D’Olier & Westmoreland St.
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Well, I stand corrected and the main culprit on Westmoreland Street is a non functioning streetlight. IN fact you are right the street was particularly dark and foreboding last evening. However the trees are as much a problem. Look at the traffic island with Mr Moore and his assorted tatt. Despite the large streetlight the trees block out much of the light. Some winter pruning is required.
GrahamH wrote:Agreed, not least as it’s the reproduction of a shoddily altered building in the first instance!As we saw earlier on this thread, Ballast House was once just comprised of two Wide Streets Commission buildings.
Where did the courtyard street elevation come from? It’s great
A TGI Fridays franchise was recently announced for the Fleet Street building of the former Bewleys – the one with the famous windows. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/commercialproperty/2012/0215/1224311791484.html The article sheds some light on the various ownerships on the street.
The main development on this street – not mentioned here – is the new Starbucks/Language School and Solicitors which opened in the former EBS building. What a difference to the dead frontage that has dogged this building for so many years. But isn’t it curious that all through the boom this building couldn’t be developed but suddenly finds it mojo in the slump.
Its not enough to help poor Westmoreland Street though….as with so many city centre streets the decent continues. Plastic now rules in the city centre and its a free for all as far as business is concerned. DCC are invisible. I heard that a recent initiative by the management at City Council to encourage underworked Development planners to transfer to Enforcement (and augment the current 3 staff there!) met with stony silence and no takers.
Stephen….of course the planners wouldn’t transfer to enforcement. Like most planners in Dublin they are all busily engaged on their anti-skyscraper crusade!! As you may not know, skyscrapers are the only building type which causes any dammage to the historic core of the City!!
Sorry for the glib reply. Yes, I agree with you, the City becomes steadily more grotty.
TGI Fridays and (another) Starbucks set to open within weeks at the former Bewleys cafe on Westmoreland Street http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0424/1224315103702.html
DCC Planners at pains to point out how carefully the development will need to address this sensitive and high profile building. They don’t give a shite about the rest of the city.
The An Taisce Dublin report/complaint published in 2010 that highlighted the degree of unauthorised development and the plethora of crap facades and shitty signage along this and other street in the heart of the city centre went unanswered and un-acted upon.
So the new owners have said that all important features are to be retained (those that haven’t already been damaged/destroyed) and protected behind screen walls – What the hell is the point in having historic interiors if they’re gonna be hidden behind modern interventions, and thus, can’t be seen. We may as well cover the entire city centre in billboards and say ‘well, there are some fine examples of old dublin behind it’ – We need to place more importance on what’s inside buildings in this city. Facade retention is all well and good, but it only ever tells half the story, and indeed, probably much less if the Dutch Billy thread is anything to go by. It’s like buying a book, throwing away the pages and keeping the cover.
More bright plastic crap
Following up on yesterday’s story about the former Bewleys, its interesting to note all the works being discussed for these protected structures…without a grant of planning permission as yet. Which perhaps explains why a planning enforcement officer is involved. Is this the new way to do it now…bypass the planning system, undertake the works and then “work with” the planning enforcement officer to “resolve any issues”.
@StephenC wrote:
More bright plastic crap
The planning application for this signage is WEB1062/12 which was submitted on 19th April. But of course ‘planning’ is seen as a mere formality here. The works are already in place (apart from the most offending element – the fascia). Big red projecting sign, nice bright and garish interior. Real classy.
Perhaps Patricia Hyde might pop in during her next visit to Bewleys.
Planning Enforcement appears to be with O’Leary in the grave.
@StephenC wrote:
The An Taisce Dublin report/complaint published in 2010 that highlighted the degree of unauthorised development and the plethora of crap facades and shitty signage along this and other street in the heart of the city centre went unanswered and un-acted upon.
http://www.antaisce.ie/Portals/0/submissions/atdublinshopfronts2011.pdf
From 2011..sorry.
A really smashing new website developed by Dublin City Centre BID and gaining plaudits on Twitter
There is also a smart flick on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4c7dOJkxdM
It goes to show how effective a sunny day, excellent creative input and slick marketing can be in making the city look like THE place to visit. Well done to all concerned – and I mean that.
However, I still think that Dublin City BID could focus some energy on shitty shopfronts, rampant unauthorised development and City Council disinterest…to make sure that the reality matches the ‘morketing’ hype. The BID (which is currently up for renewal, has undoubtedly caught the youthful buzz creative side to the city, in a way that rival DCBA hasn’t).
Meanwhile, Fexco keep adding,
The planning permission for their new signage has not yet been granted. The last one mentioned above was invalidated. Comments on the current application till 18th June.
Its worth a read of the planners report in relation to this application. This paragraph in particular stands out:
The application site is a commercial unit situated on the ground floor of the 5 storey building
which is adjoining the Bank of Ireland on College Green. Westmoreland Street has a large
number of poor quality shopfronts which have developed over a long number of years. The
site is situated just on the edge of the O’Connell Street Architectural Conservation Area.
Westmoreland Street, which has been in decline for a number of years and quality retail
units are limited, due to the high pedestrian movements along the footpaths and due to a
large number of bus stops which all create a very busy thoroughfare. In Nov 2003 the
Council prepared and issued the ‘Shop Front Design Guidelines – The O’Connell Street
Area’.And? Didnt do much else. Otherwise how does one explain the offences to the senses that line this once grand street.
The Carrolls front isnt too bad…its just plastered with tat. There seems to be no desire to present a business. Its wierd because they are generally quite clued up guys.
This one used to look so much better. In fact it is put up by the City Council as one of the limited number of successes it notched up when the Shopfront Guidelines were introduced and a campaign put in place to enforce them.
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