Look at de state of Cork, like!
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🙂 Property-owner J. Daly has applied for the development of 16 apartments over retail area at 96 – 98 Lower Glanmire Road – adjacent to Kent Station. The proposal represents one of many recent development proposals for this area – predominantly apartment schemes. Another prominent development being that proposed by the Kilbree Investment Company, which is currently in appeal for a 4-storey, 22-unit apartment development over ground-floor car-parking.
🙁 Paul Montgomery, developer behind Victoria Mills Student Accommodation and owner of the Reardens complex on Washington Street, has sought permission to operate the large, 9-storey student development on a short-term letting basis outside the academic year and beyond holiday accommodation. If you know, I’ll say no more. 😉
🙂 Kilquane Ltd (Howard Holdings) have been greenlit for the installation of a glass lift from Lapps Quay into the basement car-park and provision of the mooring pontoon leading off the 2.5m (width) boardwalk alongside it’s new City Quarter development. The 12.6m scultpture recently permitted is due to be erected within the coming 2 and half weeks.
🙂 The Country Club Inn in Montenotte and Imperial Hotel on South Mall have also been greenlit for substantial expansion and redevelopments.
😮 I’m told the decision on the important Eglinton Street development by O’Flynn Construction may possibly be released tomorrow, 1 day ahead of schedule – this is just an internal word of mouth. However, planners may yet hang on until the set date and I wouldn’t be surprised if they do. I won’t get too expectant just yet. MAJOR FINGERS CROSSED!I’ve attached a recent picture of the Mardyke pedestrian bridge (hopefully we’ll get a better name than that) under construction at the Mardyke. As has been pointed out, it will link Dyke Parade (at a point directly opposite the main UCC Gates) to Distillery Field.
The Distilery Field site has recently been purchased from Irish Distillers by UCC and Mercy Hospital. I believe a master plan is in preperation for the area. This is the most important expansion point for UCC at present. Mercy plan to use some of the site for parking.
At the moment, the only complete department on site is Dept. Plant Science ( in a purpose built building). This follows the demolition (why, oh why were UCC allowed to get away with it????) of the Honan Biological building on campus. Parts of the Zoology dept, Pharmacy, and Phsicology are also temporarily based here.
Work is planned on the listed cooperage building to make it suitable for the remainder of Zoology dept. who will vacate their space in the Lee Maltings building (beside Mercy). This space is being given over to NMRC (renamed The Tyndal Centre).
This bridge looks fabulous and should inspire UCC/Mercy/CCC to develop the rest of Distillery Field to equally high standards. At the same time, the site does contain a number of important features architectural and environmental which should be protected.Radioactiveman!!!
O’Flynn Construction’s highly anticipated Eglinton Street development has seen CCC request a Clarification on Further Information and project details – requested issued yesterday, OFC say they hope to clear up the issue within a few days and expect a decision soon after. The nail biter continues. 😮
Thanks for the image of Mardyke Bridge RM! I was looking for a semi-decent one.
Rest of my updates will be posted later – w/ news on Frinailla, THAT Portacabin on Patrick Street and other details.In addition to my previous post:
UCC today submitted plans for an’outreach building’ containing lecture theatre, cafe, exhibition space at Mardyke Gardens. This is to the south of the aforementioned Mardyke Bridge. Permission to demolish the existing farmhouse on the site has already been secured.
I’ve seen no plans/images of the proposed building yet. This is a hugely impressive site and desrves something outstanding, at least on a par with the Glucksman.Radioactiveman!!!
*UPDATES*
🙂 If you remember back a few pages, I posted a report noting that Frinailla Developments had purchased the lands at Dennehy’s Cross (those of the 2-acre Dennehy’s Ford Garage facility), well, yesterday, both companies officially revealed this to be true.
Although I am aware the Irish Examiner have indicated the deal is worth in and around 30m euros, I have been told it has worked out well below this figure, with Dennehy’s moving their dealership to new lands near the Ballincollig By-pass and withing easy distance of the new 500m euro Ballincollig Town Centre development by O’Flynn Construction. A move not dis-similar to J&P’s Mahon Point shift.
As also reported, Frinailla will be planning a substantial apartment development at the Dennehy’s Cross location, with “family-sized” luxury apartments – picking up on a growing trend, as displayed by OFC’s Eglinton Street development – with 3-bedroom apartments reaching 1,900sq ft.
