好色先生TV

Doing the rounds

In its interim results last week, piling specialist Van Elle flagged up the news that NG Bailey boss David Hurcomb had joined as a non-executive in November. Perhaps Hurcomb will be able to help Van Elle get back the 拢1.6m the firm says it is preparing to write off following Carillion鈥檚 collapse last month. After all, Hurcomb used to work at the bust contractor, stepping down as the director responsible for its UK building business in 2009. His replacement? Richard Howson, who later became chief executive and will be having to explain the whole sorry mess to MPs next Tuesday.

Missing the boat

I see that the Shipping 好色先生TV in west London has been sold for 拢29m. An art deco gem, it was designed by Wallis, Gilbert & Partners and is part of the Old Vinyl Factory redevelopment 鈥� the former EMI record pressing plant being turned into offices, homes and retail by developer U+I. It鈥檚 now fully let, which is a disappointment because I rather fancied working there. 鈥淭he Ship has now sailed,鈥� U+I鈥檚 website tells me. I am quite saddened. Given that the plant pressed Pink Floyd records among others, Wish You Were Here seems more appropriate 鈥�

The right skills

Redrow has unveiled plans for a three-year housebuilding degree it is launching in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University. The course starts later this year and promises 鈥渃andidates a full overview of housebuilding skills鈥� such as housebuilding quality, business skills and project management. Given the amount of flak some in the industry have been getting recently 鈥� step forward Persimmon 鈥� I am curious to see if a planned negotiation module will include a lesson on how to trouser a huge bonus.

An uplifting story

The escalator celebrated its 125th anniversary last month and we learned about a very niche area of history. The first ever escalator was installed at Iron Pier on Coney Island in New York. Inventor Jesse Reno鈥檚 design travelled at a 25掳 angle and carried 75,000 passengers in its first two weeks, who no doubt marvelled at this moving staircase. I鈥檓 afraid the novelty has long worn off for me, oppressed by years of travelling on London鈥檚 underground and having to stand on the right. The other day I was warned by a sign on the side that simply using an escalator meant a 鈥渄anger of death鈥�. Which made me think that our health and safety culture has, erm, escalated somewhat over the years.

So good, they named it twice 

Could Brookfield be about to add another site to the list of schemes it is developing in the Square Mile? One of my hacks tells me that at a recent British Council for Offices dinner, the company was overheard expressing interest in the plans for 100 Leadenhall Street, which have been designed by architect SOM. The site is owned by a Hong Kong investor, and adviser London & Oriental, which is acting on behalf of the firm, has already talked it up as 鈥渙ne of the last significant sites available for development in the City鈥檚 eastern cluster鈥�. The planned 56-storey skyscraper will have a slanting glass elevation resembling the Rogers Stirk Harbour-designed Cheesegrater next door. Inevitably, it has also been given its own nickname: the rather underwhelming Cheesegrater 2.0. Jacobs Cream Crackers anyone?