New Blanchardstown tower going up!

Do you mean the silvery one you see from the motorway?

Not sure about if it had it’s scale reduced or not – although from the looks of it – it more than likely didn’t.

It was built to be the flashy glam new corporate HQ for Dunnes Stores (reviving the trend for opulent HQ’s as seen in the past???). However the corporate profile of said family owned company is decidely low – so they’re not moving in – and have now leased it to Quinn Direct.

Its not a great looking building when you get close to it. Dont confuse height with great architecture.

yes that’s it m8. you know where i am talking about.

n

i just think it’s different. thank god it doesn’t look like another hawkins house. from some angles it looks fabulous (the dual carriageway). the top/roof is the only part i don’t like but other than that, well done lads. i like the curved glass because it’s different. they could still do a lot better though.

n

You’re right Paul, nothing to be proud of… although competing with “De Blanch” can’t be too hard!

oh well just an opinion which is ok to have. atleast it is better than some of the crap that has gone up. plenty of people out there are sick of cardboard boxes going up everywhere along with several other buildings that have no character whatsoever. how can anyone like hawkins house for example and then hate blanchardstown tower? the blanchardstown tower looks modern and clean which is a lot better than some of the filth we have! ballymun, apollo house and so on. ok, i know some of these buildings will be done up but still isn’t it nice to have buildings that are atleast clean looking?

all i am saying is that i prefer blanch tower to hawkins house and what i have mentioned above is only an example!

You’re right – Hawkin’sHouse is awful, but when does not liking the ex-Dunnes building equate with liking Hawkins House?!?

in english please…

the blanchardstown tower is pretty boring suburban high rise, you might as well be in toronto, and for god sake don’t suggest that would be good thing, toronto is awful.

ok, i know it’s not the best building in the world (blanch tower) but they could have done a lot worse.

Was in the Blanchardstown centre today and noticed a tall elevator shaft being constructed behind the retail park (TK Maxx/Atlantic Homecare centre). I counted 12 floors overground with 2 underground and the shaft didn’t look like it had finished yet so could go higher. Does anyone know what is going in here and how high the building will be. A second shaft had about 9 floors on it and also was still being built upwards. Whatever is going up here will complement the Quinn Direct building nicely.

Was in the Blanchardstown centre today and noticed a tall elevator shaft being constructed behind the retail park (TK Maxx/Atlantic Homecare centre). I counted 12 floors overground with 2 underground and the shaft didn’t look like it had finished yet so could go higher. Does anyone know what is going in here and how high the building will be. A second shaft had about 9 floors on it and also was still being built upwards. Whatever is going up here will complement the Quinn Direct building nicely.

@tomk wrote:

Was in the Blanchardstown centre today and noticed a tall elevator shaft being constructed behind the retail park (TK Maxx/Atlantic Homecare centre). I counted 12 floors overground with 2 underground and the shaft didn’t look like it had finished yet so could go higher. Does anyone know what is going in here and how high the building will be. A second shaft had about 9 floors on it and also was still being built upwards. Whatever is going up here will complement the Quinn Direct building nicely.

I noticed this too and have heard things about a 16 or 17 storey hotel somewhere around there may be built recently. Is that it I wonder or is it completely different:confused: If it is a tall building (assuming its of decent quality) it sould look quite smart next to Quinn Direct.

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=2071

All I can dig up. Dont know if its the building your refering to.

thanks. did a bit of googling with the details you provided and below Bord Pleanala information came up. In summary, the scheme involves a 15 storey apartment building with a 9 storey hotel. Both were originally to be 17 storeys. A Sunday business Post article also came up which said that Crowne Plaza chain will operate the hotel.

DECISIONS OF AN BORD PLEANALA

F04A/1799
Appeal Decided:
15-Dec-2005

Appellant Type:
1st & 3rd Party

Appeal Decision:
Appeal Withdrawn

Council Decision:
GRANT PERMISSION

Applicant:
Green Property Ltd.

Location:
Blanchardstown Centre, Coolmine, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15

Proposed Development:
Revised plans have been submitted for the development for a hotel comprising 200 Guest Bedrooms, Bar, Lounge, Restaurant and Kitchen, Multi-function rooms, Business Centre, Leisure and Recreation Facilities and Retail Units, (B) an Aparthotel comprising 208 Aparthotel Units. The Development includes Surface and Underground Carparking for a total of 290 cars and Associated Landscaping and Site Development Works. The Aparthotel will occupy the upper levels of the proposed structure. The development comprises a total of 17 storeys above ground level and will have a total height of 60.8 metres above ground level. The gross floor area of the development is 25,855 m² and the Site area is 0.72 ha. The Site is located off the N3 National Route at the entrance slip road leading to the Blanchardstown Centre with access from the junction of Roads E and F at the Northwest corner of the Blanchardstown Centre. The revised plans provide for the following: a reduction in height of the hotel element of the proposal (which comprises 200 guest bedrooms and ancillary uses) from 17 storeys over ground floor to 9 storeys over ground floor and the omission of the business centre, leisure and recreation facilities and retail units; replacement of the 17 storey over ground floor ‘aparthotel’ element of the scheme with a 15 storey over ground floor apartment development comprising 112 no. two bedroom apartments (with balconies and a roof terrace) over a ground floor restaurant and retail unit; the provision of 340 car parking spaces (308 underground and 32 at surface level); revisions to all elevations. The revised scheme will have a gross floor area of 20,953.8 sq.m. .

i must check this out the next time i’m in blanch.

