Archer’s Garage

Archer’s Garage on Fenian Street has been demolished, although it was listed as Grade 1. This is really atrocious.

I was in work on Saturday and it was there …. by monday morning it was a pile of rubble …. I didn’t know its listing at the time but figured it was listed as demolition on a Bank Holiday Weekend normally suggests undue haste……

For those unfamiliar with the garage

Before

Now

…. to stand up and be counted……

I honestly thought that the days of buildings being pulled down illegally over weekends was gone. how wrong I was. I was familiar with Archer’s Garage and often thought what cool offices it would make. Very sad.

Who were the architects and developers on the scheme? Actually who designed Archer’s originally?

And when are we the people of Dublin going to stand up to cowboy developers? Perhaps this is a job for Archeire!

Oh for $%*@’s sake! B&^()£ks!!
S*^T! B^&%$£()rds!!

I’m sick to death of this F^%&$*()KING S*&T!

Is there NAYTTHING we CAN do collectively.
This HAS got to stop. This country is so F$%^&*KING corrupt. You can get away with anything if you’re in with the right crowd.

Pardon my F&^%*(NG french.

John

How often have companies been forced to re-build/restore buildings that they have illegally demolished?

Is it illegal to demolish a Listed building?
I presume listing can be overturned by the county planner or whoever. Who’s he?
Why would this be authorised? To serve the public with a widened road? Or to satisfy the needs of some greedy developer. Why would a developer’s private business interests EVER come before preservation of a listed building? Does he have a pal in the Dail or An Bord Plannala?

Surely something can be done.

Thanks for the mail – you know who you are.

As for what can be done:

I wondered could we put on a march? I could talk to some friends [editors] in the Press.
Then my girlfriend Gabrielle who first yelled in shock at the demolition on Sunday morning the 6-June-1999 when we were in the car – she suggested Marion Finucane. Apart from having the ears of half the country daily [is the radio show still going?] she was according to Gabby quite a rebel in the ’60’s. She was involved in a student sit-in at a Grade 1 listed building. Was it Sam Stephenson she was resisting? Hang on – she isn’t a qualified architect by any chance is she?

Anyway, let me know what you all think.

Perhaps Archeire’s spokesman could phone her show today?

John

UnF*(kin9 Believable!
Were do these guys get off?! when do they get punished? More than a rap on the knuckles and ‘there now go make lots of money but don’t let me catch you at that again’..
absolultley dumbfounded..

Well, everyone who has posted a message here seems disgusted, so as John said, what can we do? Was there anything on the radio about it?

Does anyone know about the history of the buiding?

There are so few ordinary decent modernist buidings in Dublin that this really is a huge loss……

Apparently it was definitely grade 1, it had been grade 2 (see today’s Irish Times).

Anyway, what can/will be done?

hang em high

Even if they are forced to recreate it or fined, its too late, the laws need to be changed so that Gardai can stop the demolition without having to get a Judge out of his bed in the middle of the night.

Fine them the full million = no profit in the development

Force them to rebuild it EXACTLY down to room sizes inside so that its financially unviable as a large scale office or aprtment development

Have a licensing scheme for developers in the City centre and revoke licenses for stepping over the line so they are not allowed to operate within the city boundaries.

Disgraceful… and no doubt the new development will be more the the same bland sterile apartment and office complexes that exist all over the city…..

There must be some way to stop this happening again. Inthe 1960s / 70s the developers justified it on the grounds that the houses were too old and there were loads of them anyway but that was Georgian architecture and now there’s not all that much left. But this was only 50 years old and we have very little good mid century architecture in the city……

Seems the developer is hotelier Noel O’Callaghan, of previously vandalising fame…..Davenport Hotel etc. Architect Tony Reddy, also something of a vandal, but in terms of erecting crass buildings rather than demolishing beautiful ones.

To what degree is the architect reponsible in cases like this…..could they possibly ‘not know’what the developer was going to do?

What has happened Frank McDonald? After being such a crusader in the whole ‘Destruction of Dublin’ era, he seems a little quiet of late…..with the outrage expressed here, it seems odd that nothing similar has happened in the public arena

O’Callaghan is definitely a vandal… the Davenport mysteriously burned out just prior to his purchase for an hotel…. in scenarios like this I reckon the architect has to know because otherwise how could they design the development……

D/aimsigh me/ an foirgneamh dom fein ni/ ach se mhi/ o shin. D’aithnigh me/ gurbh sean-gharaiste e/ narch ionann le h-aon rus a bhfaca me roimhe sin.

Bhi/ rud luaite ag Frank De/ Sathairn. I ndairire, gan e/ ce/ chomh bocht b’i/ an chathair, go minic an t-aon ghuth ciall ata/ ann.

Yeh, Frank said something on it on Saturday. Regarding a public expression of frustration and disgust I’m prepared if someone in the know could suggest a suitable time ? Ask Frank to come and get a few piccies taken for publication next Thursday.

Shane

Could always hit O’Callaghan where it hurts and mount a semi-permanent protest outside his hotels….. tell all his american tourists why he is been picketed – for destroying the heritage of the city

I could set up an online form that would send an email to the City Manager and cc it to O’Callaghan Hotels to allow people to voice their opinions…… what do you think?

Folks, register your disgust at

http://www.archeire.com/campaign.cgi

F’ing outrageous! What is being done? They can’t be allowed to get away with this. I sent my email but I doubt that will cause them any loss of sleep. Did anyone get in touch with Marian Finucan? O’Callaghan must be prosecuted, fined and forced to re-instate the building brick by brick. Greedy tosser.

I agreee. How to bring about the prosecution notice? does anyone know the legalities around this…an article in the Times would also go some way –

At first, I was of the opinion that only prison sentences being handed down would serve as a deterrent against this sort of thing happening in the future. However, I’ve had a better idea:

The demolition was a clear-cut crime, so shouldn’t the Criminal Assets Bureau be empowered to sieze the site? The idea that the O’Callaghan Group should now be entitled to develop the site is an outrage. Of course, they should also be made to pay the full £1 million fine, and, yes, a couple of years in prison might put manners on the likes of these.

I think there’s a solution to this – but it requires political will – buildings that are deliberately demolished or end up having to be demolished through wilful neglect should return to public hands – for use as parks, social housing etc. A neglected site in Ranelagh was recently redeveloped as sheltered housing. Perhaps we could hassle our local representatives about this. .

Perhaps if a little more discretion were exercised in the choice of building listed the listings might be taken more seriously. That garage was a pile of rubbish before it was demolished. A curiosity, certainly but worthy of preservation for the admiration of furure generations? Don’t be stupid. Are the architects of today, with all of the materials at their disposal and all the history of great functional and attractive buildings to draw on, really so bankrupt of fresh ideas that so basic a solution to a practical problem should now be considered a work of serious architectural merit? Perhaps the real reason for the worry among architects of today about the fate of such a building has more to do with their ideas that their own work should also stand forever. Get with it guys. How about trying to ensure that whatever goes up on the site is really worthy of preservation at some point in the future.

Hi Jim

thanks for your opinion – it broadens the discussion a great deal. Certainly the sort of thing that Archeire should continue to foster.

