K.

Glenn Howells Architects and Moda Living received permission to build 2one2 Broad Street, a 42-story building for Birmingham, U.K. The GBP183-million (US$248.3-million) development is to contain 481 apartments and, in its podium, 3,200 m² of office space, shops and leisure space, and a "hotel-style lobby," according to The Architects’ Journal. It is to be taller than 130 m (breaking a residential record in the city) but not quite as tall as the tallest building in Birmingham, the BT Tower, which stands 152 m.

HEIGHT CUT FOR PROPOSED BOSTON SKYSCRAPER

For the second time, the developer of a mixed-use tower at the site of a former city-owned garage in Boston (ELENET 653) has reduced the height of the proposed building, Curbed Boston reports. Millennium Partners, in response to concerns about shadows the building would cast over nearby landmarks, has agreed to a 52-story, 691-ft. height for the Winthrop Square Tower, which would make it the fourth-tallest building in Boston. The change comes just a few months after the height was lowered from 775 to 702 ft. to address Federal Aviation Administration concerns about the building's impact on Logan International Airport. The new plan includes 115,000 sq. ft. of office space, plus 640,000 sq. ft. of residential condominiums. A construction timeline has not been determined.

42-STORY ADDITION PLANNED ATOP TORONTO OFFICE BUILDING

Developers submitted a rezoning application for a proposed 42-story residential addition to an existing 19-story office building in Toronto, Urban Toronto reports. The Marwest Group of Companies hopes to place the addition on top of the building at 415 Yonge Street, creating a 61-story tower that would rise to a height of 239.35 m. The addition would bring 450 residential rental units to the area, increasing density along the Yonge subway line. The design would include translucent bands cut through a glass facade on the north and south sides, with an angular vertical design on the east. No balconies or outdoor amenity spaces are included, but the building would have 900 m2 of indoor amenity space.

Image courtesy handelarchitects.com:

http://www.handelarchitects.com/projects/project-main/a115-winthrop-square-main.html

Subscribe to the Podcast: iTunes│Google Play | SoundCloud│Stitcher│TuneIn

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: http://www.elevatorbooks.com

FINANCING SECURED FOR HOTEL IN NYC’s CHELSEA

New York YIMBY reports progress in financing for a high-rise hotel in New York City’s (NYC) Chelsea neighborhood. Developer Eastern Consolidated has secured a US$121.35-million debt-and-equity package for the construction of the 45-story, 526-room hotel at 140 West 28th Street. The 419-ft.-tall tower holding 178,000 sq. ft. of space will include a 1,500-sq.-ft. public arcade, a fitness center and meeting and dining rooms. Lodging space will be divided between two Marriott brands, TownePlace Suites and Springhill Suites, with each having its own lobby but sharing common spaces. The hotel is targeted for opening by the end of 2019.

NEW TALLEST RESIDENTIAL TOWER FOR BIRMINGHAM, U.K.

Glenn Howells Architects and Moda Living received permission to build 2one2 Broad Street, a 42-story building for Birmingham, U.K. The GBP183-million (US$248.3-million) development is to contain 481 apartments and, in its podium, 3,200 m² of office space, shops and leisure space, and a "hotel-style lobby," according to The Architects’ Journal. It is to be taller than 130 m (breaking a residential record in the city) but not quite as tall as the tallest building in Birmingham, the BT Tower, which stands 152 m.

HEIGHT CUT FOR PROPOSED BOSTON SKYSCRAPER

For the second time, the developer of a mixed-use tower at the site of a former city-owned garage in Boston (ELENET 653) has reduced the height of the proposed building, Curbed Boston reports. Millennium Partners, in response to concerns about shadows the building would cast over nearby landmarks, has agreed to a 52-story, 691-ft. height for the Winthrop Square Tower, which would make it the fourth-tallest building in Boston. The change comes just a few months after the height was lowered from 775 to 702 ft. to address Federal Aviation Administration concerns about the building's impact on Logan International Airport. The new plan includes 115,000 sq. ft. of office space, plus 640,000 sq. ft. of residential condominiums. A construction timeline has not been determined.

42-STORY ADDITION PLANNED ATOP TORONTO OFFICE BUILDING

Developers submitted a rezoning application for a proposed 42-story residential addition to an existing 19-story office building in Toronto, Urban Toronto reports. The Marwest Group of Companies hopes to place the addition on top of the building at 415 Yonge Street, creating a 61-story tower that would rise to a height of 239.35 m. The addition would bring 450 residential rental units to the area, increasing density along the Yonge subway line. The design would include translucent bands cut through a glass facade on the north and south sides, with an angular vertical design on the east. No balconies or outdoor amenity spaces are included, but the building would have 900 m2 of indoor amenity space.

