Alpha Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alpha Tower |
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| General information | |
| Type | Commercial |
| Architectural style | Modernism |
| Location | Birmingham, England |
| Coordinates | 52°28′43″N 1°54′23″W / 52.47861°N 1.90639°W |
| Construction started | 1969 |
| Completed | 1973 |
| Owner | Anglo Scandinavian Estates Group |
| Height | 100 metres (328 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 28 |
| Floor area |
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| Design and construction | |
| Architect | George Marsh |
| Architecture firm | Richard Seifert & Partners |
| Awards and prizes | Grade II listed, Grade A locally listed |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Designated: | 31 July 2014 |
| Reference #: | 1420049 |
Alpha Tower is a tall office building in Birmingham, England. It is a very special building because it is a Grade II listed structure. This means it is protected due to its historical or architectural importance.
The building was designed by an architect named George Marsh. It was built for a TV company called ATV (Associated Television). They used it as their main office and part of their TV studio complex. ATV closed in 1982. After that, the building was used for other offices. The Birmingham City Council used many offices there until 2010. Alpha Tower is one of the tallest buildings in Birmingham. It is also the tallest office building in the city.
Why Alpha Tower is Special
Alpha Tower is considered a very important building in Birmingham. In 2002, people wanted it to become a listed building. This would protect it from being changed too much or knocked down. Even though the owners tried to stop it, English Heritage added Alpha Tower to the National Heritage List for England on July 31, 2014.
English Heritage said that Alpha Tower is one of the most beautiful office buildings in Birmingham. They liked its unique shape and careful details. They felt it had a strong and elegant look. It quickly became, and still is, a popular landmark. It shows how Birmingham city centre was rebuilt in the mid-20th century.
Who Owns Alpha Tower?
Over the years, Alpha Tower has had different owners. In 2008, a company called Arena Central Developments sold the building. It was bought by Catalyst's European Property Fund for £42.5 million.
When the Birmingham City Council moved out in 2010, many offices in the building became empty. In 2012, Nationwide Building Society took over the building. They put it up for sale in 2013 for £10.25 million.
In February 2014, Anglo Scandinavian Estates Group bought the building for £14 million. They planned to spend £9 million to update and improve the building.
Alpha Tower in Movies
Alpha Tower has even been in a movie! It was featured in the 1973 film Take Me High. This movie starred the famous singer Cliff Richard. You can see both the outside and inside of the tower in the film.