An application is due to be lodged Summer 2005.– and on a related note, I also reported that the .22 acre site along the Wilton Road/Victoria Cross owned by Justin Canty, which was sold by Irish & European earlier this year with F.P.P. for 24 student apartments, was also purchased by Frinailla, well, my own fault but not far wrong, the site in question is the former plumbing supplies site directly across thr road. Frinailla reportedly have purchased this .4 acre site for just under 3m euros. In line with Frinailla development preferences, this site, is earmarked for residential usage also. This marks a substantial purchased and development trend by Frinailla in the area of late.
The former Justin Canty site was purchased by Tim McNamara of Aras Developments, for 2m euro (via Global Properties), and is scheduled to be developed this April w/ completion due in and around Oct 2005. The ground floor medical units have already been sold or pre-let. Parking spaces as part of the development have been sold out at 35,000euros a-piece.I have a colour image of the latter development, but may have to post a black & white CGI as I can’t translate the colour image. Design, as previously mentioned, is by O’Shea Leader Design.
🙁 John Sisk & Sons Ltd have seen their 6-storey, 94-bedroom hotel and conference facility, earmarked for the Kinsale/Airport Road (just east of the company’s Cork HQ), have its planning due date pushed by 6 MONTHS(!) by Cork County Council until the 18th of August 2005.
😉 The highly desirable Esso Station site at Muskerry Service Station along the Western Road, between UCC and the new Jurys Redevelopment, has been issued a guide price of 1.65m for its 2 acres. The site has whopping development potential and is already receiving some MAJOR interest among Cork developers and businesses. CBRE Gunne are handling the sale.
😀 And many and most of you will be delighted to hear that FINALLY, Bus Eireann, CCC and Cork Business Association have agreed to remove the Portacabin on Patrick’s Street currently serving as the Inspector’s/Information Station for local bus routes. A new purpose-built street kiosk in-keeping with the new street-scape is to be provided as a tasteful replacement. The location along Patrick’s Street has yet to be determined.
🙂 Also, though it hasn’t been officiated yet, Ascon are to be main contractors with regard to the Kinsale Road Rounabout Flyover – construction is set to being in mid-March and will take 2 years to complete.As reported, the 7-storey, 125-bedroom hotel and retail development proposed for 16, 17 and 18 Lavitts Quay by Howard Holdings (Ellesmere Properties Ltd) has seen Further Information requested by the CCC planner Michael Lynch.
The details of the Further Information are, in summary, the following:
1. The VIS submitted was considered insufficient – and did not provide adequate angles of persepctive regarding the proposed development. (I whole-heartedly agree).
2. The VIS did not cater for revised design options incl. height reductions/alterations and mass issues.
3. The design of the and massing (notably the 6th floor and roof borders) are inadequate in their current form.
4. A detailled archeaological assessment regarding the site is requested.
5. A revised design via Significant Further Information is requested – as the current development proposal is inadequate in its existing form.
I would agree with the planners 100% on this one – the design is unacceptable. I should hope Howard Holdings and RORSA resubmit a more pleasingly designed project in the future – however, given the extent of the requests made of the developers, undoubtedly, it will be a few months at least until a revised scheme is submitted. Although I agree with the principle of the development, the design is exceptionally bland and downright ugly. (Though not as ugly as the Derek Tynan abomination at Crosses Green!!!)
>>>>And many and most of you will be delighted to hear that FINALLY, Bus Eireann, CCC and Cork Business Association have agreed to remove the Portacabin on Patrick’s Street currently serving as the Inspector’s/Information Station for local bus routes. A new purpose-built street kiosk in-keeping with the new street-scape is to be provided as a tasteful replacement. The location along Patrick’s Street has yet to be determined.<<<<
Good Lord – why are taxis and that vile bus-hut allowed to dominate Patrick Street? The taxis were offloaded to Academy St but refused to stay there. The number of new taxi ranks on Pana is unreal, they are an eyesore and should be limited.
As for the bus hut, wasn’t that due to be housed in the refurbished bus station? That means we still have to look at them boiling their plastic kettle in the middle of our state-of-the-art main street.
Sorry for ranting, but they seem to have a divine right to Pana.
On another note, the revamped Emmet Place – there is a ‘no parking at any time’ sign outside ‘Marble & Lemon’, but there is ALWAYS at least 2 cars there. Does anyone care?
Lex, any potential timeframe for MP extension to include M&S? Thanks for your regular inputs, very informative.
@Pana01 wrote:
Lex, any potential timeframe for MP extension to include M&S? Thanks for your regular inputs, very informative.
