developments in cork

@A-ha wrote:

I didn’t know that Cork was waiting for TK Maxx and Foot Locker to open. I’ve never been to the Crescent shopping centre, but has it been extended or has a shop closed to make way for H&M. It’s such a shame that they are opening in Limerick first, but no doubt they’ll open in Cork soon after (Cornmarket Street maybe???) Why do I have a feeling that Ballincollig will turn into another Douglas Court, just newer. Next time a shooping centre opens in Cork, Dunnes should be banned by the city council!
Oh and I really like the roof top garden, shame it wont be seen from the ground, and copper cladding sounds different.

The crescent is after building on a new extension from what I gather, I’ve been there twice and its similar to mahon point except longer and only on one level. As for Ballincollig I agree with you the last thing you need is another Douglas court all that place seems to be good for is coffee with O’Briens, BBs, Costa Coffee, Gloria Jeans all under one roof. I heard last night that OFC are looking for too much on the rent for the outlets because a large music store in this country had a look but thought the rent was to high in comparison to recent store openings.

Thats great that the cat club will get a new premises and that the old pub Pa Johnsons will get a new home it should be good for the area I’m amazed how long its taking Camden wharf to open its doors that place seems to be in the building process for years now.

New super prison planned for Spike Island site

by Ralph Riegel, Irish Independent 26th August 2005

SPIKE Island is to be the site for a huge multi-million euro prison.
Following the long-awaited wage agreement between the Irish Prison Officers Association and Justice Minister Michael McDowell, the Government is to consider proposals for a new prison in Cork Harbour.
This would cater for upwards of 600 inmates – more than four times the design capacity of the existing Cork prison on Rathmore Road.
Critically, the new super-prison would not only ease pressure on jails in Limerick and Dublin, but would also transform prison security and allow officers eliminate the flow of drugs and contraband into the jail.
The proposed new Spike Island prison is also likely to cater for both male and female prisoners, thereby resolving the crux of female Cork inmates having to be transferred to either Dublin or Limerick jails.
Last night, the Irish Prisons Service (IPS) confirmed that studies are already underway into how to develop the existing Fort Mitchell prison on Spike Island. A key element of the plan is the construction of a new bridge, which would be controlled by the IPS. A senior government source added funding is expected to be sought for 2006/2007.

@altuistic wrote:

Pity about Spike,

Would have been nicer to see it contribute rather the detract from the economy’s resources, the proposed ‘Alcatraz’ style attraction would have been of far greater benefit. the Super Prison idea is a carelessly flawed one.

Why is the plan for a super prison on Spike Island flawed?

@mhenness wrote:

Why is the plan for a super prison on Spike Island flawed?

I think the idea of large scale all encompassing institutions represent a poor option with regard to penal accountability, such institutions have little to no categorisation in terms of the prisoner arrangements. in many cases the man serving a month for traffic offences is mixed with the fellas serving 20 for manslaughter or murder. what about rehabilition?? Is such an arrangement truly of benefit to the offender? I would prefer to see smaller specialised institutions, i.e. minor crimes, severe etc etc should the man guilty of a minor offence not be offered an environment that positively works to see his restoration into society as a productive member?

my family at one stage sought to adopt a young boy (12 at the time) but which ultimately failed given numerous legal circumstances. His mother died at an early age, his father was an alcoholic and cared not if at all for the condition of his son whom he would often beat in a drunken rage. His sisters were in foster care. We did our best to offer him alternative paths, getting him jobs, summer work, funding for schooling but because we had no legal guardianship often he would disappear for weeks, months on end – in which time he associated with the wrong crowds. As the years went by, this innately good hearted young fella, was arrested for snatching a pickpocketing offence, an improper offence but a minor in comparison. Now the law is the law, I accept that but he was sent to Spike at 18 and it did him no world of good. I wont bore you the ins and outs but at 21 he was found dead in his flat after O.D.’ing. im not saying this was the institutions fault, you may argue it was an inevitability of some sorts, but i can assure you, were a proper insitution dealing with fellas like himself put in place and he may have had a better shot. I’m skipping so many details i know my argument sounds flawed itself but trust me that i know the details.

i just dont see Superprisons as the way to go.

