Look at de state of Cork, like!

I was in Cork at the weekend and was surprised that work had already started on the liberty street nightclub/restaurant development that Lexington mentioned a while back.

The city was buzzing at the weekend. There is a real feel-good factor in the city at the moment. Let’s hope the ccc don’t continue this recent trend of conservatism in relation to property development, there is great momentum and the last thing we need are moving goalposts. The city needs assured direction from its paid advisors.

oh ho lex, have yours sources let you down? big denial today by Scotts re the sale to Brown Thomas.

@lexington wrote:

😮 Jurys Redevelopment decision due tomorrow – fingers crossed!

Conditional permission granted. Any idea what the conditions are??

http://planning.corkcity.ie/InternetEnquiry/rpt_ViewApplicDetails.asp?validFileNum=1&app_num_file=0428705

jurys? :confused: will the city have a nice new chunky development?

🙂 O’Callaghan Properties have been granted their redevelopment proposal for the Jurys Hotel site at Lancaster Quay. However, the development was granted by CCC subject to 20 conditions – among these a further reduction in apartment block heights (in addition to reductions proposed in a Significant Further Information submission made [unsolicited] by O’Callaghn Properties and architects, Henry J. Lyons & Partners).

Although the dominant factors of the development will remain, i.e. Block A (9-storeys), Jurys Hotel (6-Storeys) and the main apartment blocks fronting the east quayside – the conditional reductions will see apartment numbers reduced to 250 (from an original number of 300 and revised number of 277). A positive adjustment I believe, proposed by CCC, was that which will see a minor facade improvement to the hotel frontage on the Western Road elevation.

Unfortunately, despite the many compromises made by the developers and the conditions imposed by CCC – a number of objectors will still be bringing the development to ABP on appeal. I find this very frustrating.

I do not approve of all the CCC conditions, but I should hope the project is unaffected negatively by the appeal. Initially, the project was set to be developed in 3 Phases:

– Phase 1: 80 apartments, basement car-parking and hotel (Autumn 2006)
– Phase 2: 110 apartments (Autumn 2007)
– Phase 3: 110 apartments (Autumn 2008)

-> the appeal will perhaps delay this.

Cork has seen a number of hotel developments of late – incl. Howard Holdings 120-bedroom Lavitts Quay hotel, the Hilton at Mahon Point, Douglas Central Properties 8-storey hotel development in Douglas, Pitwood’s 121-bedroom development at Parnell Place, Heiton’s 96-bedroom (see above), Jurys redeveloped 182-bedroom (see above), 120-bedroom Park Manor (Radisson) at Little Island, the new 200-bedroom Clarion on Lapps Quay – opening tomorrow, the 217-bedroom Hyatt in Kinsale, 150-bedroom Marriott (hinted as) for Cork Airport – as well as expanded Hayfield Manor, Kingsley (82-bedroom extension) and Great Southern Cork Airport Hotel. Whoever complains of a shortage in hotels now needs their head-checked! 😀

😮 Yes indeed – Werdna Ltd (McMahon Builders Providers) will be lodging a revised application for their Water Street project early next year. Sean Kearns of Murray O’Laoire (MOLA) has indicated a reduction in height of the main central tower by 2-storeys however to 17-storeys – he said that height was not so much a matter, but in light of the reductions (due to excessive density issues associated with the previous Water Street application) with the rest of the project, it was a matter of proportion. The new project is expected to maintain the same general layout and style as the original, but w/ apartment numbers reduced to in and around 300 from 400.

The rumour going around was that Paul Montgomery was looking to buy it – it would certainly make sense given that a sizeable proportion of the student development in Victoria Cross (“Student Central”) is his. Also, it would seem like a throw-back to his Western Star days. Furthermore, it would give Paul Montgomery a direct input into the student pub market which his Reardens Complex does not facilitate (other that the Rafertz nightclub element) and which he hasn’t really had since he made his ‘fortune phase 1’ at “the Star”. It makes sense – offer a rival to the Western Star right in the centre of all the new student activity, then ship them all down to Rafterz after-hours.

Phatman – been to Bristol recently? Now, there’s how a lesson in how to re-develop your city centre while taking advantage of your riverside setting.

Bunch – I agree, I have no desire for Cork’s quaysides to turn out like Limericks have, ie. with no character whatsoever. They have done a good job in transforming it from what it was, but like you say, there is too much use of red brick, flat roofs etc., buildings characteristic of the early, rushed stages of the celtic tiger, basically where any change was good, which in the future we will look back on with the same disdain we have for 1970’s architecture, I’m afraid. That is why I consider Cork’s late blossoming in terms of deveopment as being a blessing in disguise, we have the chance to learn from past mistakes, and to better realise what will stand the test of time, and add to the city now and in the future. We have undoubtedly been guilty of these mistakes in Cork too, I look around at so many buildings of the last 10-15 years which i would tear down without a second thought, merchant’s quay like you say, and it just seems like such a waste of time, resources, and development potential to waste. Another concern of mine, is the role the city council take in the quayside redevelopment – it’s fine for the developers to put in place modern new buildings which look great – but what about the actual quays themselves? They are crumbling and decaying, and totally neglected, despite being our most vital asset. They really are in disgraceful repair, and it is about time that a plan is put in place to integrate their renewal with the renewal of the inlying preoperties. Shandon street bridge is perhaps a start, even though i have my doubts about the haphazard entrance from the coal quay. What howard holdings are undertaking should be encouraged on a more general scale, this being their development of riverside boardwalk etc, and i do note several other proposals which contain similar plans, but as there is SO much quayside we can’t rely on random piecemeal refurbishments to suffice. Now that Patrick Street and the city centre have had their facelifts, I am hoping something significant will be done to reclaim the quays.

im assuming o flynn’s have submitted the eis as a response to the request for further information, and this ad refers to that? or maybe there is actually a new application + eis

phatman – agree about the quays generally – good point about need to integrate quaysides with the quayfront buildings – howard hodlings have certainly lead the way with lapps quay. how about an amendment to cork city councils planning contribution sceme? cork city could include a Special Quayside Levy as a ‘Special Contribution’ on to certain waterfront developments – they would have to identify a need and a scheme that that funding would be directed towrads (or ringfenced) and develop an actual programme – i am sure developers wiould gladly contribute to such a fund as their developments would benefit from a river renewal programme – but i do think that reversing the one way system on remaining quays is the first step – because the quays are effectively a barrier to north south pedestrian movement due to traffic conditions – btw – i think that the south channel of the lee is largely ok – its the north channel that requires particular attention