Thomas Street & James Street, Dublin!

[Punchbowl]

Anything will do to get some life back into that stretch

[StephenC]

Work underway on the former library building on Thomas Street as new incubator offices for Digital Hub. DHDC advise that the building is already let out to firms employing 50 people. The biggest difficulty that DHDC faces is a lack of funding to bring other properties in their portfolio forward for refurbishment.

Elsewhere on the street there have been a couple of new businesses opened...and ice-cream shop and a florist. The former Carpet Mills unit is being converted into an Asian supermarket. You can see the fit-out taking place inside. Nothing has happened to the front yet. And no planning application.

[Punchbowl]

All relatively positive. The Asian supermarket will give a bit of life to that stretch, whatever about the bookmakers going in next door in the 'old' Cash Convertors shop.

Re: the former library, a large chuck of interior has been completely removed (from what I can see anyway, from covert viewing on passing by) but they seem to have gone to great lengths to protect the tiled flooring in the entrance hall.

Overall, a good bit of progress on Thomas St. The Ice-Cream shop is a welcome addition too and so-far is thronged with tourists (largely due to their Guinness flavoured Ice-Cream)

There was also a residents meeting with Diageo last week about plans to concentrate the brewing process from the southside of James St to the Nth Side, and its plans and impact on locals. Anyone go?

[Punchbowl]

Couldn't find an appropriate thread for this

http://www.rte.ie/player/#!v=10038814

Interesting 1960's doc on excavations in High St and Wood Quay. Some slightly depressing views of the decaying city (including a hapless looking Tailors Hall) but overall a good insight into the findings of archaeological digs in the area, which ironically wouldn't have been possible without the wholesale demolition of the area

[Punchbowl]

Witnessed the grand unveiling of the old Library on Thomas st as the scaffolding came down today. Couldn't take a pic (although I'm sure one will be along soon) but have to say, it's looking well. It really stands out, and is a small example of how a little bit of care could do wonders for that stretch.

With some minor intervention the Billy next door could easily be brought up to standard too. Hopefully this is the first of a mini-rejuvenation for the area.

[StephenC]

Courtesy of Silicon Republic ...

Dublin City Council to take over control of Digital Hub

The Digital Hub Development Authority will no longer be reporting to the Department of Communications and will instead report directly to Dublin City Council, which has plans to develop Dublin as a hub for digital and green enterprises.

When it was first dreamt up in the late 1990s the €250m Digital Hub project, it was hoped, would act not only as a propellant for industries of the future but as a catalyst to spread prosperity into one of the most economically disadvantaged areas of Dublin.

The original plan envisaged a sprawling district populated by digital media enterprises, café bars, shops and residential areas.

However, this was not to be and it never grew beyond its current nine acres. The closure of MIT’s €51m Media Lab Europe in 2005 – the centerpiece of the endeavour – cast something of a shadow that began to abate following the formation of the National Digital Research Centre.

The Digital Hub cluster, which today comprises 80 companies employing 700 people, was to be merged with either IDA Ireland or Enterprise Ireland under public sector reform plans tabled last year by Minister Brendan Howlin TD.

Since its founding in 2003 it has supported over 2,000 jobs and 170 enterprises in total.

It has also played a role in regenerating the Liberties area, engaging closely with the local community and opening up opportunities for schools and local people in terms of the digital economy.

However, today Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte revealed that instead of merging the DHDA with another State agency, Dublin City Council seemed to be the best option.

Dublin City Council is keen to develop Dublin as a hub for digital and green enterprises. It also has considerable experience in the management and development of property and in urban regeneration. This makes the Council particularly well placed to oversee the continued management of the Digital Hub Development Agency.”

“Throughout the recession, the DHDA has continued to support new indigenous digital enterprises. The presence of a strong cluster of these enterprises in Dublin complements the presence of large ICT and digital content multinationals in Ireland and puts Ireland firmly on the map as a digital economy.”

Minister Rabbitte said that there will be a transition period over the next few months.

He said that a governance model needs to be fully defined for the DHDA. “I have asked officials from my Department and Dublin City Council to work on a transition plan with the DHDA, with a view to putting appropriate administrative arrangements in place by the end of the year.

“The plan will address detailed operational issues and identify opportunities to draw on the skills and capabilities that exist within both the City Council and the Digital Hub. Importantly, the plan will set out how the Hub will continue to operate effectively and assist the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in the development of national digital policy,” he said.