Image courtesy handelarchitects.com:

http://www.handelarchitects.com/projects/project-main/a115-winthrop-square-main.html

Subscribe to the Podcast: iTunes│Google Play | SoundCloud│Stitcher│TuneIn

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: http://www.elevatorbooks.com

13 TOWERS TO TRANSFORM EASTERN LONDON BY 2026

In a year-end look at tall-tower activity, the City of London noted that 13 high rises are either under construction or have received approval to move forward within London’s eastern section, also known as the "Square Mile," a building spree that will transform the area’s skyline by 2026, bdonline reports. The tallest will be the 73-story 1 Undershaft, which has been approved but is awaiting a finalized agreement before construction can begin. The next tallest will be the 62-story 22 Bishopsgate, already under construction. The city noted one amenity for the area is that six of the new buildings will have public viewing platforms, while the Square Mile is to account for about 60% of the city’s growth over the next decade.

 

IN MEMORIAM: JOHN C. MACDONALD, III

John C. "Jack" MacDonald III, of Hingham, Massachusetts, passed away on October 31, 2017, at the age of 79. After earning his degree at Boston University, MacDonald became an elevator technician and member of the International Union of Elevator Constructors Local 4. He worked for Otis, then founded his own company, Delta Elevator Co. in Allston, Massachusetts. He went on to become New England manager for U.S. Elevator. Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Nancy; children, Carol Ann, John and Judith; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to The Shriners Hospital for Children — Boston.

 

DUBAI FRAME OPENS TO HUGE CROWDS ON NEW YEAR'S DAY

Dubai, a city known for manmade marvels including the Palm Jumeirah artificial island and the Burj Khalifa — the world's tallest building — rang in 2018 with the opening of the Dubai Frame, the latest piece of spectacular architecture to grace the skyline, TimeOut Dubai reports. The Frame is a pair of 150-m-tall towers connected at the top by a 93-m-long, glass-bottomed observation bridge that, from a distance, creates a huge "picture frame" through which the city can be seen. Long lines of visitors queued up on New Year's Day to tour the Frame and to look out through the bridge's 25-m2 central glass, which affords a 360° view of the city. The Frame, being marketed as a major tourist attraction, tells visitors the story of Dubai's transformation from sleepy fishing village to a glittering metropolis and the U.A.E.’s largest city.

Image: Time Out Dubai:

http://www.timeoutdubai.com/aroundtown/news/80880-dubai-frame-now-open-to-the-public

Subscribe to the Podcast: iTunes│Google Play | SoundCloud│Stitcher│TuneIn

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: http://www.elevatorbooks.com

13 TOWERS TO TRANSFORM EASTERN LONDON BY 2026

In a year-end look at tall-tower activity, the City of London noted that 13 high rises are either under construction or have received approval to move forward within London’s eastern section, also known as the "Square Mile," a building spree that will transform the area’s skyline by 2026, bdonline reports. The tallest will be the 73-story 1 Undershaft, which has been approved but is awaiting a finalized agreement before construction can begin. The next tallest will be the 62-story 22 Bishopsgate, already under construction. The city noted one amenity for the area is that six of the new buildings will have public viewing platforms, while the Square Mile is to account for about 60% of the city’s growth over the next decade.

 

IN MEMORIAM: JOHN C. MACDONALD, III

John C. "Jack" MacDonald III, of Hingham, Massachusetts, passed away on October 31, 2017, at the age of 79. After earning his degree at Boston University, MacDonald became an elevator technician and member of the International Union of Elevator Constructors Local 4. He worked for Otis, then founded his own company, Delta Elevator Co. in Allston, Massachusetts. He went on to become New England manager for U.S. Elevator. Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Nancy; children, Carol Ann, John and Judith; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to The Shriners Hospital for Children — Boston.

 

DUBAI FRAME OPENS TO HUGE CROWDS ON NEW YEAR'S DAY

Dubai, a city known for manmade marvels including the Palm Jumeirah artificial island and the Burj Khalifa — the world's tallest building — rang in 2018 with the opening of the Dubai Frame, the latest piece of spectacular architecture to grace the skyline, TimeOut Dubai reports. The Frame is a pair of 150-m-tall towers connected at the top by a 93-m-long, glass-bottomed observation bridge that, from a distance, creates a huge "picture frame" through which the city can be seen. Long lines of visitors queued up on New Year's Day to tour the Frame and to look out through the bridge's 25-m2 central glass, which affords a 360° view of the city. The Frame, being marketed as a major tourist attraction, tells visitors the story of Dubai's transformation from sleepy fishing village to a glittering metropolis and the U.A.E.’s largest city.