I’m sure that contemporary architects ARE worried about the future of their own works and wish to nip wanton destruction in the bud. Can’t blame them for that – everybody has a little selfish interest in what they do. It seems though that many people are still genuinely pissed off and saddened by this and if it isn’t re-erected [very likely]
there SHOULD be something good put in it’s place as you say.

That’s the other side to this situation: If you can’t save it or rebuild it – stop them developing anything or anything crap. We have enough of THAT already.

You know the Listed Grammar School in Droghreda which was illegally demolished in the night about ten years ago? The guilty were ordered to re-build it. Sadly it’s still just so much flattened rubble.

Well, at least they WERE found guilty and haven’t been able to carry out their plans any further.

This is in relation to Jim Smyth’s comment about Archer’s Garage being little more than a curiosity…..

Nothing wrong with being a curiosity aside, I don’t agree. I am fairly interested in the history of the more demotic element of building in Ireland, particularly 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s, and while garages and petrol ststions of the time tended to be completely standardised (in a way that they are now more akin to product design than architecture), Archer’s seemed to actually communicate a total optimism in modernity, something you don’t see too much in Irish architecture ever.

It must have been slightly inspiring to architects of the time, when much official Irish architecture was semi-classical, to see an unashamedly modern building, maybe partly because it wasn’t by Michael Scott etcetera, just a garage, not a monument. I think that might be why current Irish architects liked it so much and are in uproar over it being demolished like this….with the developers, planners etc reaching for historicism again, and after the really truly awful ‘modern’ buildings put up in Dublin in the 1960’s and ’70’s, Archers was good clean fun modernism. Seeing as architects working now seem to feel under a stranglehold to produce more pastiche schlock, they must have enjoyed seeing Archer’s.

Anyway, as posted in the argument about taste: to what degree do architects determine the look of buildings? They are always complaining, but still never design anything anyone likes (apart from group 91 mafia)

Surely the fundamental topic here is if we should or shouldn’t have listed buildings. Of course we should, and if we should people must be forced to respect that listing. This is a disgraceful incident and the developer must not be allowed to gain from it

So…has anyone heard what’s happening? Come on you gossips!

So any other ideas for stepping us this campaign?

It seems that Mr O’Callaghan is on the Board of Bord Failte…. I reckon his hotels should be picketed…… he also is a large donor to Fianna Fail…. so what odds no prosecution

Well, that just makes it even more imperative that he is punished doesn’t it.

They’ve treated the people in this country like morons for long enough. Up until the late 70’s polititians; especially one party and one figurehead I need not mention, just had the run of the place. They did what they liked and got away with it. Great men weren’t they?

Well, it’s less easy now.

J

Cheist amhain – an eol do Frank MacDonald faoin bhfeachtas ata/ i mbun againn ? Ceist bhunusach eile – an usaideann se/ an suiomh seo ar aon nos ?

Does Frank now about our campaign – and [more basically] – does he even know about archeire ? Paul ?

Frank – are you lurking out there ?

Shane

Perhaps instead of a simple fine there should be confiscation of the site/property which would ensure that there would be no profit from such action.

Being a regular passer-by and admirer of the strongest and most articulated corner building in Dublin, I am disgusted that such a wreckless act of demolition can be allowed happen.

Unless ther perpretrators are forced to rebuild this building, it will open the floodgates for similar demolitions. The fine will be seen as a reasonable price to pay given the value of the site. The Future of many of Dublin’s listed buildings could depend on the outcome of this case. This should be the mother of all campaigns to stamp out this corrupt behaviour.

Does it have to be Georgian to save ?
Sad, The garage building reminds me of Art Deco style buildings on North of South Beach Miami,
except there, they had cherish the badly run down buildings and then renovated them later.

re there any plans for an organised boycott of his chain of hotels – at least until he sees fit to try and amend the damage done?

P.

I must say that I’ve always thought that the whole area around the Garage site is one of the most depressed and depressing parts of inner Dublin due to its generally derelict state and awfully ugly legoland-type flats. Its all the worse since it is so close to the beautiful Georgian areas also. I mean, you only have to drive northwards past Holles Street Hospital to experience the sharp contrast in Dublin’s fortunes.

But the one exonerating characteristic of the Erne St/Fenian St area was Archer’s Garage. Alas it was let go to ruin of late, and I wasn’t surprised that it was demolished. That was before I knew that it was a listed building however. Accordingly my surprise turned to anger. Even as an admirer of the building I had underestimated its importance. I had never even been in it.

This is how I think F O’C et al figured the reaction would be. People would be so used to seeing it boarded up for years that many of them would not care that it was pulled down. F O’C & Co. were wrong.

So what sort of Mickey Mouse country do we live in? A country where preservation lists are simply aspirational fancies towards architectural conservation, and have no readily inforceable powers????

Its time  that some bureaucratic asses were kicked in this town, and that legitimate public opinion starts influencing the powers that be to enforce the law against such shysters as O’Callaghan who incidentially, wouldn’t know culture if it came up and spat in his face, which I wish it would.

I think they should be made rebuild the garage, and they should not be allowed undertake any further developments in dublin for say 15 years. A custodial sentence may also be appropriate. In future anyone who attempts to demolush listed buildings should forfit the property to the state

In my last post I mistakenly referred to Noeol O’Callaghan as “F O’C”.

I thought his name was Frank! Must have misread some of the earlier post about Frank McDonald and thought that they were about our infamous developer!

Stupid really, because as soon as I realised my mistake, I remembered immediately that I had known christian name was Noel. It must have just been a mental lapse!

I’ve just read of this demolition on my return from Canada to my home in Guyana, South America. I was born in Dublin. The contempt of O’Callaghan and his type for the law is the issue here. Whether the building is worthy of Grade 1 Listing is irrelevant – it was listed and that’s that. To callously demolish it over a bank holiday (was this to avoid traffic congestion or to avoid detection???) is typical of the breed. I commend you all for your campaign and hope the building is rebuilt and that Bord Failte publicly and assertively rid themselves of this rogue element. I’m off now to email Bord Failte to that effect. Bye.
http://www.twotomcats.com

The news that Archer’s Garage is to be rebuilt must be considered a belated success for fair play and respect for the law in Ireland, not just Dublin. The discussion has thrown up a number of penalties that developers could suffer, if they flaunt the law, and witnesses of this recent saga should encourage the Government to introduce very sharp measures in the new legislation. High financial penalties, jail for executive charimen, withdrawal of licence to develop for long periods, are all possible. Otherwise Ireland will remain a small country manipulated by greed and cronyism, of which our history can boast too much.

I am also very certain that the threat of boycotting the chain of hotels concerned has been swiftly effective. However, a crime HAS been committed, as the fabric of the original Listed Big. has been intentionaly swept away forever, by stealth. F O’C should step down immediately from BFE, as he cannot represent responsible business practice in Ireland.

A victory of sorts has been achieved; new measures to prevent a recurrence, and a punishment of the criminal action are now the issues, as the promise to rebuild is just to avoid punishment. The Corp. of Dublin MUST assert its full authority NOW as the planning authority, but local government is too weak, and it will prove itself so in this case. However, its will could be stiffened by the people’s expression of justice.