Business as usual at Digital Hub

DHDA chief executive Philip Flynn said that the agency is already working with Dublin City Council and stressed that it is business as usual at the Digital Hub.

“We are already working with Dublin City Council officials on the management and development of property and urban regeneration and the digital enterprise cluster,” Flynn explained.

“Moving to the City Council now will allow the Digital Hub to continue to operate effectively while at the same time realising important cost savings for the Exchequer. The move will bring particular benefits in relation to the project’s enterprise, property management, learning and community functions. Dublin City Council has a wealth of expertise in relevant areas and, furthermore, has property interests adjacent to those of the Digital Hub.

“I want to stress that the Digital Hub is open for business and will continue to be throughout and beyond the transition. This move will not impact on the tenancy arrangements we have in place with the 70-plus digital enterprises currently located at the Hub.

“The project will continue to serve existing tenants and facilitate prospective new tenants, as well as proactively engaging with the local community in Dublin 8,” Flynn said.

My emphasis...sorry but I beg to differ when one looks at the street around the Hub.

[aj]

"identify opportunities to draw on the skills and capabilities that exist within both the City Council and the Digital Hub"

that shouldnt take to long then!

[StephenC]

and once they have 'identified the opportunities' will they then 'draw on the skills'?
Or will they 'consider the establishment of a working group to determine the potential to undertake a study to identify opportunities to draw on the skills that exist'?

[aj]

I couldnt let a statement like that go. I sent a letter to Minister Rabitte R.E the handover of the Digital Hub Responsibility to DCC. It highlights the "great" job DCC where doing in the area around the Digital Hub, the complete lack of enforcement of their own guidelines and inability to use the derelict sites act effectively.

I got a letter of receipt but I would say thats the last i will hear of it, but at least I got to rant!

[StephenC]

The cheek aj! Interfering with Govt policy.

In my view the letters page of the Irish Times is the only place where these letters have effect. You can be damn sure the hurt souls of Dublin City Council would spring to defend their honour at such remarks!

Sure didn't the City Council recently have a host of their peers from the EU visit Dublin to view our efforts at regeneration and to advise on how to maintain the momentum. I would love to read the follow-up from that...nothing mentioned afterwards.

Its interesting that all these agencies in Dublin - the DDDA, Temple Bar Properties and the DHDA were all established as stand alone agencies because it was considered that Dublin City Council were shite at delivering meaningful urban regeneration. And here we are now merging them all into the City Council again. How the wheel turns.

[Punchbowl]

Best place I could find for this

http://maps.bpl.org/id/10881

What do we think?

[StephenC]

I think I posted a few shots of this earlier..maybe in this thread. Its a great image isnt it. Although "fanciful" as Graham might say.

[StephenC]

The Liberties Masterplan that cost €1m gathers dust on the shelf

"The Liberties Local Area Plan (LAP) has been allowed to remain unused since it was adopted by Dublin City Council four years ago, says a councillor."

http://www.herald.ie/news/liberties-pla ... 60636.html

I had heard this figure mentioned before but I had never seen it officially in the media. And of course there are rake of other plans prepared for the area over the past 20 years. Few of the various recommendations were ever implemented.

A new group has been established on Thomas Street to try and push regeneration in the area and to lobby Dublin City Council and other organisations to invest in the street. A roundtable meeting is being held next week to bring together a range of stakeholders to see how improvement of the area might be achieved.

If you're interested in the area then you can follow the group here http://www.facebook.com/#!/thomasstreetdublin

[Punchbowl]

I think I posted a few shots of this earlier..maybe in this thread. Its a great image isnt it. Although "fanciful" as Graham might say.

Fanciful is right!

Didn't notice your post Stephen, sorry - but nothing wrong with posting it again!

Whilst 'fanciful', it's certainly interesting. It shows a still-intact, richly dense and almost clausthrophbic city, continuing to exist as recently as 1890. You could get a handle on what Charles Dickens allegedly once said about the Coombe/Liberties area being 'a maze, and easy to get lost in' - or something similar. Nowadays he'd simply need to follow the nearest dual-carraige way and he'd be grand

[StephenC]

Progress!