The MP extension won’t really get a move on til post-Academy Street development completion. I’m guessing 2009 – at least I’m told that. But if things are reasonably positive, there may be movement even sooner. Still it’s a little bit out in the distance yet.
*UPDATES*🙂 As predicted, another Choice Hotel – this time in the shape of a Comfort Inn is set to provide tenancy to Howard Holdings’ proposed 7-storey Lavitts Quay hotel, with 125 bedrooms. The proposal, currently in planning and designed by RORSA, has had Significant Further Information requested of it w/ a strong emphasis on design revisions. The deal is an extension of the relationship HH have established with Choice Hotels since their agreement concerning the Clarion Hotel at Howard Holdings’ City Quarter development on Lapps Quay.
😮 If you remember a while back I posted information on a proposed 100m euro city centre private medical facility – well, it seems now that a more accurately revised cost is just in excess of 45m – 50m euros – this is due to certain facility revisions, but nonethelss, the development will continue to occupy a prime city centre location near the waterfront.
🙂 McCarthy Developments Ltd have lodged another application regarding their Jacob’s Island development on the waterfront near Mahon Point. Only a week after lodging an application to raise 2 of their 4-storey apartment blocks by 2 additional storeys (an increase of 25 more units), the development company have now lodged to add a further 2-storeys to their 6-storey blocks, Block 5 & 6, bringing them to 8-storeys each. The revised buildings would be just short of the 9-storey block as part of O’Callaghan Propoerties Jurys Redevelopment and provide an extra 28-units.– McCarthy Developments also this week applied to develop 2 additional blocks at it’s nearby Harty’s Quay development, adding an extra 50 units of the large and highly successful waterfront apartments. McCD have cited their reasons as being the buoyant Cork market and high levels of demand.
🙂 Interesting to note the article in yesterday’s Evening Echo concerning the donation of 285-acres of amenity land (adjacent to the Carrigrohane Straight) to Cork City by the MD of John A. Woods – to provide a Phoneix Park-esque facility (on the condition the NRA do not route their proposed 500m euro North Ring Motorway nearby the land). It’s a fabulous opportunity for the city – the question is, when do they get it? However, as the city grows, this land will become ever more precious and Cork’s lacks sufficient public green-space for a city of its size.🙂 JD Hotels have begun construction of their 4-storey bar and restaurant development on Grand Parade – Loftus Demolition have clear the site near Singer’s Corner and demolished 1 – 7 Tobins Lane to make way for the sizeable development to follow. Design is by Wilson Architecture. Good to see the project get a move on.
🙂 Also, after a brief lay-over, Bowen Construction have began preliminary construction work on the 5-storey Victoria Mills extension (Phase 2) on the site of the former Statoil Station at Victoria Cross. The development will provide another 31 student apartments and large retail unit at ground floor, over basement.
Some quite interesting stuff in the pipeline then!
Really glad ot see the end of that horrendous prefab thing on Patrick’s Street! What exactly does it do? Is it some sort of club house for bored CIE drivers?
Surely they should provide these facilities at the bus station?Also regarding the taxi ranks: I don’t think they’re an eye sore they’re part of any urban street scape. It’d be nice to see an improvement in terms of the standards of taxis though. They should offer tax breaks for them to upgrade to standardised cars fit for public service. The current fleet are mostly quite OK cars, but they’re not designed to work as taxis. i.e. non-washable seats etc..
And while on a bit of a rant about public transport. Isn’t it about time that Bus Eireann in the Cork City and commuter belt area is seperated off into an independent entity with its own identity? Ala Dublin Bus. I get the impression that Bus Eireann management doesn’t really understand what’s going on in Cork and sit in Bus Aras looking at 1950s maps of the city. The Cork bus system doesn’t hold a candle to the Dublin network yet given the size of Cork, the fact that it’s better planned and less sprawling and has a road infrastructure that actually works it amazes me that we don’t have an efficient and flexible bus system. E.g. try getting a bus to from Glamire, Middleton, Blarney, Carrigaline .. and then compare that journey to a Dublin area of equivilant size and location.. It’s like night and day! Also the complete lack of any form of Nitelink service is nuts. And we’ve no electronic ticketing, no easy to use monthly, weekly, daily tickets etc etc.. it all adds up to making the bus system user unfriendly.
I know that’s slightly off-topic but I do consider public transport as an integral part of city planning and thus relevent to architecture.
