Look at de state of Cork, like!
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Everyone note the plans in the Examiner for the Capitol Cineplex in town? looks impressive and with the Oyster bar and various units in behind being sold, between that and the Grand Parade, the city will be flying!
anyone know whats happening with the buiilding on the left on the corner with south mall as you go over the bridge from georges quay?
cheers
Well there you have it – it’s official!
You may remember that way back I reported that a Limerick-based developer had been in talks with Ward Anderson about purchasing the Capitol Cineplex for a retail development, well now it’s public and Mount Kennett Investments (John Costello and Paul O’Brien) are the buyers indeed.
Ward Anderson had been maintaining talks with CCC about seeking planning permission on a redevelopment of the site – which they then would sell with F.P.P. ~ however Mr. Costello’s persistence evidently paid off. Although I was aware that the deal had been struck, I was unaware until last night that planning would be sought so soon. And yes, planning is being sought.
The development is scaled down from original plans by the developer (other developers, 1 other Limerick-based group ~ I may have mentioned much earlier, had very exciting plans for the site, but eventually dropped out of the run). The development will now see the Capitol demolished and redeveloped as a 33,000sq ft department store with 18 overhead apartments (I don’t like the idea of apartments at this location!) . The design is by Sabine Wittman of Dungarvan practice e-Project ~ and quite frankly, the application design is sub-par and undeserving of the superb location. I’m disappointed at the lazy route taken by the developers and design team in the end. The boxy and incoherrent roof-line is ugly and unkempt. It reminds me of the St. Patrick’s Quay frontage of the Metropole Hotel (that horrible lemon box with even uglier roof-top box). Some of the other competing proposals (OCP for the record pulled out of talks in late 2004) had a far greater degree of panache – this is a very poor effort. But I’ll let you decide – I don’t have any clear images of the final design yet, so in fairness to Tommy Barker, well done for getting this image. I should have better images come a couple of weeks.
Also, today is a big decision day for some major Cork projects – fingers crossed for Frinailla and Mary Collins’ projects!You say that lisam as though there was money spent on it.
Buildings like these make baby Jesus cry. 🙁
🙁 Mary Collins’ has seen her proposal of a 9-storey, 39-unit apartment building for the Roxboro Quarry on the Boreenmanna Road refused planning. Among the reasons cited by planners were ill traffic management, over development and lack of amenity spaces (other than a roof-garden). The jury is still out on my opinion of the report – although I’m disappointed to see the project refused, I still believe the developer should have more carefully addressed particular issues. I would advise her not to seek permission via ABP and perhaps revise spatial and access elements to the project, then simply reapply to CCC. I would be very confident ABP would refuse any 1st party appeal on similar grounds.
:confused: Although a decision is due today – CCC have not yet got back with a firm decision on Frinailla’s Watercourse Road (Ladyswell) project. An individual at McCutcheon Mulcahy said she can’t say anything as of yet, but will let me know when possible. So, you’ll hear it around the same time too. Taking a guess, I’d probably say ‘Conditional’, but who knows?! I could be wrong.:confused: The mystery deepens over lady”s well
Those anyone know who owns The Loft- stretching from North Main Street to Coal Quay? What with the impending development in the area, this site must be in line for development in the near future.
In the same area, there is an old warehouse on Grattan Street (opposite Henry Grattan Pub) which would look great converted to entertainment or office use.
Someone sent me a great image of a fantastic proposed development in the City yesterday. I’ll try to put it on here today or tomorrow. Its really really exciting!!🙂 Ann O’Donovan has applied for a development of 25 apartments, a gym and 26 space basement car-park along Cotter Street – an area subject to much development of recent times, such as Howard Holding’s Copley Hall and Corbet Bros. Copley Street/Stable Lane office and residential development (which is coming along nicely).