Image: Time Out Dubai:

http://www.timeoutdubai.com/aroundtown/news/80880-dubai-frame-now-open-to-the-public

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Welcome to the Elevator World Podcast!

This is an exclusive podcast where we will be announcing and discussing the winners of our 2018 Project of the Year Awards!

From Chicago and Cleveland to the smaller cities of Tallahassee, Florida, and Clearfield, Utah, in the U.S. to two autonomous international areas – Spain’s port city of Melilla in North Africa and the Macau region on the south coast of China, and the international cities of Bilbao and Valencia - in Spain - and Seoul, South Korea, come the projects that are Elevator World’s Project of the Year winners for 2018.

Thank you for listening! Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or Google Play. You can get the full feature of all 2018 POY Winners in our January 2018 issue of ELEVATOR WORLD Magazine. Subscribe at elevatorbooks.com.

Music:

Cloud Patterns by Silent Partner

Righteous by Silent Partner

Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 by Liszt

Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: http://www.elevatorbooks.com

RESIDENTS OPPOSE ELEVATORS NEAR NYC STOCK EXCHANGE

Proposed 13-ft.-tall glass-and-metal elevators near the Stock Exchange in New York City (NYC) that would make the Broad Street subway station handicapped accessible are raising residents' security fears, the Tribeca Trib reports. Madison Equities, developer of 45 Broad Street, a 1,115-ft.-tall structure that would be the tallest residential building in Lower Manhattan, has agreed to pay for the elevators in exchange for adding floors to their building. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority acknowledges a "critical need" for better accessibility, though the City Planning Commission plans to vote on the application after a 60-day comment period. Residents of 15 and 30 Broad Street point out they are not even allowed to place planters outside their buildings due to potential bomb threats, and that elevators will affect both property value and aesthetics.

NAESA UPCOMING WORKSHOPS, QEI CERTIFICATION EXAMS

NAESA International has announced its 2018 regional spring workshops and QEI training courses and certification exams. The workshops will be on March 2-3 in Des Plaines, Illinois (Central Region); March 23-24 in Ocean City, Maryland (Eastern Region); and April 13-14 in Las Vegas (Western Region). Four-day QEI training courses, with an exam on each fifth day, will be offered to individuals who meet the requirements on March 5-9 in Phoenix; March 12-16 in Clearwater Beach, Florida; April 23-27 in Baltimore; and June 4-9 in Des Plaines. For more information, visit naesai.org

CONSTRUCTION WORKER HURT IN ELEVATOR SHAFT FALL

A worker was injured January 2 when he fell down an elevator shaft at the Wynn Boston Harbor Casino construction site in the Boston suburb of Everett, Massachusetts, necn.com reported. The man fell shortly after his work shift began, though it was not clear how the accident happened. His condition was not reported, but he was conscious and alert when rescuers arrived on the scene. He was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital for treatment. The US$2.4-billion Wynn Boston Harbor Casino has been described as Massachusetts' largest-ever single-phase private development. It is on schedule for completion by June 2019.

Image via pixabay courtesy of USA-Reiseblogger:

https://pixabay.com/en/architecture-building-city-nyc-3033561/

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Welcome to the Elevator World News Podcast. This week’s news podcast is sponsored by elevatorbooks.com: http://www.elevatorbooks.com

IN MEMORIAM: JOHN CALVIN PORTMAN, JR.

John Calvin Portman, Jr., an Atlanta-based architect world renowned for his hotel designs featuring soaring atriums with glass elevators, passed away on December 29 at the age of 93, various news outlets, including The New York Times, report. Notable buildings he designed include the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta and the Embarcadero Center in San Francisco, as well as others throughout the U.S., Europe and Southeast Asia. Portman never stopped working, and spoke with ELEVATOR WORLD in 2014 about the role of atrium elevators in architectural design, calling them part of the “living room of life." Survivors include wife, Joan; sons, Michael, John, Jeffrey and Jarel; daughter, Jana; 19 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

 

ESCALATOR FALL AT AIRPORT FATAL FOR BABY IN INDIA

A six-month-old girl fell from her mother's arms on an escalator at the airport in Kolkata, India, on December 30, 2017, succumbing to her injuries shortly afterward at a local hospital, The Telegraph reports. The mother reportedly was holding a bag in one hand and the child in another when the accident occurred, resulting in fatal head and neck injuries. Parents and child were riding a down escalator on their way to board an early-morning flight.

