Oz: Powerhouse Museum site in Ultimo to be sold to developers - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 25, 2015, 11:01:57 am
content: This makes me angryhttp://www.smh.com.au/nsw/powerhouse-museum-site-in-ultimo-to-be-sold-to-developers-20150226-13pn5o.htmlFor those not local, the Powerhouse Museum is an awesome Applied Arts and Sciences museum in an awesome location right in the centre of Sydney. The venue for the Sydney Maker FaireThe current government want to sell it and move out west. Now I'm from the west and would normally support building stuff like this out here, but to move the Powerhouse

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2015, 08:45:27 pm
content: Yeah, it's an outrageous proposal. Not only is the present location and building excellent, but there's also the history of the place. I was lucky enough to have been in the old powerhouse a couple of times when it was a derelict ruin, and it's awesome to go there now and see what they made of it.As for who wants to move it and why, I wonder if your anti-conspiracy bias is so strong that you really don't believe there's been any large sums of money passed, to get the government on board with some developer's dream of profit?Who benefits?Another motive might be the government wanting to cut the technology museum down in size (or eliminate it) to reduce funding needs. Sell the old site, then 'something goes wrong' with finding a new site... that would work. Meanwhile the developer of the old site makes millions, with a little put aside for 'friends'.

author: SL4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2015, 09:03:05 pm
content: Follow the money.They did the same thing 45 years ago to create the existing museum site... moving from another city location.It seems history is fine unless it gets in the way of progress and profit.Speechless at this proposal.

author: dave_k
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2015, 09:37:57 pm
content: Progress and profit, or is this sale necessary to assure the continuation of the museum?Hopefully it moves somewhere bigger too, they have so much awesome stuff in a warehouse because there is no room to display it all!

author: SL4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2015, 09:45:10 pm
content: Quote from: dave_k on March 25, 2015, 09:37:57 pmI'm not very bright, but if that's part of their reasoning, I'd open a second campus, and rotate exhibits to reach a wider audience. maybe that's not their goal or priorities?

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 25, 2015, 10:45:52 pm
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on March 25, 2015, 08:45:27 pmI doubt money has actually changed hands, they probably aren't that stupid, but the Liberal government all all about greasing the pockets of their big business buddies, for sure. That is a big reason for them doing this, very little doubt about that.QuoteThe developers, and the politcian in whatever kickback they eventually get. Usually it's some cushy high paying board position after they leave office whilst still receiving their lifetime pension of over $100KQuoteNo need, just set it up in Parramatta as promised and watch the tourist numbers plummet to unsustainable levels. Then blame it on management and sack half the staff or eventually close it. The PHM is already struggling to survive on the numbers and funding it gets.

author: SL4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2015, 10:49:40 pm
content: and let's not forget the 'heritage listed' Powerhouse property was selected as the museum site for exactly that reason... to preserve a historically significant building from the wreckers...

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 25, 2015, 10:50:14 pm
content: Quote from: dave_k on March 25, 2015, 09:37:57 pmNope, the move will kill it. Most tourists do not go to Parramatta.They are expanding right around it now with a huge tourist strip right from Central station. The PHM will be in prime location to take advantage of that and will be a small boon to numbers.QuoteBut the current location is frigg'n awesome, and Sydney already doesn't have enough museum like this. The last thing we need is for it to vanish from the city.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 25, 2015, 10:50:47 pm
content: Quote from: SL4P on March 25, 2015, 10:49:40 pmDetails, details

author: SL4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2015, 10:53:16 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on March 25, 2015, 10:50:47 pmThis why politicians are rarely successful as engineers!Convenience and 'details' rarely co-exist!

author: aargee
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2015, 05:47:14 am
content: Idiots. Parents were probably idiots too.Easy one this, developers must make the new Powerhouse museum four times as big, have dedicated free public transport to and from the site, ongoing funding for the museum and science education programs. Funding for the first ten years of the new site must be paid for up front and nothing can be done to the old site until all this has been achieved.Too hard? Yes, probably, may as well leave the status-quo.

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2015, 02:28:05 pm
content: Hey look, google streetview has a tour of the inside of Powerhouse museum!https://maps.google.com.au/maps?ll=-33.878331,151.199771&spn=0.000929,0.000939&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=-33.878331,151.199771&panoid=H6lu4csyT8IODkujGqUHcA&cbp=12,327.11,,0,-9.39I'm particularly fond of the old gantry crane. I wonder if I can find photos of that I took, while the building was a ruin? I bet it's in the exact same spot still.