Just with reference to the Capitol Cineplex redevelopment – it’s a sad affair that the project has instilled so little excitment. For a site that was heralded as being among the most highly anticipated redevelopment opportunities in Cork – it says little of the design or developers that the project has promoted practically no excitement at all. This was an opportunity to create something really appealing – but instead its just a boring, boxy mass. I can see straight away this project going into Further Information – and perhaps the top 3-bedroom apartment being removed by condition or revision in order to reduce the boxy roof-line. It would be nice to see the developers and architects add, at the very least, a bit of flair to the stepped back upper floors that are no more than simply squared off levels.
Frinailla’s Ladyswell decision will be available tomorrow morning. I’ll keep you posted.@Radioactiveman wrote:
Those anyone know who owns The Loft- stretching from North Main Street to Coal Quay? What with the impending development in the area, this site must be in line for development in the near future.
In the same area, there is an old warehouse on Grattan Street (opposite Henry Grattan Pub) which would look great converted to entertainment or office use.
Someone sent me a great image of a fantastic proposed development in the City yesterday. I’ll try to put it on here today or tomorrow. Its really really exciting!!1. The Loft was owned by P&A Herilhy (owners also of Square Deal), but was sold last year for a handsome sum to a private developer. Plans are being formulated but I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to say what…yet.
2. That warehouse was due to be developed by NorthGate Investments but it never took off. It’s a great premises I agree. The problem with the location however in terms of entertainment usage is the proximity to nearby residencies – believe you me, I checked this one out and the possibilities for entertainment are slim at best, but who knows, planners work in mysterious ways.
3. RM , would be interested to see those images – what location?
opus thanks for the link – still finding it tough to minimise the images sufficiently to upload. I’ve some excellent and exclusive images of the revised Water Street development but I fear you may never get to see them if I can’t compress them enough. Oh dear!opus thanks for the link – still finding it tough to minimise the images sufficiently to upload. I’ve some excellent and exclusive images of the revised Water Street development but I fear you may never get to see them if I can’t compress them enough. Oh dear!
IrfanView is an excellent program and should allow you reduce the size of your images dramatically. To reduce the file size you must Resample the image at a lower resolution (72dpi is sufficient for web) and select an image width of about 800 pixels.
Also when you go to save the newly resized image you can select a lower Jpeg quality factor eg 50% to reduce the filesize even more.Hopefully this works for you as I cant wait to some interesting images rather than that pathetic looking offering for the Capitol Ciniplex. 🙁
As promised yesterday, here’s a few images of a development which is about to be submitted for planning in the next few weeks.
Its located on UCC owned ground at Mardyke Walk – most recently used as a GAA pitch by the college. The site is adjacent to Fitzgerald park (Seperated by Ferry Walk) and links up with Daly’s Bridge (Shakey Bridge) with access to the Northside.
The development will consist of 5-6 story glass and steal structure in three blocks. The buildings will house 5 large lecture theatres (at least as large as those in the Boole Basement) and a number of departments will be housed there- specifically Law and Celtic Studies.
The development will also house the proposed new Wrixon Advanced Management Institute. Architects are AFD ArchitectsI think UCC should be prohibited from any further development in the area around the College.
They have suceeded in reducing Western Road, College Road and other adjacent areas from vibrant places where families lived to a mass of ‘outbuildings’, now dead once the College closes.
I know there are one or two exceptional developments over the past few years but these do not outweigh the damage, I think, they have done.Just to allay any fears, i was taking the p*** with my last text- it is April 1st after all! 😀
Any news on Ladyswell?
I thought as much… UCC are still suffering from complaints in relation to the Mardyke sports centre
@Radioactiveman wrote:
Just to allay any fears, i was taking the p*** with my last text- it is April 1st after all! 😀
Any news on Ladyswell?
Hehehe..
