What Will Happen With This Building?

[corkscrew]

It has been 10 years since the last worker did anything.

[terry57]

thats a top question mate as look at that building everyday from sapan taxin and was just showing some friends it today.

always ask myself that question.

we discussed it today and said that maybe the building is to damaged to carry on the project.

cement rust came to mind.

anybody got an informed answer as id love to hear it.

[DragonLad]

I live in the US, I drive to work everyday and pass by a much smaller building. Which has not been touched in about 3 years. They had to add the windows because people hated looking at a concrete frame. Surprising thing though it is owned by a church group and they wait for donations to complete the building. I think it will stand as long as the one in your post for ten years without any one working on it.

Edited December 2, 2006 by DragonLad

[corkscrew]

thats a top question mate as look at that building everyday from sapan taxin and was just showing some friends it today.

always ask myself that question.

we discussed it today and said that maybe the building is to damaged to carry on the project.

cement rust came to mind.

anybody got an informed answer as id love to hear it.

Interesting. The old Sofitel on the river was empty for many years and now it is the glorious Millennium Hilton. I just wonder how long these Zombies can exist before they really die.

Any architects here?

[terry57]

thats a top question mate as look at that building everyday from sapan taxin and was just showing some friends it today.

always ask myself that question.

we discussed it today and said that maybe the building is to damaged to carry on the project.

cement rust came to mind.

anybody got an informed answer as id love to hear it.

Interesting. The old Sofitel on the river was empty for many years and now it is the glorious Millennium Hilton. I just wonder how long these Zombies can exist before they really die.

Any architects here?

i know that a big killer of vacant buildings is cement rust and considering the large rain fall and the ten years open to the elements im sure this building would have serious problems.

can you imagine the work if they decided to demolish it. mind bogling

anyway where are our architects. ?

we want answers.

[Heng]

The good folks at Ritta are now working on the once derelict Tokyu building on Ratchadaphisek, that was empty for nearly 10 years (pre-'97 crisis). Hopefully it's not just a case of simply signing over ownership to a new developer and putting everyone back to work.

[chownah]

cement doesn't rust

[The Dan Sai Kid]

cement doesn't rust

What about the steel rods that are in the cement?

[JacknDanny]

cement doesn't rust

But the metal which is used to reinforce it does

[London Crocodile]

It's concrete, not cement.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

It's concrete, not cement.

Concrete rust then?

[markr]

There are many buildings around thailand that are incomplete, I always thought it was due to the companies/projects running out of cash mid-build!

Mark

[London Crocodile]

There are many buildings around thailand that are incomplete, I always thought it was due to the companies/projects running out of cash mid-build!

Mark

Due to the Asian financial crisis of 1997

[flightcrew1]

These projects are all pre 1997 which could not pay back the loans that doubled overnight when the baht crashed. They are all in receivership and are slowly being bought back from the banks at 5cents on the dollar! It just takes a long time to get it done. Look around the city and you will see many buildings that stood empty for years and are now completed. State Tower is a twin of the one at Saphan Taksin and that is finished now. The Ascott on Satorn was originally being build as an office building the condo's around the corner on Naratiwat have started back up again. Central World Tower is now done and that was a rust heap for years! The Sofitel on the river..now the Hilton is finished and the Tokyu on Racadapiesek which has been mentioned is being worked on again.

Yes there are some problems before they can start working on them again but not as major as you think. The steel can be exposed to the elements for more than 20 years with no problem. They do have to clean it up and check the structure before building but it's not that major. Slowly these projects are being completed but the banks that own them keep holding on to them hoping for a better return!

[Heng]

There are many buildings around thailand that are incomplete, I always thought it was due to the companies/projects running out of cash mid-build!

Mark

True, but there are also plenty of mid-build buildings/homes/etc. that are scooped up and finished for quite a profit. There are a handful of foreign contractors I know who have been doing this for some time as well.

The high rise mid-builds just stand out because there are only a few dozen players who can afford to restart a mid-build high rise.

[kayo]

I live in the US, I drive to work everyday and pass by a much smaller building. Which has not been touched in about 3 years. They had to add the windows because people hated looking at a concrete frame. Surprising thing though it is owned by a church group and they wait for donations to complete the building. I think it will stand as long as the one in your post for ten years without any one working on it.

Dragon Lad, from your pic it looks like you drive to work in a helicopter!?

[sriracha john]

It has been 10 years since the last worker did anything.

I always think of reconstructing the Hanging Gardens of Babylon when I see the abandoned/unfinished Bangkok towers. It seems like it wouldn't involve all that much more work and windows could remain missing. It would be quite eye-catching to change the above into something like this:

Edited December 3, 2006 by sriracha john

[corkscrew]

thats a top question mate as look at that building everyday from sapan taxin and was just showing some friends it today.

always ask myself that question.

we discussed it today and said that maybe the building is to damaged to carry on the project.

cement rust came to mind.

anybody got an informed answer as id love to hear it.

Interesting. The old Sofitel on the river was empty for many years and now it is the glorious Millennium Hilton. I just wonder how long these Zombies can exist before they really die.

Any architects here?

Here are some photos that I took of the abandoned lobby of the old Sofitel which is now the Millennium Hilton. You can see that it was exposed to the elements for many years before the Hilton people came in. In the last few months we have dined at the Hilton....and, in fact we spent a few nights there last month just for a change of pace.

Anyway this is what it looked like in November of 2001:

http://www.corkscrew-balloon.com/01/11/1bkk/12d.html

Edited December 3, 2006 by corkscrew

[khunopie]

Why don't you sell your Benz, buy the building and develope Luxo Condos?

Edited December 3, 2006 by khunopie

[guardian]

i know that a big killer of vacant buildings is cement rust and considering the large rain fall and the ten years open to the elements im sure this building would have serious problems.

can you imagine the work if they decided to demolish it. mind bogling

anyway where are our architects. ?

we want answers.

Piece of cake. Call Controlled Demolition Inc.

[terry57]

cement doesn't rust

What about the steel rods that are in the cement?

good on you mate as im glad your smart enough to work that out.

it was'nt very hard was it.

some guys are a bit slow on the up take.

[terry57]

These projects are all pre 1997 which could not pay back the loans that doubled overnight when the baht crashed. They are all in receivership and are slowly being bought back from the banks at 5cents on the dollar! It just takes a long time to get it done. Look around the city and you will see many buildings that stood empty for years and are now completed. State Tower is a twin of the one at Saphan Taksin and that is finished now. The Ascott on Satorn was originally being build as an office building the condo's around the corner on Naratiwat have started back up again. Central World Tower is now done and that was a rust heap for years! The Sofitel on the river..now the Hilton is finished and the Tokyu on Racadapiesek which has been mentioned is being worked on again.

Yes there are some problems before they can start working on them again but not as major as you think. The steel can be exposed to the elements for more than 20 years with no problem. They do have to clean it up and check the structure before building but it's not that major. Slowly these projects are being completed but the banks that own them keep holding on to them hoping for a better return!

thanks for that mate as you have taught me something.

cheers

[corkscrew]

Why don't you sell your Benz, buy the building and develope Luxo Condos?

Good idea....

http://www.corkscrew-balloon.com/misc/athenee.html

[jbsears]

Anybody know anything about those two towers above Pratunam Center? They've stopped construction for a couple years now and still have the cranes up there and for sale signs for the condos they never finished.

And the construction they just stopped about 2 to 3 years ago by the Nana BTS station. Its another eye sore since its right on the tourist route and covered with graffiti.