Farewell the Ormond Hotel?
- This topic has 70 replies, 23 voices, and was last updated 19 years, 10 months ago by
.
- Posts
I read with sadness that ABP have given the go ahead for the demolition of the Ormond – for over 100 years part of the diverse make-up of buildings that made the quays a remarkable tapestry of 18th and 19th century buildings. I think this decision is a dangerous precedent – after so many years of progress in architectural conservation, is the clock beginning to turn back?
The Ormond, while not a particulary significant work of architecture, is worth preserving for its historical associations with the area: notably as the setting for The Sirens short story in Joyce’s Dubliners. It was also the focus for a major Blueshirt rally in the mid 1930s, addressed by Gen Eoin O’Duffy which prompted the government to take action against uniformed groups that
threatened the state.The fabric of Dublins heritage is under greater threat than I previously suspected if such an integral part of the quays can be demolished without much controversy. Is it too late for the owners to change their minds and realise that having a building of character and distinction restored or improved is better than starting from scratch – inspite of new facilities, any new structure would lack the soul of the previous hotel?
i was also kind of amazed by this, the ormond and the york street terrace at the same time is a bit of a shock.
This one also surprised me,
I know that whats there aren’t particularly wonderful must retain buildings but they are a good mix of pre 1900 buildings. What is replacing them is not of any great quality and certainly is not in scale with the existing grain of the block.
I think that this scheme will be particularly obtrusive from Grattan Bridge and the urban design is really a bit ‘anywhere architecture’ to be honest.
But ABP have made their decision and thats the end of it.
Is the new development on the same scale as this ?
I can see an outsized block going up here creating the illusion that it’s all the other buildings in the area that are out of synch. Shame, it’s not the prettiest but it does have a charm and probably a lot of history.
Knocking that is an awful waste.
Whats replacing it?
It’s easy enough to call a building a load of crap without seeing it. Any chance of a photomontage so we can judge for ourselves?
I hope that whatever replaces it is not goind to stick out like so many other eyesores in Dublin.
The better solution would have been to upgrade and retain the existing facade which blends nicely with the unremarkable buildings around it.
I don’t think the quays as a whole are a particularly strong point in Dublin’s architecture anyway.
If the Ormond’s replacement is some ultra-mod glass and steel structure, then it’s going to look totally out of place along there.
The City Council’s decisions on city development are terribly hit and miss 😡
To be glib, with those windows you can knock it!
Ah, no – it’s unfortunate the state of this building, the windows, the dated colour, the nasty ground floor – they all make the building quite ugly to be honest. You can only wince at the rows of horrendous modern window frames, esp with their lights sticking out.
Admittedly I though the hotel was a bit further west than it is, with modern infill round about it but it’s not – rather it’s sited in the middle of a decent terrace of old stock.Where a number older buildings exist, that create a certain character, this should be maintained I think. I’d welcome decent infill in the many vacant or rundown sites, and indeed entire terraces of it elsewhere on the quays, such as Arran Quay, but this is not the place for it. The Ormonde could look fanastic if restored properly. McBirneys is such an example.
Here’s the view from Grattan Bridge at the moment:
The installation of the plastic Georgian windows in the current Ormond Hotel in 2002 highlighted the weakness of the ‘Conservation Area’ designations in the current City Development Plan. They are just an objective for the protection of the character of historic areas – there’s no legislative power like there is with Protected Structures or Architectural Conservation Areas.
An Tais. made a complaint to the Council when the windows were installed but nothing could be done. Nice single-pane sashes dating from the 1902 hotel conversion were removed ‘n all.
The Quays need to be designated an Architectural Conservation Area, as well as several other streets like Capel Street, Thomas Street, Pearse Street and probably Grafton Street, where there’re a lot of nice old buildings but not all would be deserving of Prot. Struc. status; The streetscape and external features of the buildings would then have protection.
That’s appalling. Looks like a mix between a 1960s Dublin 4 office block and the worst of Sandyford Industrial Estate.
It is indeed a fitting example of how expendible PVC windows are in this case. They were only installed in 2002 so they were a huge waste of money – pure short-termism (if there is such a word). Can one speculate that if the originals were intact that this may have hampered the planning application to demolish??!
I think this building as in the picture will have a hugely negative visual impact on the quays – As much as I decry the disneyland nonsense at Bachelors walk, it does not interrupt the shabby beauty of the quays, foiled only by the splendid Customs House and Four Courts. If there was a ghastly building at the Ormond at the moment I would not hesitate to replace it. The old Laughter Lounge was hideous, for example. But as the Ormond was unobtrusive it should have been left well alone. With a few repairs the Ormond could yet be a spendid hotel – in demolishing it, it will become another non-descript hotel akin to those dreaded motorway inns…
This has to be the worst planning decision on Dublin in the last ten years.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