I sent a letter to Bord Failte, and received the following reply. I would have thought the fact that they have a destroyer of listed buildings on their board would be something that would concern them. Obviously not.
======

From: Michael O’Regan
To: Subject: RE: Website comments

[..]

Thank you Paul for your email this is not an issue for Bord Failte as it
involves O’Callaghan Hotels and Dublin Corporation. Should you wish to
raise any particular matter with either of these parties perhaps you
would contact them directly.Thank you for your enquiry.

With Best Regards,
The Irish Tourist Board Information Service

====

It is interesting that the developer says they didn’t know the building was listed, and that it was all a terrible misunderstanding.

In the first Irish Times report the architect stated that he was shocked that the building had been demolished as they had prepared a design for the demolition of all the other buildings on the site except Archer’s garage (presumably because it was listed).

I’d be interested to know a bit more about Mr O’Callaghan’s past escapades. Since he owns the chain of hotels that includes the Davenport, I presume he was involved in the “redevelopment” of the old Merrion Hall, after the fire which gutted it?

Dublin Corporation seem to be saying that the choice was either force them to re-build it OR fine/sentence, so its going to be the former.

Is this the case (that it is one or the other?)

Is everyone happy about this “re-instatement”?

Has it happened before?

It won’t be the same building will it?
Never mind what the quality will be like.
Presumably it’ll be totally half assed.

No, something else stinks here.

Is this what’s happened?
Corpo: We’re going to fine you/possibly imprison you AND you have to re-build it.

He/solicitor(s): No. I’ll do one or the other and that’s it.

Corpo: So sorry sir. Anything that you can do will be greatly appreciated. We realise that you’re a very busy man what with fingers in many, many pies. Yes, if you could re-build it that would be lovely. Thanks ever so much. So sorry for inconveniencing you.

Him: Right, well I’ll let it go this time but don’t let it happen again.

very sad and dismayed to hear about Archers garage. As an ex dubliner and a regular visitor to dublin i know what hotels i will not be staying at in future.

I see the last message was posted 4 days ago.. is the demolition now old news? Has O’Callaghan’s spin worked (a sort of variation of the Bart Defense – “Didn’t do it… didn’t see me do it.. can’t prove anything”).

P.

By saying that he will rebuild, he’s hoping to avoid prosecution and resigning from Bord Failte….. we just have to keep up the pressure….. we need more people to send feedback to the corpo and Bord Failte…..

As I stated on the 22nd, a gross offense has been committed and O’Callaghan should resign from Bord Failte, while the Coroporation should seek to make an example of him. However since local government is so weak everywhere today, this will NOT happen unless people – Dubliners and tourist interests throughout the country – insist that the Corp. act speedily in the matter.

Also, this businessman has brought the name of Irish commerce into disrepute, and he should be immediately forced out of public official life. Why not lobby other business institutions to make them aware how their collective image is being sullied in this way.

The threat against the hotel chain has forced the promise to rebuild, really an admission of guilt. This threat should be maintained until the new development complies with the planning law. It seems to have worked quite well, and should only be dropped when full satisfaction is achieved!

It’s called ‘consumer power”.

Is it true that Archer’s was the first Irish building to be made of reinforced concrete?

Anyone find out about the history of the building?

What is thge latest on the rebuilding?

Just to let you all know, watch out for feature on Archers Garage and other items of current planning interest on 20/20, TV3 this Sunday at 8pm.

McQuillan said that the developer has brought all commerce into disrepute. Well, actually they probably think he’s great. That’s the kind of pro-active ruthlessness this country needs – it precisely because of this calibre of businessman that we’re all enjoying this prosperity boom. Personal profit – that’s the goal, sweep aside all obstacles to it.

His one sin is probably his weakness – in giving in to pressure.

Although, that remains to be seen doesn’t it.

A mega billion company is looking for a new chairman. There are two identically qualified applicants.

Do they pick the one who trades arms or the one who saves dolphins?

No doubt the Reconstructed Archers garage will be a sterile replica (Harcourt Street anyone?) part of O’Callaghans new lego block that will no doubt be built on the site.

If the Alexander Hotel was pulled down would anyone feel the same? I doubt it.

How about this as a protest against the destruction of the Archers Garage?

Commission an architects firm to construct a miniature model of each of the O’Callagan Group Hotels (one set per hotel).

Gather some protestors together and on the next Bank Holiday Weekend (August BHW), outside each of the O’Callaghan hotels, destroy the miniature model ‘hotels’ at the precise time that Archers G. was torn down.

Now wouldn’t that be an etertaining spectacle for all those lovely tourists!!!

I noticed today that for urinating in front of an ATM on O’Connell Street that the individual concerned will have to carry a placard saying I apologise.

Maybe there is a lesson here and Mr. O’Callaghan shoud be required to carry a placard for a week corresponding with the hours of demolition i.e 8am – 6 pm saying…

I knew it was listed
I was greedy
I am very sorry
I will rebuild it

There are some additional photographs of archers garage in happier times on the Art Deco Ireland web site.
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Salon/6941/deco1.htm

The question is asked, has anyone previously rebuilt an illegally demolished listed building? I know of an example in London. The Chinese Embassy, facing the Royal Institute of British Architects in Portland Place, was being rebuilt internally behind retained Adam facades in the 1980s when – by some extraordinary accident – the facades fell down. The Chinese were obliged to rebuild it in replica. Of course they did not quite do that. The facades are a rough approximation of what was there before, but now surmounted by a huge and out-of-scale mansard roof.

Another bizarre related example concerns Grand Buildings on Trafalgar Square. There was a competition in the mid 1980s to replace this large but dilapidated Victorian corner block. Out of entries including some radical stuff by the likes of Future Systems, the chosen winner was a design that rebuilt the block in replica – but with modern office floors and an atrium inside. That’s how low confidence in new architecture was in the UK at the time. The architects were Siddel Gibson, who have since got a bit better.

Just read this thread for the first time today – this is in reply to John White on the 9th of June, re. Marian Finnucane.

As a matter of fact, Marian *did* study architecture in DIT in the sixties, so this is definitely something she could be interested in. However, she’s on a summer break at the moment.

By the way, no one’s mentioned the architects serving in the Dáil at the moment – Ruairí Quinn and Liz McManus, both of whom were very involved in issues such as this while at UCD. Have they had anything to say on the matter?

Hi again Siobhan

That’s a good idea. Why not email them?
I reckon neither of them are in Fianna Fail are they?

John

Overseas readers of this discussion will not know that representative bodies of Irish architecture have raised their voices on this issue.

It was reported in last week’s issue of the Architects Journal (London) that the MRIAI and the AAI had protested recently about the destruction of the Garage, and that such protests had resulted in the promise to rebuild.

This is a very healthy development, as it means that the profession has distanced itself from such unforgiveable behaviour! A generation age the Institute would have never commented on such things, so we must be grateful that they have acted as they did.

Why doesn’t the Irish Government through Bord Failte Eireann do likewise? The whole world is reading about your ‘friend’, a Vandal whom you have placed in a public position!