To be honest, I’m sure u will all agree that CCC request for further information with regard to the Eglinton Street development is a joke. I really believe that because of their lack of ability to see a worthwhile project, it is costing Cork numerous development opportunities.
Poor form on CCC 😡
i’d rather they took an extra month to consider the project and requested clarity on certain issues than simply dismiss it out of hand.
i think that between extensive pre-planning, the well-established status of the site in relation to Docklands Strategy, the CCC’s Development Brief, and the Further Information request, the Council have had plenty of time and opportunity to consider the application. It is not, in my opinion, very even-handed – there is something else going on here – I expect they will give a permission – but this type of approach by CCC to what is a high quality and strategic project which goes a long way to advancing Docklands aspirations is very unhelpful – and is being noted im sure by major developers curently looking at the city and who wonder whether the city’s reputation as ‘anti-development + politically-dominated in planning terms’ is true or not.
As far as I am aware, the Further Info (2nd such Further Info) regarding Eglinton Street is just an issue of Clarification which Wilson Architecture are currently looking into and it shouldn’t hold back the application too much longer. But in line with sentiments already expressed, CCC have a genuinely terrible attitude toward investment in their city – it really is dominated by an ‘old boys’ network and politics. Now as I’ve said a million times, not ALL development is A+ grade, but CCC don’t seem to recognise such a grade when it comes their way. Granted, I would rather see Eglinton Street delayed another month and get full permission than see it refused – but the fact is, O’Flynn Construction (OFC) spent an EXTENSIVE amount of time in prelanning discussions with CCC Planners about the Eglinton Street site – they consider many options and at one point consulted with CIE about provide an integrated transport hub in line with City Development Plans. CIE rejected the approach. So OFC decided to go ahead and concentrate on developing the site as best they saw it – CCC knew well in advance of the application that the development was to be high-rise and even agreed to a height in principle (which was actually even higher than the 70m current proposal). CCC have really messed OFC about on this application – from requesting Further Info before submission closing dates, to accepting objections beyond closing dates, to Joe Gavin turning around half-way through the planning process and saying he has now changed his mind and would rather see a commercial development utilise the site and on and on – and now the current Further Info issue. To be honest with you – it’s not good form. CCC are itching to get the docklands moving – but when a proposal does come along they hymn and haw about it – it’s pathetic. And as mentioned above, other developers note such behaviour. Eglinton Street is a solid and high-quality development and I do believe Cork deserves such a project. Rumour has it IAWS are now revising their high-rise option for Kennedy Quay in light of CCC’s approach to OFC and Werdna (Water Street) – what will get, again, is another substandard underwhelming project because of petty and short-sighted ignorance.
I sincerely hope OFC get an unequivocal greenlight for Eglinton Street – OFC deserve it, the docklands deserves a little inspiration, the ‘old boys’ need a wake up call and most important, Cork deserves it. I’ll let you know what happens as it does happen. Fingers crossed!
Note that OCP only got the greenlight for Jurys after CCC knocked another 20 apartments off the development in addition to the 30 OCP obliged to reduce during planning. Then CCC claim that they can’t be criticised for not greenlighting major development projects – ridicuolous! The project that was proposed had 50 more apartments and a couple of more floors – what we were given was a half-assed result. The architectural standard and layout of the project was significantly reduced as a result. Grow up CCC! I also hope OCP find some juctice with ABP.
On that note… it is worth noting that today (Mon 28th Feb 2005) sees the final day of operation for the existing Jurys Cork Hotel along the Western Road. The hotel won’t be open until late Summer 2005 again in it’s new incarnation – which, unfortunately (thanks to some small-minded people) is still pending with ABP. May 17th 2005 = due date (all though the application has been given ‘PRIORITY STATUS’.
On the note of planning, it’s interesting to note that 70% of all planner Noel Riordan’s application (northside) in the past 2 months have been refused – I agree with some decisions indeed, but a figure that high should be looked at.
🙁 😮 PJ Hegarty & Sons Ltd removed their final tower crane from over Howard Holdings’ 100m euro City Quarter development along Lapps Quay. The project consisted of developing a 200-bedroom 7-storey Clarion Hotel and Leisure Centre, 265 space basement car-parking facility over 2 levels, retail and cafe units, a new pedestrianised quayside with boardwalk, pontoon and docking area, 80,000sq ft of office space (now fully let and/or sold) + the new Irish Examiner/Evening Echo HQ over 2 floors and a 12.9m quayside sculpture.I hear Frinailla have submitted further info. for their Lady’s Well/Watercourse Road development. Anybody know what the further info. contains?