 

PROPOSED TORONTO CONDO PLAN ADDS 20-STORY BUILDING, MORE

The City of Toronto has received an updated proposal for a group of primarily condominium buildings at 2180 Lawrence Avenue East that has grown from several blocks of townhomes and a 12-story building to three blocks of townhomes, and a seven-story and 21-story building, UrbanToronto reports. Designed by Kohn Partnership Architects for Lalu Canada, the buildings would provide nearly 230 residential units of various sizes, retail, an underground parking garage with 322 spaces, and indoor and outdoor amenity space. Future phases would see a trio of 20-story condo buildings rise across Birchmount Road from the site, contributing to continuing urbanization of a suburban area.

 

FIVE INJURED IN NYC HOME ELEVATOR FALL

The New York Daily News reported that five people were injured when an elevator inside a brownstone building in the Turtle Bay neighborhood of New York City (NYC) “suddenly dropped from the third floor to the basement.” Taking place around 3 a.m. on January 1 in a four-story home, it reportedly fell 20-30 ft. and landed at the bottom of the hoistway. A 26-year-old man had a broken right leg, a 45-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman suffered broken ankles, and two other men, both 52, suffered gashes to their heads.

Image: Credit Erik S. Lesser for The New York Times:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/30/obituaries/john-portman-dead.html

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KONE PROVIDING VT FOR MAJOR CHINESE TRANSPORTATION HUBS

KONE has won orders to provide the vertical transportation (VT) for two major infrastructure projects in China, one in Zhengzhou in central China and the other in Qingdao. Comprised of underground highways, a civic/cultural center and an extension of the city's Metro Line 5, the Zhengzhou project will be served by 79 TransitMasterTM escalators, and 11 MonoSpace® and six MiniSpace® elevators. Designed by Beijing Urban Construction Design & Development Group Co. and developed and built by ZhengZhou Rail Transit Co., the project is scheduled for completion in 2019. KONE is providing 78 TransitMaster escalators for the new Hong Dao station in Qingdao, the main station of the new Qingdao-Jinan railway line. Developed by The Jinan Qingdao Railway Co. Ltd. and built by China Construction Eighth Engineering Bureau Co., Ltd., the station is expected to be open to the public in 2018.

KINGS III NAMES ELEVATOR PARTNER PROGRAM MANAGER

Kings III Emergency Communications, based in Coppell, Texas, has named Kevin Rippentrop Elevator Partner Program manager. Rippentrop has 10 years of experience in the elevator industry on the supplier side, working with OEMs and independents, and has spent his career leading sales and marketing teams. As Elevator Partner Program manager, he will educate elevator contractors on Kings III's emergency-monitoring services.

ESCALATORS AMONG UPGRADES AT INDIAN RAIL STATION

Amenities, such as escalators, are among upgrades in store for Guntur Railway Station in southeastern Indian state of Andra Pradesh, The Hindu reports. Divisional Railway Manager V.G. Bhooma said that, along with electrification of the Guntur-Tenali and Guntur-Pagidipalli lines, expected to occur by December 2018 and February 2019, respectively, all platforms at Guntur Station will have escalators within a year.

WOMAN HURT IN U.K. ESCALATOR FALL

The Manchester Evening News reports that a woman fell over an escalator at a department store in Bolton, U.K., on December 21. According to reports, the woman fell about 60 ft. Paramedics found the woman conscious when they arrived and took her to a hospital for treatment of a suspected broken leg. No information about what caused her fall was available, but a spokesperson for the shopping center said an investigation had been launched.

BRISBANE APPROVES 81-STORY RESIDENTIAL TOWER

Officials in Brisbane, Australia, have approved a plan for a 274-m, 81-story residential tower in the city's central business district, ArchitectureAU reports. The tower, dubbed No. 1 Brisbane by architects Blight Rayner, will house 534 residential units, including two five-bedroom apartments. The slender tower will have a series of protrusions, complemented by greenery, that break up its uniform vertical lines. They will house several “sky gardens,” which will contain pools, cinemas, wellness centers, lounges and relaxation zones set within an elevated subtropical landscape. It will be the 5th structure to reach the city’s maximum building height, restricted by aviation authorities.

PLAN CALLS FOR THREE TOWERS IN BASEL, SWITZERLAND

The winning entry in a competition to design a new masterplan for Basel, Switzerland's Nordspitze area calls for the construction of three residential high rises, dezeen reports. The plan, by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, seeks to transform a commercial area into a new urban quarter, complete with high-density residential blocks and two new parks. It calls for three slim, cylindrical towers, one standing 160 m and the other two 135 m, as well as a row of 30-m-tall residential buildings, providing 800 new residential units. No construction timeline was given.

Image via dezeen.com:

https://www.dezeen.com/2017/12/20/winning-herzog-de-meuron-masterplan-basel-nordspitze-residential-skyscrapers-commercial-urban-development/

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