Surely these facts re the RIAI and the AAI deserved attention in terms of the administration of the discussion, when they occurred, Paul?

James McQ.

Actually I don’t believe the RIAI or the AAI had any effect on the decision.

I believe that the decision to rebuild was taken because of the outcry of the general public and not architects who generally manage to force whatever shite they like down the throats of the people.

I believe that the fuss created by this website and other who supported the online campaign resulting in the Coproration and O’Callaghan hotels receiving hundreds and hundreds of emails from ordinary people caused the decisions.

The campaign was promoted by the Internet magazines and columns, by several major ISPs as well as independent websites such as Ireland-Today, Niceone, Blather……

The online campaign also received good press from Frank McDonald – http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ireland/1999/0621/hom6.htm

I reckon what we have just seen is the beginning of the fightback against the developers by the people……

While anyone can be sceptical, it remains that Frank McD. in the Irish Times last June mentioned the Institute, the AAI and Shane O’Toole of the Ir. Br. of DOCOMOMO, as having spoken against the demolition, O’Toole calling for a jail-sentence.

Thanks for alerting me to the IT piece.
As for the ‘people’, most don’t care; it will be the impassioned who will talk up. However, we must strenghten our political and democratic institutions to harness the people’s voice – i. e., those who care to speak, on all such issues.

O’Callaghan seems to be blaming Tony Reddy (his architect) for not alerting him to the status of the building. Surely the architect is accountable, at least to his peers: i.e. are the RIAI going to do anything about calling him to book?

I think maybe just characterising O’Callaghan as a typical ‘greedy developer’is letting the architect off the hook …

In the breach of the law, ignorance is no excuse.

I am sure that the architects could have had nothing to do with its demolition; the demolition gang would have been instructed by contractors acting for the owner, or instructed directly by the owner. The architects need never have known about it at all, which is most certainly the case.

I find it surprising that you can say with certainty that the architects had nothing to do with it….

I’d like to hear your reason(s) for saying that they did!

WARNING

This weekend is a bank holiday weekend, look out for gangs of labourers roaming the streets of Dublin looking for listed buildings to pull down (Of course the developer and his architect would be shocked and appalled at this “unexpected” site clearance).

If you have a listed building near to where you live, keep an eye on it this weekend.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!

To reply to a previous comment by a Mr?. Smith (excuse my rudness but I am too lazy to go back and look up your name). You have a good point when you point out the ugliness of the garage though this is a matter of taste, what you are missing is the the legalities. Is the rape of a prostitute any less a crime? The point is if somone can demolish an ugly listed building then the precedent is set to rip down more pleasing structures and just count the fine as an added expence

Grammer David??

To reply to a previous comment by a Mr?. Smith (excuse my rudness but I am too lazy to go back and look up your name). You have a
good point when you point out the ugliness of the garage, though this is a matter of taste, what you are missing are the the legalities. Is the
rape of a prostitute any less a crime? The point is if somone can demolish an ugly listed building then the precedent is set to rip down
more pleasing structures and just count the fine as an added expence

Hey, I went past the site of Archers Garage today and there was no activity whatsoever, in fact nothing has changed since the demolition.

Wasn’t work to start yesterday?

Hmmm, the usual bull has started again. When is the utterly useless corpo going to get its finger out? Or has the campaign ground to a halt.

A question for all working architects out there. Would you deem 10 months sufficient for the rebuilding of Archers?
Today is Nov 1st there are only 10 months left to September 1st 2000.

Anybody aware of what’s happening? The site seems deserted and the remainder of the building is been used as a carprak by O’Callaghan Hotels.

there still doesnt seem to be anything happening….

The application for the office block is due for a decision before Dec 15th. I am sure they are not waiting for the office block decision before proceeding with the rebuilding of the Archers Garage as we all know that the agreement between Sherborough Securities and Dublin Corporation has nothing to do with the building of the office block. Under the agreement they have to rebuild the garage by Septemeber 2000.

The office block has just been granted permission subject to 18 conditions.

what are they?

Any word on the conditions?

remamber this statement? Has anything happened yet?

23rd June, 1999.

PRESS RELEASE
on behalf of
DUBLIN CORPORATION
and
SHERBOROUGH SECURITIES Ltd.

DEMOLITION OF ARCHER’S GARAGE, FENIAN STREET

Sherborough Securities Ltd. very much regrets the recent demolition of a List 1 building, Archer’s Garage, on Fenian Street. Noel O’Callaghan of Sherborough Securities Ltd., requested a meeting with Dublin Corporation and following that meeting, Sherborough Securities Ltd. have now signed a legal agreement with Dublin Corporation unconditionally to re-instate the premises to its former condition, with work to commence as soon as possible, but at the latest by 1st September, 1999. They have also agreed that the re-instatement will be completed within one year of commencement of works.

Passed Archers last Friday, no change to the site and no activity.

Nope. I think we expected this really.

I think its about time we started the campaign about this again and raise the media’s awareness, maybe pressurise the corpo to fine him say 1 million per month that it is late, or just put the bastard in prison like he was supposed to.

Rory W

I agree…

“but at the latest by 1st September, 1999.”

Hmmmm, no action taken so far at all…..

I think they were supposed to be finished by September 2000…… and not a sod turned….

I think it’s now high time that the issue came back into the public eye. I’ll restart the email form, but we also need a new fresh approach. Any ideas?

Was thinking myself of Archers-watch, a new photo every morning showing nothing happening on the site.

Taitnionn sin liom a Paul – looking at the incriminating lack of activity would be pretty good.

Overall its seems Noel O’Callaghan’s actions are just as empty and as worthless as his word. I wonder does he still consider that he deserves a medal for the woek he’s done on Fenian St ?

So has there been any update? We passed by on Sunday and there was no sign of activity. I am not surprised!

Taken 12 March 2000

ABsolutely nothing happening.

Was it a piling machine I saw on site this morning?

Ah remember the days when the Irish Times used to let Frank McDonald complain about thing like this…where the hell is the media????????

Rory W

Sorry you may be noticing how pissed off with this whole Archers thing Im getting

It’s obvious that there isn’t any political will in the Corporation to force Callaghan to put the building back.

Too weak willed. Its a pity the council elections aren’t dure for another few years.

According to today’s Sunday Times…

rebuilding starts in June

well done the corpo

Sue the git for millions [should’ve got millions out of him anyway] and then the corpo can build it themselves. I’m sure they’d carry it out more consciencously.

John

When you think of it, is’nt it anachronistic rebuilding the garage.What’s done is done.I mean it’s like the principle of rebuilding Nelson’s pillar or restoring the Reichstag to it’s former Baroque glory.(Sorry ,I know those examples are a bit outlandish)Sentiment can be gut wrenching at times and if you pay it heed too much you’ll end up in Disneyland.

Yeah, but rebuilding this is going to cost him more than a fine ever would… the cost will last forever in terms of lost sq. footage + rents and the chance for even bigger open floor space in the offices… and thats what developers want… the biggest floor possible x the most storeys possible. forcing him to put back the building although descending to pastiche is a means of punishment not conservation.

