Reply To: Look at de state of Cork, like!
*UPDATES*
-> Thomas Crosbie Holdings, owners of the Irish Examiner, Sunday Business Post and Evening Echo etc – have apparently reached an understanding with an as of yet, undisclosed developer, for their new proposed HQ along Lavitts Quay. HOK had said a deal was under consideration – I am informed however, talks have moved on to the next level and that an announcement was due soon. Construction was likely to begin immediately with a completion date due for mid-2006 ~ with the Irish Examiner relocating to the new premises before work on the new O’Callaghan Properties 150m, 6-storey, .6 acre retail and apartment development got underway in December 2006 (planning pending). I’ll let you know more when I hear it.
-> O’Flynn Construction have been asked for Further Information on their Eglinton Street application – as expected. As part of the Further Info, an EIS has been requested. This may see any Further Info received by CCC, not due for at least 2 months. However Frank O’Mahony of Wilson Architecture has said, they were prepared for this and work will begin immediately.
-> CCC have announced their intention to commence a 600m euro housing redevelopment and development scheme. The scheme is partially in response to the lack of socially affordable housing being made available in the Cork city market. CCC are endeavouring to cut the growing waiting lists (touching on 6,000) for such housing. The scheme will consist of new housing, apartments, duplexes and the repurchase and redevelopment of some housing. In addition, the effort will also provide quality facilities for the elderly and for the physically challenged. Clear plans will be released soon.
After taking a more detailled look at the Corbett Bros office and residential development on Copley Street – currently under construction by Coffey Contractors, designed by PRC Architects – the best example I can give those of you who are unfamiliar with the design is; a 5-storey blend of Parchment Square along the Melbourne Road with the apartment development along South Terrace adjacent to the Jewish Centre. I’ll look into getting images for you.
-> With relation to my earlier post on the Mahon Point Trade/Convention Centre – I looked into O’Callaghan Properties announcement yesterday that it was now ‘seriously confident’ their Centre would proceed, with a construction date set for late 2005, planning pending. I can tell you, that O’C P had been working with Project Architects (Dirk Luow) and SOM (Skidmore Owings & Merrill) on the original Trade Centre – and adjustments have been made to the original design in order to cater for a multi-purpose use centre (no longer strictly trade – as once envisioned). The original trade aspect was to be 50:50 funded between the ERDF and O’C P – and was to be linked with the Montreal World Trade Centre – however this has all changed, and O’C P had been withdrawing from the notion based on viability. However, new revisions allow the centre act as a trade centre, convention centre, expo centre and event centre – with many operations working together at the same time if needed. Viability of the centre given its location and proximity to housing – plus sufficient parking and access is up for debate.
Ancillary to the above report, at least 2 developers who had been assessing the proposed expo/event centre site cited by CCC along Penrose Quay and Horgan’s Quay – have said they did not deem the site as being comfortably able to facilitate such a development.
A very faint, and quite frankly, unreliable rumour suggested Cosby Homes of the UK had been glancing their eye over Cork’s docklands from a distance – interested in make a move on the Irish market with a Green-Quarter style development. See http://www.green-quarter.co.uk
