Re: Re: Re: Ward Anderson: Capitol Cineplex to remain for the foreseeable future
Originally posted by Paul Clerkin
Unfotunately? Surely a functioning cinema in the city centre is better than another office development? You don’t want the entire nightlive of the city centre to revolve around pubs – you need a variety of entertainment sources.
I think why I said ‘unforntunately’ is due to the fact that one proposal would have opened up Grand Parade and the city centre to that variety of entertainment sources you indicated. The ice-rink was to be surround by an artificial street-scape on which a number of innovative food outlets/juice bars etc were earmarked. The upper levels would have housed a nightclub and unique theme-bars over looking the late-night rink. A London Trocadero centre style operation was hinted at. I just believed that this kind of facility would be far more attractive and imaginative than yet another cinema. Cinemas are often as imaginative as developers get when it comes to leisure and services. Plus, the city centre already has the Gate Multiplex and the Kino Cinema on Washington Street is set to triple in size through its reconstruction and addition of 3-further floors. The idea of a lively, pedestrian friendly city centre leisure and entertainment centre just appealed to me and its unfortunate to see such proposals lost. The Capitol ain’t pretty at the best of times and is seriously dated. The site is also zoned in the Cork City Development Plan 2004 for higher-order retail development. Joe Gavin (City Manager) has even expressed his disappointment at the Ward Anderson decision.
*UPDATES*
🙂 Cleary Doyle have begun preliminary construction work on the 32m euro Cork City Hall extension (see previous posts) – designed by ABK Architects.