…….but you lose architectural integrity and honesty, only to be substituted with the ‘Prince Charles’ farcical theories of architecture.

What about the Barcelona Pavilion, rebuilt with Mies’ blessing almost 50 years after it was demolished?

It is worth comparing the rebuilding of Archers with the Japanese tradition of rebuilding the Shinto Temples. These temples are rebuilt after I think 20 years to the last detail as a means of preserving the building and the skill required for their construction. This buiding is not an old building by any means and its rebuilding should not require descending into pastiche but should be a compenent reinstatment of technologies which if anything have been perfected since its original construction. Comparisons with the restoration of buidlings such as the De La Ware ? Pavillion by Troughtan McAlsan are also relevant for showing what can be done with a buiding of a similar era to bring it back to life.

Ah, we may as well rebuild it. Sure after a few years no body will ever have noticed.
Mores the pity then that such principles were not applied to Georgian Dublin…ie Gardiner Street(look at what’s there now, recently added in the 90’s),Fitzwilliam Street,The Custom House…etc or an even more splendid jewel;’Dresden’…alas all gone.
I remember a lovely little pub that once stood on the corner of Wood Quay, it was called the Irish House.It would be so good to have it reinstated; It was full of charm and wonder.

What is the big deal about Georgian Dublin anyway? Perhaps one street of Georgian houses should be preserved as a monument, but the rest you could happily tear down.
Many Georgian houses were built to a poor standard by speculative builders, they are damp, cold, and noisy. Maybe suitable for the town residence of gentry or merchants, they do not make good flats, offices or shops. The ESB got it right.

Ouch!that hurt
Dunno bout that. Ye could always get the builder boys around and do a job. I mean they could insulate the attic,install PVC doors and windows,pebble dash or clad the facade etc…..making it nice’n’cosy. Nothing but the best money and taste can buy. Did I say taste?

Get a grip Celfi, the ESB HQ is a
*+!kin disaster, its an awful building no matter where you put it, only this time it was plonked in the middle of what was the longest Georgian Streetscape in the world. There is no comparison between the crap that is thrown up today and the houses of Georgian Dublin.

Celfi …. me thinks that you misunderstood the concept of irony. Disneyland here we come.

Actually, now that I think of it….

I know that it’s like cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face, and it’s unfair to the locals [do they care?] BUT: how about NOT re-building the garage?

The original is gone.

Why not leave an ugly empty wasteground nestled on the corner of his hotel? Don’t even clear away the debris.

The everlasting monument to O’Callaghan’s greed and insensitivity now a part of his corner of the block.

A reminder to all foreigners who come to stay there of the kind of business he runs. I bet they wouldn’t come back.

A sacrifice for the future of Irish architecture.
John

nice idea… but you know what would happen … in 10 years time he’d get permission…..

OK, I deserved the slagging for the ESB crack. I agree that it is a truely horrible building. But what is the attraction of the samness of these Georgian terraces? Mitigated to some extent by minor variations (roof height, a doric door column here, and ionic there…), they still present a monotonous face, legacy of the single-zone mentality with which they were created. In this, they are not really that different from the estates of Essex-model suburban semis plaguing the outskirts of Dublin.

They are the magnificent physical remains of an autoctratic, agressive, oppressive colonial regime – so they are culturally invaluable. They whole buzz of their classical universality (all those parallel lines, right angles, disappearing into infinty) is strangely moving – aside from the applique decorated porticos you have an incredibly abstract urban landscape.

Oh God, pardon my ignorance but is the Notorious ESB building the one on a street between Upper Mount Street and Baggot Street? I was saying to somebody last week as I passed a huge pebbledashed building how I quite liked it. He said “John! That’s the ESB thing – the one they mutilated the Goergian Mile for and the ESB have been trying to make up for it ever since…”

I was looking at the back of it I think. The front is bland brown precast concrete isn’t it?

If it’s the same building – I must be ill or something. But then I enjoy O’Connell Bridge House too!

John

Speaking of O’Connell Bridge House, does anyone have any pictures of what its going to look like when the refurbishment? It looks like its just getting cheap new windows and the scaffolding will be up for quite a while.

Hey Celfi, can you name any housing development ( public or private ) which has been added to inner city Dublin since the times of Georgina that possess the same qualities of scale,uniformity,detailing, modest grandeur and offering to the occupants generous living space.
The rubbishy Disneysque Georgian pastiche replacement on Gardiner Street is surely a ‘No No’ as well as it’s neighbouring ‘Sociopathic Chambers’.(Luke Gardiner Weeps).

The maximum punishment Noel O’Callaghan can suffer for the demolition of Archer’s Garage is an IR£1m fine and/or imprisonment for up to 1 year. I propose that, if he turns out to be stringing the public along on his promise, that he should receive both of these penalties. I also propose that the only planning permission that should be granted for the site (even that on which the garage did not formerly stand on) would be for the reinstatement of the garage itself. He would eventually be forced to either rebuild the garage or sell the site. Then the Corporation should buy it and rebuild the garage as a monument to Deirdre Kelly who died before her time not so long ago. This matter was one of the last she ever spoke on. I also think that the maximum fine should be raised much higher than IR£1m, because developers stand to earn much more than that if they can plunder the city as they like. Plus, no legislation is actually worded so that people who illegally demolish buildings (listed or unlisted) have to rebuild it.

Rather than just bitch about it here, can anyone suggest anything positive we could do to actually get something done. Or at least find out why nothing continues to happen. What department in the Corpo is responsible?

I pass the site every morning on my way to work and this is really starting to piss me off.

Fergus,
if you were eagle eyed you may have noticed on passing the site a new site notice for another office block application on the site. With this being the case it seems increasingly unlikely that a meaningful start will take place o the rebuilding of Archers in May. The Corpo’s and the Public efforts to have the garage rebuilt are being treated with contempt.

I heard that a 4 storey (plus penthouse) office office development with car park was going there.

Is the reconstruction of the garage included in the application?

Eh….No!

Weve been so blind/foolish.

I now see the answer to my own question asking if there is anything positive we could do instead of just bitching about it.

If we could have a whip round among th regular contributers on here would we get enugh to fill a plastic bag with £20 notes ? Then we’d be able to get something done.

Dear Mr. O’Callaghan,

GO TO JAIL, move directly to jail, do not pass GO, to not collect 200 pounds.

per IT today
PP application:
Location: Former EWL offices (Archers Garage), Corner of Fenian Street and Sandwith Street Upper, Dublin 2. Proposed development: Reconstruction of the former EWL offices (previously Archers Garage) at basement, ground, first and second floor levels. Applicant: Sherborough Securities Ltd.

A planning application was published in the Irish Times today. It is to the Corporation requesting permission to go ahead with the reconstruction. I don’t understand why they need to do this, or why they have not done it already. Does anyone else?