Hopefully its not as bad as the other skangerscraper beside it.

@archipig wrote:

Hopefully its not as bad as the other skangerscraper beside it.

The QD building can be called alot of things but ‘skangerscraper’? eh – no. Its a corporate building. I dont see any issues with it at all. Its refreshing from the dross that is Blanchardstown in general.

The only thing that associates it with Skangerland is the holes put through the windows by those enlightent individuals throwing rocks. Yup too corporate for them.

i was in the area today and saw the development myself. those concrete piles look as if they might go bigger alright.

are there any pictures of what this development will look like when it is completed? i’d love to see some.

I like it (Quinn Direct); I think the reflections of the glass from all angles are great – the location alongside a major road is very good too.

@Pepsi wrote:

are there any pictures of what this development will look like when it is completed? i’d love to see some.

I tried googling but didn’t see any. I’m curious too. Was doing some grocery shopping in Blanch SC last night and at least 3 extra floors were added to the tallest lift shaft since I was there a couple of weeks ago. That makes it approximately 15 floors now (which I believe is how tall it will go based on the planning application) and is making a significant impact on the local skyline. I’m sure the view of it will be pretty impressive on completion – particularly when driving inbound on the N3 as the building is already on an elevated perch like the neighbouring Quinn Building. I’ll bring my camera with me on my next visit to Blanch and take a few snaps which I’ll post here for anyone interested.

i was in blanch today and noticed some of the concrete piles are taller than they were a month ago. they look good.

@tomk wrote:

…………………………………………. I’ll bring my camera with me on my next visit to Blanch and take a few snaps which I’ll post here for anyone interested.

Any sign o’ those pics??!! 🙂

@paul h wrote:

Any sign o’ those pics??!! 🙂

Took these a couple of weeks ago – sorry for delay – Driving on N3 yesterday and noticed a 3rd equally tall shaft built along side other two in attached. Will take more once floors start being added to the shafts.

meant to add – apologies for visual quality – bloody sun peeped out directly towards my only good vantage point as I was taking the pix so that is why they look quite shadowy!

Mucho gracias tomk!!

This thread was started in ’03 surely that is not the building in question???

paulh,

There is another tall glass fronted builging (the Quinn Direct HQ) just across from this one. Its about 12 stories high.

Anybody got a link to graphics of the finished hotel?

was out here today. the concrete piles haven’t gotten any taller but construction is well underway.

this thing isnt looking bad at all but it will all depend on the facade that goes on

i was out here again today and i must say it is really coming along. are there now any pictures of what it will look like when finished?

http://www.wejchert.ie/frameset.html

If you click to download the pdf brochure for this project, you can see the first artist images of this hotel! And the plans for the expansion of the Centre itself! Looks pretty exciting! Including a big move for UCI across the road to a new building! And what looks like a pretty flashy new Blue Entrance!

http://www.wejchert.ie/frameset.html

Sorry you need to navigate to Masterplanning, then Blanchardstown Centre

thanks guys. it looks that bit taller than quinn direct. 🙂

so has anyone got up to date construction pics…?

Nothing impressive there.

Real suburban muck with a few extra floors tacked on
Doesnt look to be integrated with any residential streets,
massive car parks, huge (looking) walking distances

Maybe its a step in the right direction building slightly upwards, but unless office buildings
are mixed with apartment buildings or at least closer walking distance, then whats the point.
I hate the ‘tower in the park’ idea
and i hate car dependant buildings

Although im sure im not getting the full picture from that aerial

love the giant Hollywood style sign for THE BLANCHARDSTOWN CENTRE – no doubt parts of it will go missing a la Sunshine Desserts in Reggie Perrin

@cubix wrote:

so has anyone got up to date construction pics…?

Here are some taken this weekend! I’ll take some more during the topping out phase!

those pictures look great. i wonder how many floors it will have when finished? it’s hard to count them.

on the previous page it says 17 floors going up to 60 metres so for dublin its relatively high-hopefully in 10 years time this will be just a groundscraper cause practically every else in the world it would be, but I have to say i quite like it,havent seen many building around with this design. The blanch sign is a nice touch aswell…

Here is image of finished apartment block being constructed along side the Crowne Plaza hotel which is also being built at Blanchardstown Town Centre. It is called Falcon’s View. See property spiel from Hooke and McDonald who are the agents for it.

Imagine a development of two bedroom apartments where your wish list is fulfilled. • Stylish design • Generous living spaces • Stunning views • Award winning Shopping Centre and Retail Park • UCI cinema complex at your door • Parklands and civic spaces • Regular buses to the city centre • Easy nationwide motorway access Falcons View offers everything a resident needs on their doorstep and the landmark building with 14 storeys will mark a new transition for Blanchardstown. The developer own and built Blanchardstown shopping centre.

