O’ Connell Street, Dublin
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What’s really bugging me about the makeover is that they still havent figured a way of making the pavement at the lower western end non-sticky. It may not be as dirty as it once was, but it is still sticky..
Yes stickiness is still a problem. A bit further up on the smooth stone of the Plaza it’s very apparent at times when something has been spilled, but on a broader level the pavements can be sticky at times – usually when it’s sunny and the heat seems to bake the mixture of dirt and dust together that’s been trampled down into the surface of the stone paving.
It’s not nearly as common as it used to be though – leaps and bounds have been made in the cleasing of the street recently; there’s a non-stop cleaning programme now which is most impressive. You can’t walk down the street without encountering some form of maintenance going on.Ann Summer’s restored windows have just been unveiled – a mixture of timber sash and steel frames. They all look great. Difficult to say if the steels have been restored or fully replaced:
@Paul Clerkin wrote:
What’s really bugging me about the makeover is that they still havent figured a way of making the pavement at the lower western end non-sticky. It may not be as dirty as it once was, but it is still sticky..
Keeping the pavements non-sticky would require a breakthrough in molecular physics deserving of a nobel prize or a serious change in user behaviour and attitutes amongst a particular demographic who frequent the Street.
On a related matter I note that despite everyones best efforts the O’Connell Monument has changed colour again this time back to white; particularly around the head.
Maybe I’m being too picky here but I’m very disappointed that the numerous manhole covers on O’Connell street are left exposed and more than a little ugly. In DCU all the manhole covers in bricked areas are disguised using the same bricks inlaied into the manhole cover. It’s not perfect but it looks a lot better. Surely the same could have been done on OCS while they were doing the rest of the street?
When is the completion date for this again?……..May is it?……I can’t see it being finished on time. Looks as if it will drag on into the Summer months. Too bad as with the Easter Parade coming up as well. Very bad that it was’nt completed alot sooner. The corralled street is very annoying now….and they still have to fix that corner at Middle Abbey Street out side Supermacs.
Yes, that corner’s been in a mess for months now – should have been sorted long ago.
Agreed about the amount of manhole covers, particularly around the Spire where it’s a complete mess to be honest. What’s the point in having a ‘feature’ bronze base for the Spire if it’s to be surrounded on all sides by crude access covers to traffic signal controls? Don’t know how that problem could have been resolved, but it’s most unfortunate to have so many concentrated in such a prominent area.
There are examples of inset paving slabs in covers on the Lower median, but these haven’t been universally applied on the rest of the street.An old photo now, but can’t you just feel the stickiness? 🙂
It really should be sorted given the number of fast food outlets in its immediate vicinity i.e Burger King, McDonalds and Supermacs the mind can easliy picture drunks dropping sticky soft drinks which in dry hot conditions will be extremely sticky and cause discolouration to the paving. The only solution would be to have this area pressure washed on a regular basis with a number of extra drain openings inserted to take advantage of the existing camber which was incorporated in the design.
Well the giant of all construction frenzies is now underway on Upper O’Connell Street in order for it to be ready for the parade of sorts on Easter Sunday (extraordinary how quickly that came upon us). There’s now barely five days to get everything in order, however it would seem to be doable.
Upper West looks like it may be completed in its entirety, as there’s nothing other than long strips of paving to be laid on a largely ready surface – still a lot of work though. Upper East on the other hand is very touch and go – the whole McDowell terrace still even has sections of the original paving to be removed, though at least services have been laid. It would be a shame for this section to remain fenced off as the last part to be finished, right next to the Spire and the GPO.Here are the ‘boulevard’ trees going in the other day. They are Oriental Plane trees, 67 of which are to line the street’s side pavements; they’re about 25 years old.
They have all been planted since these pics were taken and look very grand. Unfortunately the amount of hoarding, not to mention buses on the street conceal the new vistas at the minute. Lampposts have yet to be installed on most of the pavements, and have to be headed on the median.
Not all progress is positive though – remember this lighting test strip on the GPO from last November?