Archers garage rebuilding soon
The Irish Independent

It is expected that the rebuilding of the former Archers Garage premises on the corner of Fenian St and Sandwith St Upper, Dublin 2 will begin next month under the direction of Dublin Corporation. Corporation management has informed councillors that agreement has been reached with developer Noel O’Callaghan. However, plans for a new office block to the rear of the garage remain under appeal.

http://www.independent.ie/2000/130/p98z.shtml

Hang on, is that the same O’Callaghan of O’Callaghan Hotels? as in The Alexander,the Mont Clare and more importantly The Davenport Hotel which was formerly a Masonic Hall (I think) but which definately had a listed interior which burned down one night leaving only the shell which was then converted into The Davenport??
The plot thickens!!!

The very same O’Callaghan who also let two Georgian Houses at the end of Harcourt Street fall into disrepair before becoming part of his upmarket chipper on the corner of Stephens Green…sorry I meant the St Stephen’s Green Hotel.

Rory W

The very same O’Callaghan who also let two Georgian Houses at the end of Harcourt Street fall into disrepair before becoming part of his upmarket chipper on the corner of Stephens Green…sorry I meant the St Stephen’s Green Hotel.

Rory W

Wouldn’t it be a good idea to compile a list of either
a)all properties owned by O’Callaghan or Sherborough Securities Ltd. (difficult if there’s a number of “paper” companies) or
b)owners of all listed properties.
It seems obvious that this guy is one to watch out for in the future.

According to todays Commercial Property supplement with the Irish Times the former Shell petrol station at the junction of Harcourt St. and the Adelaide Road has been bought by Profile Properties with the intention of building a seven-storey over basement office building. Is nobody going to protest about the loss of this once great filling station, itself an icon of the decadent seventies /eighties and homage to the motor car,that maker of great cities.

According to todays Commercial Property supplement with the Irish Times the former Shell petrol station at the junction of Harcourt St. and the Adelaide Road has been bought by Profile Properties with the intention of building a seven-storey over basement office building. Is nobody going to protest about the loss of this once great filling station, itself an icon of the decadent seventies /eighties and homage to the motor car,that maker of great cities.

Hey Phil, who’s paying you?

Hey Phil, who’s paying you.

(Anything you can do, I can do better!!)

Re: Mr O’Callaghan, Archers garage Frascati Hse etc.

There is a very very effective way of combatting the type of illegal demolition referred to:

Join the Dublin City Association of An Taisce, start personally to monitor planning applications in your area, object by reference to the 1999 development plan, to Dublin Corporation and generally stop bitching in the forum and actually achieve something.

For general consumption, An Taisce has been making life very difficult for Mr O’Callaghan and his ilk for thte last twenty years, we don’t always succeed but are at least trying, in the only way effective and possible.

very rarely succeed, what about that building on Capel Street last saturday morning

What building on Capel Street? Was it the one on Upper Ormonde Quay that ‘Burnt’ down?
Rory W

Re: 88 Capel Street the demolition was illegal, in breach of planning conditions on a previously approved scheme and works were commenced without lodgement of a commencement notice.

Under those circumstances, yes, its hard to succeed but An Taisce is pressing hard on the Corporation for a prosecution under enforcement and protected structures.

General approach to this kind of thing is to push hard for charges to be brought. This is not generally successful as Dublin Corporation and in particular senior management are unenthusiastic about planning enforcement or protection of listed structures.

However it’s unfair to say that An Taisce rarely succeeds witness the Spencer Dock Oral hearing where despite Ronan and Barretts huge funding resources serious pressure was brought to bear on them through the appeals process, I’m not a betting person but my money’s on an outright refusal for that one.

Likewise look to the history of appeals against Zoes’ at Barrow Street and their illegal car park development at Francis St, Cosgraves at Georges Quay and a myriad of successful actions against other poor quality schemes and you’ll realise An Taisce in Dublin is something of a force when it comes to fighting the likes of Mr O’Callaghan.

You can’t win every battle but it’s possible to make life very difficult for these types.

Now it has been entirely knock down. Is anything going to happen?

JK,

Do An Taisce have a web site ?

If not what’s the address for The Dublin City Association ? Thanks, I did ask the question some time ago about whether there was anything positive we could do rather than just bitch and whine.

http://www.commerce.ie/ca/antaisce/ appears to be a site for an Taisce which is now gone! so much for conservation!

Dublin City Association Of An Taisce
http://www.clubi.ie/taisce/

as far as i know, they have a new site coming soon, but then again i was told that in September

[This message has been edited by Paul Clerkin (edited 14 June 2000).]

Any news of Archers?

Bank holiday weekend coming up – what will go on this one?

Planning permission has been granted by Dublin Corporation for the facsimile reconstruction of Archers, subject to several ‘minor’ changes to bring the reconstruction into line with the building regulations. The main differences have to do with the rises and goings on the main staircase and the insertion of new fire escape stairs.

Piling work seems to be underway on site. Some soil beneath the garage was contaminated by oil leakages over the years and apparently must be remediated before reconstruction proper gets underway.

Word around town is that one of the ‘big six’ national contractors is to start the rebuilding within a matter of weeks.

A brief look from a passing car did indeed suggest that piling was going on at the back of the site.

BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The developer who demolished Archer’s Garage, a listed
1940s building in the centre of Dublin, has been refused
planning permission to erect a five-storey office building on the
remainder of the site.

Through Dellyberg Ltd, Mr Noel O’Callaghan, owner of the
Mont Clare, Davenport, Alexander and Stephen’s Green
hotels, had obtained a favourable decision from Dublin
Corporation for the L-shaped office block. But this has been
overturned by An Bord Pleanála.

We are absolutely delighted with the decision from An Bord Pleanála to refuse permission for the proposed office development as are all the many local residents who made submissions in support of our Appeal. An Bord Pleanála in making their decision have protected our residential amenities and have ultimately restored our faith in the planning process.

In an article by Mr. Frank Mc Donald in the Irish Times Friday 18th August the last paragraph states that we “were both surprised by the blanket nature of the board’s refusal” and that we “had anticipated that the appeal might result in the omission of a single floor from the proposed office block.” This was not the case and may send out the wrong message to the developer and his architect who in any redesign stage may interpret the above paragraph incorrectly as meaning that we might be happy with a 4 storey building on the site. This is simply not the case. At the very least we were hoping for more than one storey to be omitted from the proposed 5 Storey office development because we were appealing against Dublin Corporations decision to grant permission which had reduced the development to 4 storeys anyway. In our appeal we had asked for either a refusal or a serious reduction in the scale of the proposed office development down to a two storey building with a third storey substantially setback(approximately the height and profile of Archers Garage). We were never so presumptuous as to expect an outright refusal from An Bord Pleanála and so any surprise expressed with the decision to refuse permission for this development was a very pleasant and welcoming surprise.

There appears to be preliminary site work in progress at the Archers site. I drove past there today, 15/09/00, and although I didn’t get a good look, I saw a crane in situ. Does anyone else have further details?

Seems plans may have suffered a little setback, due to An Bord Pleanala’s recent decision; Archer’s cannot be rebuilt by one of ‘the majors’ as part of an overall site development.

Is O’Callaghan actively looking for a smaller contractor (with the necessary skills) to carry out the reconstruction? Or will he wait until the next redevelopment application is decided?

Where’s the urgency, Corpo?

Any signs of anything here?.

Bank holiday weekend coming up again for any buildings in peril.