@tomk wrote:

Here is image of finished apartment block being constructed along side the Crowne Plaza hotel which is also being built at Blanchardstown Town Centre. It is called Falcon’s View. See property spiel from Hooke and McDonald who are the agents for it.

Imagine a development of two bedroom apartments where your wish list is fulfilled. • Stylish design • Generous living spaces • Stunning views • Award winning Shopping Centre and Retail Park • UCI cinema complex at your door • Parklands and civic spaces • Regular buses to the city centre • Easy nationwide motorway access Falcons View offers everything a resident needs on their doorstep and the landmark building with 14 storeys will mark a new transition for Blanchardstown. The developer own and built Blanchardstown shopping centre.

That « Landmark » lark has been used in nearly every new project over the last few years, it will soon be synonymous with everything that is bad!

God that render really looks like an updated version of the Ballymun flats

(never thought I’d use the phrase a new Ballymun about a new high rise but there you go);)

it’s probably made out of better material than reinforced cardboard though, and not gonna become a sink estate. but yeh, it kinda does!

i hope the hotel part looks better than that.

What about this render of the aparthotel in the pdf.Is this a different building or has the design changed…?

it must have as the facade/windows are already being added to the lower floors now and it matches the finished product in the image I provided earlier. The shot you have must have been part of a proposed image.

Anyone know what the deal with this pic i got from the FV website is,are the buildings down the bottom for real,or are they just the work of some architect with an over active imagination

Probably just lifted from representative ideas on the masterplan.

“Falcon’s View” – where do they get these names from

Drove by this a couple of times. Does not look bad at all really.

Traffic camera image is a little small but you can clearly see the Quinn Direct building and the new one being built behind

Yes,, I think there is just one more floor to be added to the apartment block. The hotel element which is a few floors lower than the apartment block already has been topped out. It does look quiet well when driving citybound from Clonee/Navan side. I’ll try and get the camera out for updated snaps when it has been topped out which should be very soon.

@tomk wrote:

Yes,, I think there is just one more floor to be added to the apartment block. The hotel element which is a few floors lower than the apartment block already has been topped out. It does look quiet well when driving citybound from Clonee/Navan side. I’ll try and get the camera out for updated snaps when it has been topped out which should be very soon.

Does anybody else think that the relativly low density one/two/three storey houses built by the council about 4 years ago opposite the blanch centre are a ridiculous waste of land? right beside a shopping, commercial and transport hub (and the metro will eventually cut thru also).

Latest progress of Crowne Plaza hotel and apartments in Blanchardstown.

http://www.dublinwest.crowneplaza.com/_fileupload/File/Crowne%20Plaza%20Building.pdf

Is that really the cladding or is it an undersurface. Shudder if it’s the final product

Another new building at Blanchardstown Centre

i can’t see it. is it another highrise?

Me neither

Today’s Indo said that Green Properties have received permission for an 8 storey office blook at Westend Retail park in Blanch (which is where Borders Books/Argos are located). Wonder where exactly it will be located as I don’t recall seeing much open space available left around there anymore.

sorry, a mixed use development and not office block.

Green Property Limited has obtained planning permission for the construction of an eight-storey mixed use retail and commercial development at a site known as C & D, Westland Retail Park, Blanchardstown Centre. Coolmine, Dublin 15.

It’s an old story that was in The Sunday Times weeks ago. Ben Dunne has objected if memory serves

heres another pic of the blanch masterplan i stumbled upon and also the floorplan for the new yellow mall extension if anyones still interested:) anyone know what the building down the bottom left of the masterplan is,every version of the masterplan i see has some sort of interesting building on that plot of land

It still looks an awful spread-out and unco-ordinated mess; why don’t they build over the carparks and develop at least the illusion of some streets. What is the children’s playground collection at the bottom right?

@johnglas wrote:

What is the children’s playground collection at the bottom right?

thats the funfair that comes once a year so i assume that pic was taken around september cos thats when it usually comes,what they need to do is demolish the car parks that divide the centre and then build many more space efficient 4 storey multi storey car parks on the outskirts of the centre with slip roads leading onto the main roads e.g blanch road south /n3 then develop the likes of the yellow/green and whats left of the red car-park because they are inpractical because of their size,ever try find a space in any of them on a busy saturday,theyre a big cause of congestion in the centre,me thinks that the space where the funfair is would be an ideal spot for a huge multi storey car park if you look at all the car parks around the centre you could nearly stack them on top of eachother and fit them into that space

marto-07: thanks for that, I thought it had to be something like that. M/s carparks, yes..but. Too car-dependant by half the whole thing and your talk of constructing even more roads just makes me despair – left to the road engineers, the whole site would be a collection of roads and carparks surrounding a huge mall (oops, isn’t that what it is?).

Hey,

Just wondering would anyone have a idea as to the est. construction cost of building the Crowne Plaza in Blanch? Cheers.