Not everyone had the opportunity to look down onto the tap o' the hull, but some of those who lived in Butterburn Court did, because the top image is a view from that particular block taken on 30th July 1985.
The bottom half of the photo shows the Hilltown clock junction, while the central part of the picture has the same wasteland area as yesterdays but from the opposite direction, ie - the Caldrum Street/North George Street location, and in the background are 2 of the Alexander Street multis.
The other image is of Carnegie Towers taken from Jamaica Towers, with a rather sparse play park in shot too.
Little did we know, that when the photos were captured, their time would be up a quarter of a century later, these being the multis that are due to come crashing down tomorrow.
Photos by Neale Elder.
I lived on the 13th floor of Carnegie at the time that photo was taken ... spent most of my school holidays playing in that park!
ReplyDeleteAs a spare man caretaker i often used to get sent into the bowels of these multis into the half landing chute rooms.These blocks had tunnels running through them between floors and we had to take torches and wear miners helmets to be able to see our way into the void spaces to repair and tidy up damaged chute grills.The basement was also a network of rooms and passages.Amazingly built buildings!Never liked cleaning those tilt and turn landing windows though as they were scary when you opened them especially level 21!
ReplyDeleteThey are gone now :(
ReplyDeleteWell that's them gone and it was quick I didn't even get a pic...boo. However, there are some fab clips on YouTube.
ReplyDeleteWill go and explore once the exclusion zone is reopened.
crackin video from the unicorn , worth a watch
ReplyDeleteI'm kinda ambivalent about multis.
ReplyDeleteWatching the demolition on the Youtube videos didn't have me rolling around crying or jumping with joy.
I think it could be that I prefer seeing multis from a distance rather than up close, which may be because I didn't live near any.
All I know is we won't see such a bonnie lightshow anymore, when driving into Dundee across the bridge at night!
When traveling long distance by car or by train i knew i was home when i saw the Maxwelltown Multis. Ardler/Foggyley/Menzieshill have gone and are missed in their own areas but the Alexander St blocks were very much "Dundee's skyline"and the town Doesn't look the same without them!
ReplyDeleteI'm scared to look, i'll be in Fife on Tuesday and not too sure if i can happily come back home athoot the 4 oh them :-(
ReplyDeleteI saw the demolition today from a park in Newport. Equally amazing from the Fife side was the sight of all the folk on the Law, like pilgrims.
ReplyDeletei worked on stripping all insides of alexander street multis for safedem when it came to the last scraps going i had a good 10 minutes just staring out over the tay . . . awesome view!! weird to see them gone - but got to look to the future for an improved Dundee;)
ReplyDeleteI hate all this backslapping about these blocks demolition!!Its a disgrace...the buildings yet again were not to blame!...it was the "certain type" of people who moved into them and caused decent folk to move out!The problems in the multis seemed to start in the late 90's and shows no sign of stopping today as recent articles about Elders Ct would indicate.A total waste of 440 publicly owned houses.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, the flats inside were spacious and the views magnificent but on the other hand the wind howled in through the windows which flexed in the wind, streams of rain would blow across ceiling on stormy days, they were expensive to heat and it was a mountainous climb to the higher floors with shopping if the lifts were off.
ReplyDeletePublicly owned or not, these multis had outlived their usefulness. They served a purpose but lifestyles have changed and high-rise living nowadays is no longer the way forward.
I still can't make my mind up. Part of me wishes the city had had the confidence to retain those multis, and then in years to come when 20th century architecture is viewed differently they might have been held up as classic examples of their kind. But on the other hand they were far from beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWhat's happening is highly symbolic, and whatever people think they should go and take a last, long look at those two monstrous blocks at Derby Street. Dundee won't see their likes again.
I cant make up my mind either....my point was about all the fan fare(in the press & tv) re their destruction.Maybe because i spent many years employed looking after them and knew them when they were filled with people is the reason i feel bitter about their demise.Will have a look round Derby St soon as have many memories of the 2 "big blocks" too
ReplyDeleteWhen my 3 year old girl first saw these multis perhaps a year ago she said 'Look Daddy a castle!' Of course I told her the truth, that Rapunzel lived in Jamaica tower...ahem. NC.
ReplyDeleteI had many great times in those multis and the "maisonetes", but as in others they moved in tenants who didn't care. It started with moving in a few "bad" tenants with the idea that they would toe the line if the majority were good and good habits would rub off etc. Sadly in the real world this doesn't happen. In the end they were filled with the unwanted overspill from other housing schemes making life hell for the remaining long term tenants.Probably better that they did go in the end.Unfortuanetly other areas will have to take tenants who don't give a toss about property or neighbours :(
ReplyDeletewell said!!!!...its an ongoing problem with "that" element of society and the councils only answer is to knock it down and disperse the problem elsewhere.Today its the high rise at Maxwelltown, tomorrow it might be your or my estate!!!!Saw the rubble yesterday and felt a bit of anger at those "people" who had again wrecked another estate!
ReplyDeletewhy dont the silent majority wake up and crush the trash that destroys civility with neighbourhood beatings?
ReplyDeleteIt was a French architect who dreamt of cities in the sky that led to so many of these fanciful projects. The real crime is that the big 7 construction firms in the UK were in cahoots with politicians to win large scale projects to build these monstrosities.
Those fat cats got rich, living in discreet country retreats while the masses were sold on trinkets like nice lavvies and a pramshed.
Still, it was handy for Dens and Tannedice! But then, didn't they take folks wages to dish out shite every weekend too?
you started brillianntly there . but , oh well :)
ReplyDeletei lived in No5h carnagie tower about this time great house inside iv got a photo of me n my son danny on the roundabout in the play park at the side of the multi had some good years there
ReplyDeletei used to live in the 17th floor of carnegie tower used to love playing in the park. my dad used to be a caretaker in the carnegie tower must have been in 1984
ReplyDeletefond memories of the alexander street mutlis stayed in them since they were built for 24 years
ReplyDeleteLived in Jamaica Tower in the 80s. Was 4 when we moved away to Glasgow. Good memories staying there. Apart from the lifts breaking down and seeing brick walls.
ReplyDeleteThe verandas were an odd design, you could walk right along the length of the multi and go into anyone’s house. I think they went in order of kitchen - bedroom - kitchen - bedroom. I vaguely remember the crunching sound walking along them cause they had a recessed floor and it was filled with gravel. I also remember hearing about a man coming home drunk and went out on the balcony for a smoke and just fell over the side
ReplyDeletefond memories. satyed in Maxwelltown Tower, 21J back in the 90s. Never a problem with the neighbours although some "pond life" on the 17th floor caused a fair few problems (pre concierge). Alway mind bumping into Dek Fergie & Gander regularly in the lift, again, never a problem and I was Fife born & bred ;)
ReplyDelete