@lexington wrote:

🙂 John F. Supple Contractors seem to be storming ahead with Phase 2 of the €30m Camden Court project being developed by OSB Group. Phase 1, designed by James Leahy & Associates, which comprised of 44 apartments, was acclaimed for it’s respectful and innovative, limestone & copper clad design. Phase 2 will see the development of over 50 further apartments, extensive roof-gardens, a new home for the Cork Arts Theatre and new Pa Johnson’s Pub premises. Below find images of Phase 1, now completed, and Phase 2, under construction (note the images display a variation on the actual resulting material finish and colouration – which will be limestone, as par Phase 1).

I have to say, it looks great in the photos, but in real life I think it just looks quite drab. I don’t really understand the acclaim.

(Plus, every time I see it, I’m reminded of the comments made about its interior in another thread here! 😉 )

I am glad to see that some people finally agree with me that Cork needs to do something about attracting the big name stores as i wrote about it before and people started going on about how Cork is such a great place to shop because it still has all its indigenous businesses going.I also agree with this but as Irelands second city and in order to be recognised as a modern european city as the city councillers are always saying, you need to attract this kind of business!I noticed this recently when i was in Galway and Waterford and it just made me wonder why this is?It just makes you wonder why stores such as homebase,footlocker,eddie rockets,currys etc locate in Waterford before Cork when the area i live in alone is around the same size as Waterford? :confused:

Yea, why foreign retailers locate to places like Galway and Waterford first is beyond me. I can accept Dublin and Limerick, but why Galway? Cork caters for a big catchment area and it’s only in the last year that foreign stores locate here! It’s about time too. Cork is soon to get a PC World and Dixons, but they have been in Limerick and Waterford for years. Whats the hold up? Did Cork have a shortage of retail parks or something? daniel 7, Homebase were due to come to Cork a few months back, but since B&Q and Atlantic Homecare opened up and Woodies got a new store, I guess they decided to hold back. But on the otherhand, alot of the stores in Mahon Point are believed to be found only in Cork or Dublin, Debenhams located it’s first store outside Dublin in Cork, so that has to count for something. I think we are picking out the stores we don’t have, rather than the stores that we do. (p.s. hope TK Maxx and H&M come to Cork too).

A-ha , where is TK max going up in Cork and what is it ? , there is one going in Limerick too 🙂 why is it shame that Limerick is getting H&M? 🙂 I have not been in Cork in a while, so hows the Mahon point gettin on ? trade and shops taken .. I like the development of those apartements that lex posted above. 🙂

There is no sign of TK Maxx or H&M making an arrival in Cork yet but with the retail park in Blackpool opening phase 2 before christmas I wouldnt be suprised if we see TK Maxx ansdsomeone like Harry Corrys moving in as the the rest of the stores seem to be doing very well. As for Mahon Point it seems to be ticking along nicely and I’ve no doubt they will do well on the run up to christmas but one thing I have noticed is that none of our shopping centres in the city have a proper toy store. I’m suprissed smiths wouldnt go for blackppol, mahon or ballincollig or maybe its in the pipeline. I hear that Starbucks has opened in Dublin I wonder will they make the move to cork somewhere like the CIE office on Patrick st might be a good location for them.

Did anyone see the write up on Eastgate on the Evening Echo on Saturday too me it looked like an advertisement to get bigger names in there as the ones they have wont attract anyone besides the employees that are working nearby with the exception of Pizza Hut. I went into the Raddison yesterday for the first time, for me it is very plain and does nothing for me I suppose its aiming for business travellers. Where I was impressed with though was the BK2 bar in Glanmire very modern and stylish for a suburban bar along the lines of the Plaza in Killarney but better. Well done to the shelbourne group on that one.

Has anyone heard the rumour that the Brog and Qube complex is to be sold on oliver plunkett st to the developers of the new shopping centre where the capitol cineplex is now. I also hear that Arnotts is rumored to be looking to be anchor tenants in this new development.