Look at de state of Cork, like!

I was walking back to office on the day of the twinning ceremony at Cork city Hall and I have seen many peoples protesting outside of this. Human rights?

I do not like much of the architecture in Shanghai, I think many of these new buildings are the product of a ‘quick solution’ and communist competition with the west. There is not much thought behind design. I like the new World Trade Centre design this is good. And some newer buildings also. In this way i also think it is like Cork – many buildings up until recently were not good designs but newer buildings seem to have much better designs. This is also a link no? I hope that maybe some architecture ideas can be exchanged but the cities should keep their identies. Cork is Cork. Shanghai is Shanghai. A little culture would be nice though. Maybe a big Shanghai company can build European headquarters in Cork and have a unique design of its home ??? But Cork is also twinned with San Francisco and Cologne and I see no remnants of these cities in Cork design. Maybe Shanghai will be different. 🙂

Why’s that?

@Boyler wrote:

I wonder if there is anything that Shanghai could learn from Cork?

What can shanghai-a city of 20 million-learn from a city of 200 thousand which is at the oppoite end of the eurasian landmass?Not even Dublin learns from us. And how many people in Cork or Shanghai knows or cares about the twinning? To be honest I’m amazed that Shanghai and San Francisco have twinned with a place as globally insignifigant as cork.Or do big cities twin with loads of cities?

😮 Though plans were put in motion as far back as 1998, it now seems, following extensive re-engaged talks between CCC, CIE and, as I mentioned many moons ago on this thread, Manor Park Homes (the preferred developer) – an outcome is within reach. CIE’s plans for the redevelopment of Kent Station, which were noted by CIE Chairman Dr. John Lynch as being in the region of €20m (and which were originally due for completion in 2007) will now likely proceed as part of a new plan which has been devised by Manor Park Homes (MPH – whose CEO, Michael O’Driscoll is a UCC graduate and who has been a driving force in the talks) in conjunction with the State-owned transport provider. An application is expected before the year end (but remains subject to the physical initiation of the Midelton/Cork commuter link) and will consist of a full refurbishment of Kent Station (internal and external), the addition of a multi-storey car park, extended platforms to cater for additional Midelton commuter rail traffic and a link to connect with a new bus and rail facility. The new linked-facility will be jointly provided by CIE and MPH (it is believed MPH will construct it and then lease it back to CIE over a number of years). The link facility will also serve new office and residential plans proposed for the quayside by MPH. The facility will open out facing the quayside and hub between it and the newly refurbished bus station at Parnell Place. A new internal road network is expected to serve these plans. In its entirety, a full hub-facility will be provided between the 2 developments allowing a well-integrated bus/rail and pedestrian service. (I am guessing CIE will need DoT authorisation on funding – unless they have it already, which I doubt – but who knows, I could be wrong!) CIE are currently conducting additional studies on their 17-acre Horgan’s Quay lands, with a prominent consulting engineers group and planning consultants, regarding the amount of available space they can officially afford to sign over whilst making considerations for any future expansion of its rail operations.

-> MPH are believed to be currently drawing up new and revised plans for the site, which will be amended accordingly resultant of CIE studies. The plans are believed to be loosely based on ideas proposed by O’Mahony Pike Architects who were enacted by CIE a few years ago to draw up a masterplan for the lands. I have only heard names on the design-team enacted, one of which was OMP again, but no confirmation is available yet – so I’ll hold off from my own assumptions until I get a confirmation. However, the details of the plans are set to include a number of high-density residential units (many water facing), a new plaza area, numerous commercial facilities (offices and retail) and [I[possibly[/I] some cultural facilities (not confirmed). CIE are expected to retain an equity stake – which had been a major negotiations factor between they and MPH. The redevelopment is being planned by MPH over 3 phases, the first which is set to include the link with Kent Station’s redevelopment.

-> Also on the Horgan’s Quay, the plans for a 5,000 to 6,000 seater Event Centre (as I promised I would inform you a few posts back), which had been the long-favoured location for such a facility by City Manager Joe Gavin, have (I can confirm) seen a design visualised on a part 3-acre plot of Horgan’s Quay lands and apparently a recently purchased number of plots along Alfred/Railway Street, among which included a former 18,000sq ft warehouse sold last year by Dominic Daly Auctioneers for an est’d €4m. Developer Paul Montgomery has long expressed his ambitions for developing such a centre at this location, given that plans for a site near Black Ash, didn’t trump with CCC (so I’m told!). It is widely speculated that Mr. Montgomery, in conjunction with another prominent city-based developer, has had some involvement with this Horgan’s Quay plot. CIE had been most reluctant to allow the development of such a facility on its lands historically, it was felt that land provision (requested by CCC) would eat into the potential it sought to gain from its preferred development options – as envisioned with MPH. However, a resolution is assumed to be in the air, following the latest rounds of 3-way talks.