Also, LEX, any news on those pics/discription of the new Archive building in Blackpool?
The new Mardyke Bridge is being lowered into place today (Monday).😀 Yes indeed!!! Werdna Ltd today submitted a fresh new application for their highly anticipated Water Street development! After months of revisions by Murray O’Laoire, who withdrew the original planning application last year – due to disagreement with CCC about density issues, the McMahon Building Supplies Group development wing have re-applied with a new application which this time they hope will do the trick! Excellent news. You heard it here before anywhere else!
May I usher a quiet – woohoo! 😀
Planning is due the 24/04/2005.
If CCC cock this one up – I’ll be down to Navigation House with a pitch-fork! 😉
lexington wrote:😀 Yes indeed!!! Werdna Ltd today submitted a fresh new application for their highly anticipated Water Street development! After months of revisions by Murray O’Laoire, who withdrew the original planning application last year – due to disagreement with CCC about density issues, the McMahon Building Supplies Group development wing have re-applied with a new application which this time they hope will do the trick! Excellent news. You heard it here before anywhere else!I’ll have all the details of the new development tomorrow – or later on this week, depending on word from Werdna and MOLA.
May I usher a quiet – woohoo! 😀
Planning is due the 24/04/2005.
If CCC cock this one up – I’ll be down to Navigation House with a pitch-fork! ]
you won’t be alone 🙂
😀 McCarthy Developments Ltd have been very active in Cork lately, with over 60 apartment additions to their Jacobs Island waterfront development, 50 new apartments in 2 blocks at their Hartys Quay development and now, today, they have announced the development of a brand-new 8-storey, 120,000sq ft office building over 221 space basement car park on the site of their recently purchased former Goldcrop premises (which they purchased for approx. 2m euros – see prev. reports) along the Centre Park Road in the centre of the southern docklands. Design is by Murray O’Laoire. (I’ve received word from inside the OPW that McCarthy Developments have been having ‘active’ discussions regarding the provision of a possible new premises for the Revenue Commissioners – hmmm, but they are only 1 in a number of other serious contenders). The new development will be located beside the development company’s HQ in Centre Park House. The large development comes only a day after Werdna Ltd submitted a new application for their Water Street development on the Northern Docklands. CCC must have been foaming at the mouth with the news of these 2 developments adding a huge boost to the regeneration of the docklands – and I’m told, that’s not the only big news we can expect to hear regarding the docklands – more good news is on the way.
😀 As promised, here are the details of the revised Water Street development proposed by Werdna Ltd, as previously reported, the scheme has been reduced in some areas to rectify CCC density concerns.The new Murray O’Laoire designed project will include the following:
The construction of a new residential & comm devt comprising of 33042m2 of devt incl the provision of 304 apts in bldg ranging from 3-17 storeys in height;the provision of ground floor comm/retail space of 380m2;reuse & incorporation of an existing office bldg of 242m2(former Port of Cork Offices) into the proposed devt;provision of a creche;conversion of the former Port of Cork workshop adjoining Lower Glanmire Rd to a Business Centre;provision of gate lodge adj to Water St;devt of a quayside amenity area;refurbishment of existing patent slip & its incorporation into proposed landscaped plaza;provision of landscaped gardens & assoc. landscaping of public areas;provision of internal rds & footpaths;ancillary site devt works;formation of replacement vehicular access off Water St; waste management provisions; basement car parking of 12,117m2 in 2 separate basement car parks providing a total of 404 car parking spaces;provision of 17 surface car parking spaces.
It’s a great week so far for the Cork city docklands – let’s keep those fingers crossed! 🙂
With regard to Ascon being apparently awarded the tender for the Kinsale Road Roundabout, that was known well before Christmas. Apparently Gama were shocked at this revelation, which I’m not suprised to hear, cos their tender was apparently meant to have been quite low??? Could be wrong though. But I’m sure you would all agree that Gama did a FANTASTIC job of the Ballincollig Bypass and completed it well ahead of schedule. So I wonder, why weren’t they awarded the tender, since they are fantastic are constructing bridges, they have the equipment required to construct the bridge from the Ballincollig Bypass, and their labour is quite cheap.
Also, when are the works starting on the roundabout??
Was also wondering, does any1 have any progress photos of Ballincollig Town Centre to hand?? :rolleyes:
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