Development of John Jones Site / Sketch House

Arkady

Will there be unicorns?<br>

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vetski

JJ posted a photo on Twitter today of the view from the top of the building: <a href="http://ow.ly/i/2PgQx">http://ow.ly/i/2PgQx</a>;

Arkady

The very lovely Kate Jones gave me a guided tour of the building recently, and I took an obscene number of photos, mostly of the view.  Some of them can be found here (hopefully): http://www.flickr.com/photos/67014684@N05/sets/72157636053975793/<br><br>Example:<br><br><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2837/10022036415_7de0ace66c_o.jpg"><br>

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miss annie

I don't even want to think about it any more. Seeing that building rise up at the end of Charteris Rd is depressing. I was waiting outside the Park Theatre last week and overheard an estate agent telling prospective buyers all about how they could get massive rents, how perfect it is for short term rentals, quick turnover etc. Anyone who believes that dropping a load of high rise, short term lets into an established community won't change it, is frankly mental. I know that people think the area just north of FP station is a craphole. That's because you don't live there. I do, it's nice. Loads of Victorian houses, (many are still houses), quiet roads because most are gated to stop people cutting through, thriving local businesses, and plenty of families with a real sense of community. I know that change is inevitable, I like change, I'm a native Londoner and have seen plenty of it (I just about remember when Docklands was docks), I've even come round to the Shard, but I hate this ill conceived design that gives no thought to the impact on the existing community. Nice photos of the view though.

Kate Jones

<P>Well obviously I am sorry that some people are not happy about the changes. We've been on our site in Finsbury Park for 20 years - and were in Islington for the 20 years prior to that, so we do consider ourselves Native Londoners too! Change is inevitable and I hope that the hard work and planning we've put into the changes we've made will be of benefit to the majority of people. </P> <P>To clarify - we're not selling off any of our building so any discussions you have heard about that is nothing to do with us. We have always had a not for profit arts programme and the new building will have a not for profit art space that we'll use to support the art and design communities within London. </P>

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Kate Jones

<P>We did answer all the tree questions at the time and theres info on them our website Misscara. If we could have left them or worked around them, we would have, but we were also told they were not the right types of trees for their location and were causing quite a few problems to the pavements. The trees that we are replanting will be suitable and look just as nice - and should be around for future generations.  </P> <P>I'd really like to say we're trying to do GOOD things in Finsbury Park. We're a family run business, we employ over 100 people, we run apprenticeship schemes, we do loads of sponsorship projects. There are not many family run independent businesses still working in London. Most have sold up and moved out. We had offers from big private housing developers as well as supermarket chains and we chose to find a way to stay in Finsbury Park and make it happen. It hasn't been easy but we have a really great vision and really want to make a difference. </P>

Kate Jones

<A href="http://www.johnjones.co.uk/art-projects/arts-building/wildlife-and-green-space/">http://www.johnjones.co.uk/art-projects/arts-building/wildlife-and-green-space/</A>;

miss annie

So you're not making any money at all out of the development? Amazing! Kate, I'm sure you are a very nice lady and I know that your family have had business here for ages but do you live here? Do you understand the local community outside of your customers? Who do you think will benefit? What this development will bring is buy to let landlods who have no interest in the local area beyond the value of their property and short term tenants who no doubt will be thrilled when Starbucks beats down all the independent coffee shops. As I said, I don't mind change but everything about this development makes me sad, from the blocking out of light to the shoddy looking buildings.<div><br></div>

Arkady

Annie, there are only affordable and student accommodation in the JJ building. You are confusing it with City North. Do you genuinely think the new JJ buildings are better than the 80s sheds that are there now?

miss annie

The difference is that you can't see much of the old buildings mainly because the fences were overgrown with blackberries, and other foliage. You can see a hell of a lot of the new ones. The estate agent and punters came out of the John Jones development.

Thomas

<p class="MsoNormal">Just for the sake of balance, I live in the ‘local community’ which Miss Annie refers too (in fact on the same road I think) and couldn't be more supportive of the development. In fact the many of people I know in the local community are supportive and see it as positive change. So I think it is unfair to suggest that ‘the community’ is against this. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">This is London – if you can’t develop underutilised sites to provide additional homes and business floorspace here then I don’t know what chance the rest of the country has. And yes it is a shame to lose the open sky walking down Charteris Road… but again this is a city. If you want open skies and clean air maybe you are living in the wrong place! Surely this is just Finsbury Park / London continuing to evolve as it has been for 200 year.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">And shoddy buildings? Have you not seen what is there at the moment? Even the trees which got chopped down were pretty grim and made the street feel dark and threatening.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Keep up the good work Kate (in my opinion)!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>

