Look at de state of Cork, like!

Has there been any progress on the vacant building on Fr Mathew Quay adjacent to Parliament Bridge (behind the Bank of Ireland)?
I believe there were proposals to redevelop it. Its been empty for years and is a real eyesore when driving along Georges Quay into town.
Forgive me if work has started on this project – I haven’t been in the area for a while.

There are references to Jacob’s Mill much earlier in this thread.
The owners of Jacobs on The Mall have a plan to turn this building into a food hall/food emporium. Planning permission was granted and work has started but there seems to be a flaw with the building that is holding up progress on the site.

Originally posted by corkdood
Has there been any progress on the vacant building on Fr Mathew Quay adjacent to Parliament Bridge (behind the Bank of Ireland)?
I believe there were proposals to redevelop it. Its been empty for years and is a real eyesore when driving along Georges Quay into town.
Forgive me if work has started on this project – I haven’t been in the area for a while.

Thanks – reading this forum is always informative!

A restaurant would be great up there – if only I could convince them. Suppose I’ll just have to save that idea for myself someday!!! Less competition that way! 🙂

🙁 Ward Anderson have announced that they intend to maintain the Capitol Cineplex operation for the foreseeable – as a result of increased sales activity, and other issues. For the time being, the 50-year old cineplex will undergo a respectable refurbishment process.

As previously reported, Ward Anderson had been investigating the redevelopment of the highly valuable site – in conjunction with private developers. A number of plans had been reviewed – among which incl. a substantial 6-storey over dual basement retail and leisure development w/ 25 large, open plan retail units, a possible ice-rink, bars and as many as 2 nightclubs. Another plan – which apparently was submitted for planning – included a large retail and office development over 5 and 1/2 floors – with a basement, ground, first and second floor retail centre and 3rd, 4th and 5th floor office area. A split level cafe opening out onto a rooftop garden was also proposed.

So, unfortunately, no definite news is expected on this site for some time now. Although I am still informed that development proposals will continue to be assessed. In the meantime, Ward Anderson are forging ahead with their 11-screen Omniplex at Mahon Point SC.

Agree with you Paul that we need more nightlife – but as Lexington has stated there was one proposal for an basement ice rink. I know also of another proposal which would have seen something equally exciting and novel on the site. There are 2 new cinema complexes opening in the next few months (Mahon & Blackpool), so I was really surprised to hear about Ward Anderson’s decision. I know the Capitol (what’s with the ‘o’ spelling anyway?) is the ‘favourite child’ of the W.A. group, but I feel (hope) its days are numbered!!

On a totally unrelated topic – the proposed redevlopment of Jury’s Hotel – an interesting side-point. The current Opera House was originally designed to go on that site. The bare North Wall of same was to have been hidden behind trees along the river side. However the city fathers, in their wisdom, decreed that it should go on the site of the old Opera House … without any design alterations.

For those of you who unaware of the development at Tellengana Lodge, on the Blackrock Road, Cork – SHUL Developers are financing the development of a 4-storey 60,000sq ft office building on the grounds of Tellengana Lodge. Bowen Construction have erected a tower crane on site already and construction is making serious headway. The design is by Wilson Architecture – see below.

Although I welcome such investment – my problem with this sort of development is that it’s another contemporary project that utilises the existing grounds of fabulous old-style houses and estates in and around Cork city. Though I’m sure it must make a wonderful working environment, I strongly dislike the idea of these big modern developments springing up on the grounds of fine old estates – especially in leafy residential suburbs, as Tellengana Lodge is a part of. We should be protecting and perserving these fine old estates – and maintaining these few remaining green areas. How come An Taisce Corcaigh didn’t object to this eh???

Another such development is the one O’Flynn Construction have planned for Dunkettle Estate in the Glanmire suburban region. Now I’ve great time for O’Flynn Construction as generally they are one of the most architecturally and socially minded development companies around – and they display a strong standard in their projects – however, reaping fine leafy and green grass estate grounds in favour of a 300m euro project with 600 houses and apartment blocks and so on – in my opinion is shameful. The same applies to Sean Keohane (Grangefield Developments) plans for the Arbutus Lodge and Cumnor Construction’s plans for Sunday’s Well. I protest against such projects.