There have been piledrivers working all around the site (inc. the position of the old forecourt) for the last couple of weeks.
This would suggest some serious footings, for more than the old 2 storey building.

“but at the latest by 1st September, 1999.”

Any signs of this date arriving?
Anyone in Dublin Corporation care?

The freesheet “Southside People” carries a report on Archers in the current issue. This thread has been dormant for a time.

The report, long on the history of the case, says definitively that work has commenced. Apparently planning permission was given on 7 Feb, for a four story office block, 15 apartments and a change of use for “Archers” to a restaurant. A glazed atrium between the garage and apartment building is part of the “restoration”. I have not seen this elsewhere.

It also quotes a Cllr as saying this was the first Ford garage built outside the USA, -which given that Ford has traded outside the USA since before WWI can hardly be correct.

This is not a bad proposal. There is a picture of what was proposed for the site in Frank McDonald’s book ‘The Construction of Dublin, which I think was refused planning permission. It was’nt that bad either. As I said before to faithfully reconstruct the garage would be somewhat of an anachronism, particularly when the original garage looked somewhat awkward in this Georgian red brick area. Those responsible for the demolishment of the building should have been heavily fined or sent to jail.

Fenian Street is not a Georgian area, its amixed use light industrial units, tacky corporation flats and horrible office developments

I agree……that is very true….but is close in proxmity.

[This message has been edited by GregF (edited 06 March 2001).]

Re Archers Garage

As promised

Any signs of this date arriving?

The building has been very faithfully restored. All it needs now is a coat of paint, some windows and the interiors finished off. As far as the structure goes, it’s complete.
God only knows what they’re going to do with it.

any chance of a pic……….

I suppose they’ll let it lie idle for years and then they’ll have to knock it down when it goes to rack and ruin.

It’s supposed to be integrated with the new office block that is being built behind it and something about a restaurant was mentioned – should make for an interesting office entrance anyway

Dellyberg properties (i.e. O’Callaghan Group) have applied to remove the circular column from the forecort area of (as described in the application – “the corner of Sandwith Street and Fenian Street”) i.e. Archer’s Garage and add door/glazing to the forecourt.

Now is this going to change the appearance of this building dramatically or what – the central pillar is what makes Archer’s in my opinion, with it’s almost cog like expression. Anyone who cares to object to this should contact Dublin City Council.

Do you know the application number? and date lodged?

Anyone that wants to object ….
http://www.dublincity.ie/planning/planobj.htm

I don’t think this permission will be granted after all the effort involved in getting the building reinstated. I was never a great fan of Archer’s Garage but I think the central pillar is probably its only defining feature. The whole purpose of the exercise would be defeated is this were granted.

I’ll send that out in Monday’s newsletter

Just a point when you include the link to DCC planning site.
Was there a ruling from Europe recently that the €20 fee for objections was in fact illegal? Do you thing this is a good or bad thing?

It is illegal. Mary O’ Rourke in the Seanad a couple of weeks ago said it will be reversed.

But when, well, don’t hold your breath…

A bad thing dosn’t come close to how appalingly undemocratic the measure is.

This was introduced to reduce the number of spurious objections. I never saw any statistics to indicate if it reduced the amount of rejected objections compared to objections upheld. I suspect that apart from being a ‘nice little earner’ it didn’t meet it’s own questionable aims and only limited participation in the planning process. I hope it gets done away with.
One practice that is encouraged by the charge is that groups of residents get together and one of them files an objection on the street or areas behalf.
Unfortunately it has happened that then just before the review, the person who’s name is on the objection is offered a sum to personally drop the objection. If they do, it is too late for any of those who felt also represented by the objection to file a further objection as its past the five weeks…
The charge stinks and I hope it gets dropped.

It looks like Archers Garage is nearly reconstructed, complete with its PVC windows!
I am presuming it will be the entrance to the offices!?

Just to add that Art Deco former garage building in Phibsboro has been given a make over.
I heard it was opening up as a night club place.
See too that the booths are being installed on Capel Street Bridge.
First impressions ….they make the bridge rather cluttered.

I think it is a new Porterhouse…..

Before

Today

The concrete detailing on that does not even resemble the original. Nor does the window casings. 🙁

Me thinks we haven’t heard the last of this one yet. 😡

What part of replace exactly does he not understand?

Well he has replaced it – just replaced an original with a bad facsimile……

Archer’s Garage is finished now. Looks great – obviously a lot cleaner and smarter looking than pre-demolition.
Also it appears as if the area under the arch will be a glazed office, perhaps a car showroom or something like that.
The surrounding development around it doesn’t detract from it either as I had expected. Not a bad job over all. And an expensive lesson for Mr Noel O’Callaghan, no doubt.

Archer’s garage rebuilt after razing
Marie O’Halloran

Five years after it was illegally demolished on a bank holiday weekend, Archer’s garage on Fenian Street in Dublin has finally been rebuilt.
The razing of the distinctive late 1940s art deco building, demolished over the June bank holiday in 1999, provoked huge controversy and its reconstruction became a long, torturous and disputed process.

The new version is a gleaming white building with significant glass frontage, attached to an office block development and adjacent apartment block at the site near Merrion Square.

Before the former garage was razed it was the only surviving building on a largely derelict site.

IIB Bank is scheduled to move in at the end of October, and two final planning permission applications are outstanding – for signs, flagpoles, a clock and a 1.8 metre-high glass screen at roof level on the former garage and adjoining offices.

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ireland/2004/0809/1722913933HM4ARCHERS.html

Sorry I ahven’t seen it – does they mean that the bit underneath where the cars used to go has been glazed in?

Archer’s looks well but the steel windows haven’t been put back on the 1st floor. It’s the same glazing pattern but the material is some kind of coated metal (could it really be PVC coating??).

Incidentally, it was Ian Lumley of An Taisce who got Archer’s listed, as part of a submission to the 1998 draft Dublin City Development Plan, recommending hundreds of buildings for listing (as it was then). The submission was made under the Dublin Civic Trust, a company set up by An Taisce.

8/12/2006

Developer faces fine of €13m

Probe underway after early morning convent demolition

A developer has illegally demolished a 19th century convent which was in the process of becoming a listed building.

Homebuilders Kimpton Vale Ltd razed the building on November 5, just two weeks after Dublin City Council began the process of adding the Presentation convent in Terenure to the Record of Protected Structures (RPS).

It should be a massive fine, as that €13m will probably remove the profit

Unfortunately maximum fines are rarely issued by the courts, hence it’s questionable if a €5 or €6 million fine would make any real impact on the benefit derived from building, for example, new-build apartments in the reconstructed shell…
Any fine certainly should take account of this.

Incidentally, a proposed protected structure is defined as:

“a structure in respect of which a notice is issued under section 12(3) [composing a Development Plan] or under section 55 [altering a Development Plan] proposing to add the structure, or a specified part of it, to a record of protected structures, and, where that notice so indicates, includes any specified feature which is within the attendant grounds of the structure and which would not otherwise be included in this definition”.

I genuinly think that such an offence should be punished by the whole tract of land being rezoned as open space. It may sound excessive, but might actually help put a stop to this practice. As Graham says, rebuilding is pretty much pointless. The original building is lost and connot be replaced.

