Y'all remember it, don't you?
Posted on 02/23/2010 2:27:25 PM PST by Former Military Chick
THE UNITED States has unveiled plans for its new $1 billion high-security embassy in London - the most expensive it has ever built.
The proposals were met with relief from both the present embassy's Mayfair neighbours and the residents and developers of the Battersea wasteland where the vast crystalline cube, surrounded by a moat, will be built.
The decision to abandon the former site in Grosvenor Square by 2016 came after a prolonged battle with residents angered by the security measures demanded after the September 11 attacks. More than a hundred residents took out a full-page advertisement in The Times to oppose tighter measures that they said would leave the area more vulnerable to attack.
The new embassy, on a former industrial site behind Battersea power station known for its gay clubs, will be designed by Kieran Timberlake, the Philadelphia architects.
A moat 30m (100ft) wide and rolling parkland will separate the building from the main road, protecting it from would-be bombers and removing the need for the blast barriers that so dismayed the people of Mayfair.
The State Department sought to play down the cost of security measures, noting the expense of London building work. But the price puts the London embassy above the US's most fortified missions, including the Baghdad embassy, which cost $600 million but required a further $100 million of work on airconditioning, and the Islamabad embassy, still under construction, which has cost more than $850 million.
It also does not include the 17.5per cent VAT demanded by the Treasury on all buildings in Britain and which the US has refused to pay.
Louis Susman, the US Ambassador, said: "We intend to do what's appropriate and we are working with the Treasury on that."
He acknowleged past difficulties, pledging to be "a good neighbour in our new home" and said that the eco-friendly building would generate enough power to contribute to the national grid.
The new location will take the embassy out of the Central London congestion zone. US diplomats owe an estimated £32 million in congestion charges and fines, which they refuse to pay on the ground that they are exempt from taxes in Britain.
The unpaid dues led Ken Livingstone as mayor to call Robert Tuttle, the ambassador at the time, a "chiselling little crook".
This discontent was almost equalled when the embassy learnt in November that its Grosvenor Square premises were to be given a Grade II listing. Despite the development limits imposed by the decision, the embassy was still sold for more than $1 billion to a Qatari company that plans to turn it into a luxury hotel.
The embassy said that a statue of Ronald Reagan soon to be put up in Grosvenor Square will not be part of the Battersea site. "It will absolutely not be moved," an official said. "Nor will the Eisenhower."
The proposals were met with relief from both the present embassy's Mayfair neighbours and the residents and developers of the Battersea wasteland where the vast crystalline cube, surrounded by a moat, will be built.This will come in handy when the Muzzies start burning down the UK. Thanks Former Military Chick.
Y'all remember it, don't you?
utilizing the water in the moat, combined with a chiller, might have an extremely inexpensive “chilling” effect. ;)
Obama’s Ministry of Truth??
I was in that embassy in 2002 and met with our agricultural attache.
A staffer asked us if we had driven in from Heathrow, and we said we had. He then asked if we parked outside; close to the embassy. No we hadn’t. He said good; if you had, your car would have been destroyed up by the security folks!
Our foes live in that time period.
The Battersea power station is on the cover of Pink Floyd’s Animals album.
I think, I know why the State dept chose this site.
Bingo. I knew that someone would remember that.
...www.gotomeeting.com
yes, it’s in a great area
A billion dollars? Moats? Come on. Put the damn thing underground.
I think just out of central london. Probably better for everyone there.
The building is NOT American soil. Contrary to popular opinion, embassies in foreign countries are not extensions of the owning country.
“The new embassy, on a former industrial site behind Battersea power station known for its gay clubs..”
I wonder how many manholes they will install at this new location?
In all seriousness, I wouldn't be surprised if they build the "embassy" and then turn it into a Jihad recruiting center. I'm really not kidding either.
FMC,
No worry’s, the strength of FreeRepublic is the knowledge base of the commenters.
True words to be sure!
I watched the coverage on a couple of networks, oddly enough they talked about the cost, BUT, did not say that the old embassy was being sold for 1B as well.
That isn’t to say I trust any of these number’s but there will be revenue from the old building, I think that should be covered when reported.
Thanks for the reply.
~FMC
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