Office buildings such as the one at Tellengana should be focused in the city centre and the spectacular opportunities offered by the Cork Docklands and surrounding areas. Just today I walked a number of development sites in this vicinity and it simply reinforced my belief in this. The area around Copley Street, Lapps Quay, Eglinton Street, Union Quay and Albert Quay will look amazing on the completion of developments by the likes of O’Flynn (at Lapps Qy & Eglinton St), Howard Holdings (Lapps Qy, Anglesea St & Albert Qy), Corbett Bros (Parnell Place & Copley St) & so on. Furthermore Lavitts Quay, the Coal Quay, Camden Quay and Carrolls Quay are emerging as faboulous office and residential development areas. Its a shame on CCC for its poor encouragement of developments in these areas (with some shoddy planning decisions) and a shame on An Taisce Corcaigh for finding problems with everything except where it matters.

CCC need to support developments like Water Street, like 21 Lavitts Quay, like Eglinton Street and so on. These are developments of a high standard and architectural nature. I reject parts of the argument that its because of CCCs stringent planning laws that development standards in Cork have dramatically increased – in part this is true – but look at Victoria Mills, looks at their decision on the Arbutus Lodge, look at their own development works at The Glen and Barrack Street! Their own developments are of a dismal architectural standard – how can they demand so much of others when they can’t lead by example?

In Cork, the height of buildings in areas such as Victoria Cross, the docklands and surroundings – should not be points of rejection as long as their standard is strong and purpose both useful and sustainable – like Eglinton Street, like Water Street, like Jurys, Lavitts Quay, Cornmarket Street and Washington Street. These are good projects – and most be encouraged to show developers the way to go in future. These areas are outside the city core centre – however this core I agree should not stem above a 9 storey max in Zone 2 [bounding Jurys, Cornmarket Street, Georges Quay, Lapps Quay and Patrick’s Quay] or a 6-storey max in Zone 1 [Patrick’s Street, South Mall, North Main Street, Oliver Plunkett Street and Parnell Place].

Protect our few precious estates, protect our high-standard leafy resdiential suburbs and encourage further development in the city centre and docklands – even if that means building up to utilise the limited space. The standard of architecture should determine a development more than the argument of height.

-> Ultimately, the grand plan will see a riverside walk and boardwalk extending from Eden Hall student development, through to the Lee Fields, along the Curragheen River from the Kingsley to Victoria Mills, along the UCC IT Campus, through the main UCC Campus and Lewis Glucksman Art Gallery to the Jurys Hotel development and into Washington Street. It continues then from South Main Street as part of the boardwalk element to the Kenny Group development on the Citi-Car Park facility, along South Mall to Lapps Quay (the first half of which CCC are suppose to redevelop in the coming months), to the City Quarter end of Lapps Quay (compliments of Howard Holdings), and along Custom House Quay (in line for development plans). 2 new pedestrian bridges (1 to Horgans Quay, 1 to Albert Quay) will then link up with boardwalks on either of these quays. One the main docklands commercial centre, the other leading down to Werdna’s Water Street development boardwalk. In addition, a walk will also stem from the Kingsley, through along the Mardyke Walk, along Fitzgearld’s Park and from the Mardyke Fields, a new pedestrian bridge (currently under construction at Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast – installation by Fleming Construction at cost of 1m euro) will link across to a boardwalk along the Distillery Fields at the North Mall (recently purchased jointly by the Mercy University Hospital and UCC for development).

As a rebel overseas but obviously interested in developments back home, this thread is manna from heaven. To Lex in particular, mickey docs and all the other regular posters, keep up the good work. Unusual to get a reasoned and concise view of planning and development matters in Cork when in Asia, nevermind back home! Cheers and thanks again.

Thank you for your kind acknowledgements.

But now a beautiful estate and gardens have been replaced by an office block in an area completely inappropriate for such a development. The road, as anyone who knows Blackrock Road will tell you, is so narrow, traffic regularly has to pull into the side to allow on-coming traffic pass. The estate lodge was demolished, and existing structures to the rear of the development (which date back to 1890) are overshadowed by the office block. This CG image can input non-existing trees all it wants for the sake of presentation – they don’t exist, many have been removed for the development – furthermore, somethings are just not right. I suppose you have to be familiar with the lodge, estates and suburb to understand the entirity.

I have to say, the development looks superb. Considering the space the new development is due on, it has been well utilised – it falls in line with the same height as other buildings neighbouring it (instead of the existing ground floor only) and brings a dynamic swing to an area undergoing exciting development.