Well it was obviously deemed acceptable as a full scheme is being installed – a rather unsympathetic one 🙁
It’s being clumsily attached above the string course of the ground floor, the units crude, chunky silver metal yokes with joins every few metres:
Nit-picky perhaps, but am just not a fan of these strip things that try to absorb themselves into buildings.
There’s no doubting the GPO is a very difficult building to light – there’s no external poles that can be erected, no exposed basement to be availed of, and no enclosed ground space for the lamps that is shielded from the public – similarly sunken pavement lighting isn’t an option with pedestrians casting shadows everywhere.
But tacking strip units above the string course, essentially trying to incorporate them into the architecture of the building, is as clunky as it is disrespectful. It makes the moulding look cumbersome and just wrong.
More modern versions of the previous uplighters would have been much more appropriate – lamps that are clearly attached to the building, clearly seperate from the architecture, but discreet in nature by their colouring.It’ll be interesting to see how the portico is dealt with – probably Government Buildings style. 2 or 3 cherrypickers have taken up home behind the columns.
With the mad rush to get more of the work done I hope they don’t make a bollick of it. Just a pity its is not all finished, It has gone on long enough.
There was a exciting atrmosphere on the street today, what with the building works at full speed, groups of people wandering about on the roof of the GPO…
…the Military Police in a van on the road (an 05 one for the public of course), the Army practicing hoisting a ginormous Tricolour…
…and more forces down on the street:
You can see the group of big wigs there in their overcoats, discussing various plans including “roigsht, will we drop the drummer or not then” amongst other topics.
The bronze and brasswork of the building was also being polished, and a cherry picker was up, hopefully to erect the great lanterns and clock which have yet to be reinstated.
Aye, in the last photo the motorbikes belong to the army entourage that escorts the Presidents limo. With ‘an Eiri Amach na Casca 1916’ commemoration it is a great way of imbuing civic pride in people as well as a national pride…..which was kinda lacking for decades. Kinda un-PC nowadays too, to say such things.
Yep – there they are 🙂
They also swept by on College Green in December last year!
The GPO clock was being hoisted into position late this afternoon – it looks truly fabulous in its restored state. Images (especially those taken in the rain :o) just cannot do it justice: the texture and sheen off the copper is magnificent, and the face a vivid turquoise, contrasting beautifully with the deep tones of the surrounding metal. You really have to see it in real life!
Before
The lanterns still have to go up. In their case it’s interesting that the lantern arms are in fact just crude iron or steel arms that project from the building. It is these that hold the lanterns up structurally, while the quality brass arms (or maybe copper given the new appearance of the clock!) that we see are simply two moulded pieces of cladding that clip round the metal like a cast! Simple blocks of wood attached to the metal arms taper the cladding to make it look more substantial.
The clock looks incredible. Its one of those things that are little noticed and then suddenly you get a clear view. The builidng will look wonderful on Mon, although I share your views on the lighting scheme.
I was thinking about those large column lights: I wonder where they actually ever positioned? Or was it dimely a case of install them thinking the should look like that. What about using the same model on College Green. Any opinions?
lanterns went back up today … looks great.
The restoration of the clock looks just spot on; any pictures of the lanterns?
Just seen this in the Indo. Very few details of what is actually in the report yet but it will be interesting to see what is planned for O’Connell Street.
Latest capital city blueprint
A NEW blueprint to develop the capital’s retail core over a five to eight year period has been drafted by Dublin City Council.
The framework plan sets out the council’s strategy for the development and promotion of Dublin city centre as the primary shopping, leisure and cultural destination in the State.
A draft of the key document – entitled ‘Dublin City Centre – Developing the Retail Core” – has been seen by Property Independent.
It provides comprehensive planning and urban design guidance, as well as a series of radical interventions for the areas in, connecting and adjoining Henry St and Grafon St.
This has been in the pipeline for a while and was mentioned a couple of months ago when the City Manager announced stricter planning guidelines for Grafton Street. I think its enormously important that the CC have a clearer and more cohesive strategy for the city centre retail core. With all the new retail development outside of the city the CC must be more proactive in pushing quality retailing. My guess is this document will facilitate things like the new Arnotts, Carlton site development, new retail on Dawson St etc. It will be interesting to read the full doc….its a pity the Indo can
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