Back to serious matters…. According to CCC website, Frinailla’s Ladyswell has been given conditional planning permission. But, in the report (also online) it recomends refusal. Anybody know whats going on? I’m confused (as usual)🙂 On Frinailla’s Ladyswell Development – as suspected, it has received the go-ahead with conditions but only after the Senior Planner (Ronnie McDowell) and City Manager (Joe Gavin) intervened. The planner in question has displayed, a quite frankly, ill record in planning. After the original 2003 Frinailla application on the site issued for a development of 9-stories w/ over 200 units, the same planner refused permission on the basis of excessive height and negative impact on the sky-line – he remarked that a 3 to 4 storey reduction would have more than likely seen th application succeed with some other minor alterations. Now, in this application, after Frinailla reduced the scheme by 4 stories (the development averages from 2 to 5-storeys at its apex), the planner after recognising all the positive changes to the scheme, then decided at the very last minute to refuse planning based on excessive height and massing, as well as overshadowing of the central courtyard during Spring and Autumn Equinoxes. Boulderdash! The reason the decision wasn’t made known as scheduled yesterday was on account of last minute intervention by the City Manager, who, when reading the report blasted it for being grossly unfair. In consultation with the Senior Planner, the City Manager requested the Planner in question to draw up appropriate conditions associated with a Grant – however, the 5-storey block fronting Watercourse Road has been reduced to 4-storeys through condition (something I don’t particularly agree with – as it contradicts original planning talks and retracts negatively from the overall consistency of the project – the additional storey detracts no-more from the area than 4-storeys and is a pointless, perhaps petty bitter condition, a chance to get one final kick in).
The planner in question has a poor record for planning decisions, in my opinion, – this stems from his most unfair decisions on the Silversprings’ schemes by O’Brien & O’Flynn Ltd., Joe O’Donovan’s redevelopment of the cinema site on Watercourse Road and redevelopment plans at York Hill. I very glad at the decision made by the City Manager – Joe Gavin and Ronnie McDowell have had to do this before with a planner (a different planner) on the scheme that has now become Camden Wharf (by Hornibrook Holdings). It would seem, regardless of recognising that Frinailla’s Ladyswell site was much in need of redevelopment, The Planner in question would not have granted planning here unless it was for a series of bungalows.
– (sorry for not posting this info sooner, but had a busy busy morning!!!)
@RM wrote:i was taking the p*** with my last text- it is April 1st after all!
I thought as much – I hadn’t heard anything about such a project at that location. Plus ‘Wrixon Advanced Management Institute’ – I very much doubt it. :p
🙂 PJ Walls Ltd are on-site at Sunbeam Industrial Park – which so famously was destroyed by fire those many months ago. Robert McGrattan is developing 10 number, 2-storey light industrial units on the site to replace and hopefully restore the historic industrial park. Design is by J.E. Keating & Associates.
:confused: Although construction work had not been offically cited until later, it would seem Fleming Construction are readying the former M&P O’Sullivan Cash&Carry facility at Victoria Cross for demolition and construction of the new UCC Student Accommodation facility at the site. The development is designed by Bertie Pope & Associates. Fencing has been erected around the site. As far as I am aware, it is planned that the accommodation will be in co-ordination with the time-frame for the already progressing Phase 2 to Victoria Mills next-door, this is to minimise construction disturbances to residents and students alike in the area. I’ll get back when I know for sure what the full-story is on this.
@lexington wrote:
🙂
I thought as much – I hadn’t heard anything about such a project at that location. Plus ‘Wrixon Advanced Management Institute’ – I very much doubt it. :pI just forwarded that post on to some friends in UCC & I’d be willing to bet they will believe that name for the Management Institute 🙂
QUOTE : Ward Anderson had been maintaining talks with CCC about seeking planning permission on a redevelopment of the site – which they then would sell with F.P.P. ~ however Mr. Costello’s persistence evidently paid off. Although I was aware that the deal had been struck, I was unaware until last night that planning would be sought so soon. And yes, planning is being sought.
With regards to the long- awaited development at the Capitol Cinplex , the sale of the Capitol to Mr. John Costello and co. is ALL subject to planning granted to WardAnderson by CCC..I have been speaking to a senior partner in WardAnderson over the weekend and have been informed that they expect to get “MANY” objections for various reasons that will delay the whole process considerably. Same ‘ol Same ‘ol no doubt. Ive no doubt that there will be a few suprises yet with this site ! :rolleyes: Also, another Cinema planned in the city centre maybe . !!? 😉 Will know more soon.
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