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Kate Jones

Misscara - the affordable homes are being taken on by one of the social housing charities. Part of council policy is that a % of any new development has to be built for social and affordable housing. You can contact the council for more info on who the homes are given to/ how to register etc. With all the development taking place in FP, perhaps you will qualify for one of the spaces but I think you have to be in social housing or a key worker (nurse, police, teacher). Yes I lived in Stoke Newington for 15 years. I couldn't afford to buy a family home in London when I had my daughter, so I moved further out two years ago. Miss Annie, they were probably using our development as an example of how the area is changing - we've been mentioned in lots of property press recently. Just because they came out of our site doesn't make us guilty capitalist developers... we're open to the public and anyone came come in. Thanks Thomas for the constructive comments, does help put it in perspective.

Arkady

I make a point of asking about it when doorknocking. Support isn't universal, but certainly a majority are in favour in my arbitrary strawpolling. A persistent theme (especially from folks on Woodstock) is that the site is currently used as a lavatory and for drug dealing as it is enclosed and dark, and the development will remedy that. Not everyone is keen on the height, but no doubt people made the same complaint when they dared to build three story Victorian houses over the road. Think of the lovely views that were spoiled when those were built. At what point in history should we have stopped developing the city?

Kate Jones

Stoke Newington is a good example actually of a place that has held out against Starbucks, Pizza Express etc. We were very saddened when Nandos opened up on the site of the Vortex, but luckily it doesn't seem to have spread. There are a number of new, independent shops, delis etc that have opened up in the last few months. I would like to think that FP will be the same. As you say, depends on the landlords I guess - but I can promise you that unless our business fails we will not be bringing in any of the big name coporate tenants that are homogenising so many high streets.

Kate Jones

Yes Arkady, its disgusting the way people used it as a toilet!! I was once apprehended by the police one night working late at John Jones - they suspected I was a drug dealer doing a deal in the car park...

miss annie

I didn't say that community was against it, I am. Anyway it's all going up whatever I think about it and capitalism marches on. Pointless having a view about about something you can't change so I shall save my breath and hate it privately.

Arkady

Annie, all your posts from when this thread started in 2009 until the middle of last year were supportive of the JJ development. What changed your mind?

miss annie

Seeing it. I hate the City North thing more though.

Arkady

Let's hope you prefer it when it's clad in lovely brick.

andy

I like that a local business (and an interesting business at that - they're doing art framing for museums) is lucky enough to be able to lead a development like this, rather than get turfed out by their landlord to make way for another tescos. JJ is exactly the sort of business that struggles to exist in zone 2, and if the development keeps them here and encourages similar businesses to locate here that's great. <div><br></div><div>Most development of this kind moves us closer to a very sterile version of london - o<span style="font-size: 10pt;">ur whole economy appears to be coffee shops, mobile phones, banking and people trying to make you click on facebook. It needs mixed-use developments like this.</span></div>

ChangN4N6

I don't blame JJ for making some money and I am glad they have mixed use. Kate is sincere. The sadness is -despite the views - the SGR building Vista House is super ugly . and the new one (which must block badly the light of the existing residents - not much of a vista eh?) is a concrete hangover on steroids - like a prison. It's ironic given JJ's pedigree that they went with primark architecture. And no amount if hoardings about the 'creative vision' can disguise the fact. FP is an arsehole. Just now it's a taller arsehole. Chang

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Kate Jones

<p>Granted at this stage it looks like a big grey carpark! </p><p>But come on, bear with us - its just the concrete frame </p><p>We have set out to build a Clerkenwell style warehouse and it will take shape once the windows and brickwork are in place. I realise not everyone is going to like it but we don't think its a primark building!! </p><p>I appreciate that some people are going to hate it whatever, because it represents change to their community. Whilst we can't control this change beyond our own building, we're going to try very hard to encourage creative businesses and studios in the area. Finsbury Park is a brilliant place - it has so much personality and history (John J spent part of his childhood here) - but not many people outside of the area recognise this.</p><p>Alongside Park Theatre, City North, Islington Council and Platform, we're working with the arts producers All Change and will be planning some art projects and events that celebrate Finsbury Park over the next 2-3 years.  </p>

Arkady

I was admiring the first of the stone cladding that was being installed this morning, and the pile of blue stone for the upper stories that was being stacked next to the hoarding. Looks like high-quality material, I hate to think how much it costs to use that stuff. No wonder so many modern projects use cheap plaster rendering that quickly decays (looking at you, Vista).<br><br>I think your workmen are starting to worry about me.  They probably think I'm some sort of insepctor from the council.<br>

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