J&P will relocate to new €7m purpose built showrooms at Mahon Point (currently under construction) by December of this year (2005) – in which 3 of the dealerships [incl. Volvo & Honda] will be housed. The Irish Examiner are expected to relocate to new office facilities (approx. 27,000sq ft) at City Quarter on Lapps Quay by mid-to-late 2006. Construction will be facilitated by Bowen Construction, who aim to be on site by December 2006 (planning pending).

Niall Fitzsimons are the project’s consulting engineers. When complete, the building is expected to hold 3-levels of fashion retail over 200,000sq ft + of accommodation (40+ units) at (upper basement, ground, 1st levels). The Lower Basement is proposed to accommodate car-parking and loading/deliveries etc. The upper 4-floors will home up to circa. 80+ residential units (subject to finalised plans). The project value is believed to be in and around €150m. The design will retain much of the history of the area and is set to be built to a high-standard, which MD Owen O’Callaghan cited as being worthy of its location. A tenant list is already being accumulated.

I read in the Times today that Argos plans to increase its stores to 40 in Ireland. Does anyone know if anyone of these are planned for Cork. Also read that Harvey Norman wants to open a few more stores here to, any of those coming to Cork???? I assume if either of them do come to Cork, they will be located in the phase of Mahon Point being built at the moment, please correct me if I’m wrong in my acqusations.

@rodger wrote:

I believe Frinailla have been on site now for 12 months,or at least the archeological dept of ucc,any way I think a tower crane is to be errected in four weeks.There is also news of a major retailer in the 4000m2 of retail space.

So do not panic, I think Frinailla want to get on with this scheme,to make way for their other proposed developments.

One other thing Shanghai and Cork????

I was recently in a large city in asia with many very tall buildings,some one I know has an apartment on the 28th floor overlooking the city,it was amazing because of the city skyline.
I think someday once we have consumed much of our “green belts”,we will look back and say we should have went up giving an interesting skyline by day and more importantly,in Cork by night.
At the same time keeping our beutiful countryside.

Thanks for that rodger. I think so too about high-rise. People keep complaining about how Cork is not suited to high-rise blah blah blah, but in the right places like the docklands I think it would be most complimentary. As a city matures youve got 2 options – up or out. I for one believe up. If a building is designed well and artistically I think it should be encouraged. The backward minds of the old folk would rather see our beautiful countryside engulfed with never ending patterns of boring housing estates and local shops. If we keep that up we’re going to regret it one day with Blarney a suburb, Ballincollig part of an extended city centre and Kinsale a quick sprint from the latest suburban shopping mall. As Yazz once said, the only way is up! Anyone know if there are any other plans for a highrise in the docklands??? Beside the OCP, Water st and Eglinton st ones? And I mean decent, well designed things, not Victoria mills 9-storey bricks. Decent 20-storey-ers???

😮 Planner Michael Lynch has requested Significant Further Information with respect to the redevelopment of the Capitol Cineplex site on Grand Parade. The proposal by Mount Kennett Investments and John Costello of Limerick, and designed by Dr. Sabine Wittman of The e-Project, has had a request placed for a number of further information dimensions. CCC is unhappy about issues concerning massing, finishes and other related issues. I’ll will have more details on that soon.

Blarney will be a suburb when they build the 5,000 houses in Monard…

what’s the word on Manor Homes, are they still plannins a 25 storey building?

MPH never had plans for a 25-storey building at Horgan’s Quay (that had been part of an earlier conceptual plan devised to show what could be done with the site. A few of these plans were devised for CIE, but these were more ‘inspirational’). However, it is understood that they do plan high-rise elements to any development they initiate though I’m not sure if they’ll rise as high as 25-storeys. A more realistic number would range between 15 and 19-storeys.

@Radioactiveman wrote:

The proposed building here is truly awful. Im not sure any further information will make that look good. 😡

looks like the patricks quay metropole building

[font=Arial:39xfgxa4]Gawd, it's such a vile building. 1960's office block if you ask me or else a prison with a few more windows thrown in![/font:39xfgxa4] 😮

With regard to the Capital cinema property,if my memory serves me right Hose Rodriegez of Jack Coughlan and ass. was drafted in by a Cork city developer to design a building on this site about 12 mnths ago.My advice to Ward, Anderson and Costelloe would be to go and talk to them.

From the images I saw it was one slick cool proposal,I think the promoters could find them selfs caught between a rock and a hard place on their current proposal.

Retailers like”land mark “buildings and will pay more,some times you have to go right back to the beginning to move forward.So endth my rant.