Absolutely. Also a court order to rebuild is based principally on the premise of a structure being of architectural significance. Buildings that may have little or modest aesthetic appeal and are protected on the basis of, for example, social, historical or technical merit, are the biggest losers when a demolition takes place; rebuilding then is even more futile than cases of architectural destruction.

Any chance that someone who knows how to do these things could post a pic of Archer’s Garage as it looks now? Paul’s 2004 shot still had scaffolding

and what are people’s views of that convent in Terenure. Was it of architectural importance? Will Dublin miss a convent? I only ask…..!

The building was not particularly significant as an architectural entity, but seems to be a good example of an institutional building from its time, which coupled with its historical/social significance and pleasant appearace, probably made it worthy of protection. It could perhaps also have had a few interiors of note such a chapel.

As for Archers, here’s before:

And after:

Complete with delightful aluminium windows in place of the original steel :rolleyes:

At least the ground floor glazing works quite well. It seems the roof is being used as a roof terrace to try and claw back some use for the original building.

The gates they installed are terrible though – they introduce a vertical empahsis where none is needed and don’t seem to address the building at all. Are they stock or did someone “design” them I wonder. As the one in the left hand side of your picture has started to sag badly already I suspect the mightn’t last too long anyway. I can’t decide if they look worse open or closed.

As Archers is still listed (even indicated as “rebuilt after demolition” in the register) – dosn’t that mean that these railings are now listed…?

What’s the verdict on the new one? Seems like a reasonably faithful reconstruction

Pretty much

He possibly thought once down he could increase the overall height to 6 storeys on most of the site but was restricted to a 2 storey section as close as was reasonably possible for Archers and a 4 storey section on the other plots in the holding.

After the fact there wasn’t more that could have been done; he got away with far too much on Merrion Hall which he renamed the Davenport Hotel as he should have been made reinstate as per the original with the reinstatement payment received from his insurers.

@Sue wrote:

What’s the verdict on the new one? Seems like a reasonably faithful reconstruction

🙂 As good as could have been expected, the developer must be grinding his teeth at the lost revenue :p (no harm at all)

The designation as a protected structure doesn’t necessarily mean that all elements are listed Lotts – rather a Section 5 declaration on behalf of the local authority will decide what is and what isn’t listed, or more specifically what alterations would require planning permission, when an application comes in.
In the unorthodox case of Archer’s Garage, I’d imagine that everything but the basic concrete shell could attain permission for alteration without too much hassle from the planners, provided it was an ‘improving’ development. In fact, considering the corner tower is a dodgy replication, even a re-jigging of it to a more accurate form would no doubt be looked on favourably in Wood Quay.

It is very odd that the tower which is composed in cast concrete, probably the easiest of all materials to work in and recast features with, was replicated so poorly – as evident in Paul’s before and after pictures:

Not that it’s a major blemish, but it’s the principal that counts. And the original did have a more aerodynamic stance to it, than the lumpen stump there now.

Overall the development adds a nice crisp splash of brightness to a rather soulless place, especially in the sunshine. The surrounding buildings integrate quite nicely, if the white garage a bit jarring against the cream stone walls. Suppose you can’t account for everything…

@GrahamH wrote:

8/12/2006

Developer faces fine of €13m

Probe underway after early morning convent demolition

A developer has illegally demolished a 19th century convent which was in the process of becoming a listed building.

Homebuilders Kimpton Vale Ltd razed the building on November 5, just two weeks after Dublin City Council began the process of adding the Presentation convent in Terenure to the Record of Protected Structures (RPS).

© Irish Independent

And the company faces fines of up to €12.7m after the illegal demolition. Yesterday, the council confirmed the destruction of the building was unauthorised, and that enforcement proceedings have begun.

The convent was part of a three-acre site on Terenure Road West which was sold in April for over €15m. On October 18, Labour councillor John Gallagher proposed it be added to the RPS, which was agreed by councillors. But just over two weeks later, workers employed by the developer began to bulldoze the convent at 7am on a Saturday.

By the time council inspectors arrived on site two hours later, most of the building was gone. A decision was taken to allow the remainder of the building to be destroyed, as it posed a danger to the public.

© Irish Independent

“Two notices have been served on the developer,” a council spokesman confirmed. “It is an unauthorised development. It had been proposed to list the building; the difficulty for us was the developer went in before the process was complete.”

“We had a dangerous building inspector on site on the Saturday morning. By the time he arrived, it (the convent) was half demolished. In the interests of public safety, the remainder was demolished.”

The enforcement proceedings are being taken under the 2000 Planning and Development Act, which states: “Any person who, without lawful authority, causes damage to a protected structure or a proposed protected structure shall be guilty of an offence.” The council can insist the building is reinstated, or issue a fine of up to €1,900. But if it decides to take legal action, a court can impose a fine of up to €12.7m. “I’m disappointed it was done when discussions were ongoing with the council,” Mr Gallagher said last night.

“The ultimate sanction for demolishing a habitable house is reinstatement. The building is gone, and the developer shouldn’t get away with it. There’s a procedure and it should be followed.

“There should be some standard that applies, the procedure should not be to knock the building.

“It’s a fine building, and should be considered part of the city’s heritage.”

City managers have previously forced developers to reinstate buildings after they were illegally destroyed. In 1999, the Art Deco Archer’s Garage on Fenian Street was razed, but the council forced the developer to rebuild it.

It was unclear last night if the developer was told the building was to be listed. Kimpton Vale were not available for comment.

Paul Melia

© Irish Independent

So the practice rumbles on. At least local authorities have teeth nowadays – including that essential protective provision of the inclusion of proposed protected structures in the 2000 Act. The same also applies to proposed Architectural Consevation Areas. What’s most astonishing about this case is the notion that the developer thought they could get away with this in 2006. Sure half the non-professional poeple on this website alone could tell him the council would be on his back before he got out of bed that morning.
It’s possible they had no idea – though the 7am start on a Saturday perhaps says otherwise.

As much as it’s a punishment for developers on such insanely valuable sites, the rebuilding of one-off structures like this seems rather fruitless to me. The fabric has been lost. Of course if the underlying idea in this case was to demolish and be ‘forced’ to rebuild the basic structure but to a modern interior standard, and without any of the hassle of converting PS, they’ve achieved their aim. Hopefully the fine will hit hard.

I remember hearing about this. My sister came home with it as a roumer from school. Couldn’t believe it. The place is still a building site, however the school next door (presentation primary, dating from 1889 just like the convent) has managed to gain an extra couple of classrooms on the site of the former convent

@djasmith wrote:

I remember hearing about this. My sister came home with it as a roumer from school. Couldn’t believe it. The place is still a building site, however the school next door (presentation primary, dating from 1889 just like the convent) has managed to gain an extra couple of classrooms on the site of the former convent

What was the outcome of the razing of the original building in the end? (I’m referring to the convent, btw, not Archers)

hi does anyone want to know more about archers garage!!?? R .W Archer is my great grandfather and my grand father robert porter ran the place with him!! i would love to talk bout it and find ot stuff imite not know!!