St. John's Beacon
Encyclopedia
Radio City Tower is a radio
and observation tower
in Liverpool
, England
built in 1969 and opened by Queen Elizabeth II. It is 138 metres (452 ft) tall, and was built as a ventilation shaft
for St. John's Market
, however was never used as such due to a new law passed on the year of completion. It is the second tallest free-standing structure in Liverpool and the 32nd tallest in the United Kingdom.
, the facade and floor of the restaurant revolved as one unit. The roof of restaurant was used as an observation platform for visitors. There are 558 stairs up to the top, and two lift shafts which reach the top in 30 seconds.
The tower is structurally independent of the adjacent shopping centre with a simple foundation onto sandstone. The foundation is 60 feet in diameter, 17 feet deep and begins 40 feet below Houghton street. It has a tapering shaft that was built using slip formed concrete. The crows nest structure at the top was then added after the shaft was formed. The original restaurant closed in 1977 over health and safety issues. It re-opened as a "Buck Rogers" space-themed restaurant in 1983, but closed due to lack of business. After this the observation deck and the restaurant remained closed.
In the following years, the tower lay empty and derelict. Often dubbed an eyesore or a "White Elephant
", an attempt to increase its attractiveness was made when blue "UFO style" neon strip lights were added to the perimeter of the tower in 1994 (later removed upon refurbishment).
(and Magic 1548) in August 2000. The outdoor observation deck which had been located on the roof of the restaurant was transformed into a second floor; this now holds offices and conference rooms for the radio station. The studios are on the lower floor that used to be the restaurant. The original revolving structure and machinery were left intact during the refurbishment. Brackets were added to lock the moving structure in place.
The refurbishment added an advertising framework at the top of the tower designed for both a fabric banner and illuminated light boxes. However, advertisements have only appeared infrequently, with Smirnoff
and the Ford Motor Company
being among the companies to have displayed advertisements there. Most recently the framework was used for a banner during the European Capital of Culture
celebrations. The roof is home to the local Digital Audio Broadcasting
multiplex for Liverpool, but Radio City, Magic, and City Talk do not directly broadcast from the roof.
The Tower is open to the public every day.
Radio masts and towers
Radio masts and towers are, typically, tall structures designed to support antennas for telecommunications and broadcasting, including television. They are among the tallest man-made structures...
and observation tower
Observation tower
An observation tower is a structure used to view events from a long distance and to create a full 360 degree range of vision. They are usually at least tall and made from stone, iron, and wood. Many modern towers are also used as TV towers, restaurants, or churches...
in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
built in 1969 and opened by Queen Elizabeth II. It is 138 metres (452 ft) tall, and was built as a ventilation shaft
Ventilation shaft
In subterranean civil engineering, ventilation shafts, also known as airshafts or vent shafts, are vertical passages used in mines and tunnels to move fresh air underground, and to remove stale air....
for St. John's Market
St. John's Shopping Centre
St John's Shopping Centre is the largest covered shopping centre in the city of Liverpool, located in the heart of the city since 1969 and boasting over 100 retailers...
, however was never used as such due to a new law passed on the year of completion. It is the second tallest free-standing structure in Liverpool and the 32nd tallest in the United Kingdom.
St. John's Beacon (1969 - 1999)
Near the top of the tower was a revolving restaurantRevolving restaurant
A revolving restaurant is a usually tower restaurant eating space designed to rest atop a broad circular revolving platform that operates as a large turntable. The building remains stationary and the diners are carried on the revolving floor. The revolving rate varies between one and three times...
, the facade and floor of the restaurant revolved as one unit. The roof of restaurant was used as an observation platform for visitors. There are 558 stairs up to the top, and two lift shafts which reach the top in 30 seconds.
The tower is structurally independent of the adjacent shopping centre with a simple foundation onto sandstone. The foundation is 60 feet in diameter, 17 feet deep and begins 40 feet below Houghton street. It has a tapering shaft that was built using slip formed concrete. The crows nest structure at the top was then added after the shaft was formed. The original restaurant closed in 1977 over health and safety issues. It re-opened as a "Buck Rogers" space-themed restaurant in 1983, but closed due to lack of business. After this the observation deck and the restaurant remained closed.
In the following years, the tower lay empty and derelict. Often dubbed an eyesore or a "White Elephant
White elephant
A white elephant is an idiom for a valuable but burdensome possession of which its owner cannot dispose and whose cost is out of proportion to its usefulness or worth...
", an attempt to increase its attractiveness was made when blue "UFO style" neon strip lights were added to the perimeter of the tower in 1994 (later removed upon refurbishment).
Radio City Tower (2000 - present)
The tower was refurbished in 1999 at a cost of £5 million. It reopened as Radio City 96.7Radio City 96.7
Radio City 96.7 is a British Independent Local Radio station, based in Liverpool, that serves Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales...
(and Magic 1548) in August 2000. The outdoor observation deck which had been located on the roof of the restaurant was transformed into a second floor; this now holds offices and conference rooms for the radio station. The studios are on the lower floor that used to be the restaurant. The original revolving structure and machinery were left intact during the refurbishment. Brackets were added to lock the moving structure in place.
The refurbishment added an advertising framework at the top of the tower designed for both a fabric banner and illuminated light boxes. However, advertisements have only appeared infrequently, with Smirnoff
Smirnoff
Smirnoff is a brand of vodka owned and produced by the British company Diageo. The Smirnoff brand began with a vodka distillery founded in Moscow by Pyotr Arsenievich Smirnov , the son of illiterate Russian peasants. It is now distributed in 130 countries.Smirnoff products include vodka, flavored...
and the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
being among the companies to have displayed advertisements there. Most recently the framework was used for a banner during the European Capital of Culture
European Capital of Culture
The European Capital of Culture is a city designated by theEuropean Union for a period of one calendar year during which it organises a series of cultural events with a strong European dimension....
celebrations. The roof is home to the local Digital Audio Broadcasting
Digital audio broadcasting
Digital Audio Broadcasting is a digital radio technology for broadcasting radio stations, used in several countries, particularly in Europe. As of 2006, approximately 1,000 stations worldwide broadcast in the DAB format....
multiplex for Liverpool, but Radio City, Magic, and City Talk do not directly broadcast from the roof.
The Tower is open to the public every day.
See also
- List of tallest buildings and structures in Liverpool
- List of towers
- Architecture of LiverpoolArchitecture of LiverpoolThe Architecture of Liverpool is rooted in the city's development and history, as a major port city within the United Kingdom. It encompasses a wide range of architectural styles and has predominantly developed over the past 200 years, although several buildings date back as far at the 13th...
External links
- Conference facilities at the Radio City Tower
- Radio City Tower at Skysraper News