[gunter]

In an encouraging move, the hideous additional shopfront to the former Cash Converters at the corner of Meath Street and Thomas Street was dismantled yesterday, apparently in favour of re-using the original, robustly detailed, Victorian facia above. After this branch of Cash Converters folded last year, a planning application went in for change of use to a bookies, which isn't maybe the ideal use, but at least if it comes with a restoration of the shopfront, we'll get something out of it.


the old shopfront getting a lick of paint this morning

If the Corpo twist their arm a bit more, they might get them to clean the peeling paint off the upper floors and restore the fine brick facades to this prominent corner that were, with the shopfront restoration, a civic improvement target in the recent Dublin Civic Trust report on Thomas Street.


Civic Trust photo-montage of the corner cleaned up

[StephenC]

T'was a very talented and knowledgeable architect that undertook that image.

Im worried about the timber fascia around the windows? It not exactly following the window opes in the montage. It also doesnt seem to follow the revised drawings submitted for planning.

The upper floors are owned by John Gaynor...whose solicitor practice is above the shop. How do you encourage people to make these investments in their property? I know for a fact he has seen the DCT image. Its a puzzle.

[Smithfield Resi]

Thank God the yellow is gone. I had a very robust exchange with a planning enforcement officer, who despite being directed to the relevant references to garish colours in ACAs and Conservation Areas in the Development Plan was refusing to enforce the Plan.

[StephenC]

Yes agreed about the yellow...although the planned pillar box red replacement also has to be binned by the council.

I wouldn't celebrate too quickly here however. From the little I saw the other day the front is not turning out as expected. Some further discussion with the new tenants may be needed to achieve the optimum for this important building on the street.

It seems so difficult to get basic shopfront principles accepted around the city.

[soulsearcher]

Group mounts 90-day rescue for Thomas Street
One-third of street derelict, vacant or demolished

Olivia Kelly

One of Dublin most historic streets is in danger of sliding into irrevocable decline, due to “State-sponsored dereliction”, a city business organisation has said.

More than one-third of the buildings on Thomas Street in the southwest inner city are derelict, vacant or have been demolished, and this figure will grow if urgent action is not taken, the Thomas Street Business Association has said.

Businesses and organisations including the Guinness Storehouse, the National College of Art and Design and the Digital Hub Development Agency have come together to produce a 90-day plan to “save” the street. The plan aims to improve both the appearance and the perception of the street over a three-month period, to encourage shoppers and tourists to use the street and to show how it can again be an attractive and viable destination for enterprise.

Damaged image
“Although almost 1,000 people per day walk the street to visit the Guinness Storehouse, few find it a welcoming place. Vagrancy, dirt, litter, vacancy, dereliction, poorly maintained footpaths, lanes and buildings suggest the area is unsafe, a pocket of crime – a place to hurry through and not dwell,” association spokesman Killian O’Higgins said.

“In fact An Garda Síochána report no significant difference in issues affecting visitors to Thomas Street compared to other areas in the city. But perception is reality,” he said.

Over the course of the 90 days, local businesses will be improving their appearance by repainting shopfronts, and removing redundant signs, wiring and external shutters.

The NCAD will host a series of events including a Visual Artists Ireland conference, and graduates and students will be exhibiting work in shops along the street.

A “business and visitor hub” will be opened to market and promote the street. There will be a number of cultural and entertainment events, including the Liberties Festival, and Dublin City Council will undertake “public realm” improvements to clean and fix paths and roads.


Nama buildings
Pressure will also be brought to bear on the National Asset Management Agency to clean up buildings within its control and make them available for temporary uses.

“State-sponsored dereliction is responsible for so many of the problems of the street. The State entered into agreement with developers, and large sites were amalgamated but then never developed.

“Now we also have increasing numbers of buildings in the control of Nama that are also being left vacant and are falling into dereliction. This dereliction of duty is resulting in the dereliction of the street,” Mr O’Higgins said.

The association’s plan follows a report by the Dublin Civic Trust for the city council one year ago which found that “site assembly”, where groups of buildings were bought up for large-scale development, was spreading dilapidation throughout the street as intact buildings next to unsightly wasteground became abandoned.


Fading heritage
The report also warned that rare early 18th-century buildings, some hidden behind later Georgian facades, were in danger of being lost entirely. The 90-day campaign gets under way this evening with a “townhall-style” meeting open to the public at 6.30pm in the NCAD.

http://www.irishtimes.com/group-mounts- ... -1.1376936

[aj]

So the Frawleys site has been put up for sale by the receiver.

http://media.daft.ie/property-image/UIP ... fYCEA=.pdf