O’ Connell Street, Dublin
- This topic has 3,789 replies, 212 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 6 months ago by
.
- Posts
Some fancy pictures of the new look Royal Dublin Hotel by Ashlin Coleman Architects, which received planning permission two years ago:
I can’t say I’m mad on the redesign, though maybe the finished product would be more mipressive than the drawing. Any improvement on the current monstrosity would be welcome…
I thin k it will be quite an exciting addition to the street actually, especially at night. 2 years is quite a significant delay though….I wonder whats up. Were they waiting for DCC to get its bit over with before they invested.
Well perhaps Ashlin Coleman will have managed to put a bit of professional thought into the pathetic dangerous mess which now exists at the Ivor Callelly Memorial (Taxi Rank) directly opposite the RDH.
This piece of farcical nonsense really does need to be observed for a while to grasp just how devoid of professionalism and a grasp of the real-world DCC`s Planning Dept really is.
The present Taxi Rank arrangement is on every count far worse than the “Old” one.
Intending passengers have virtually nothing to inform them that the place is in fact a piece of Public Transport infrastructure (DCC Style)
I watched yesterday as several intending passengers each tugging a pull along and shoulder baggage traipsed along the line of Taxi`s unaware that there was actually a Top to the Queue.
On a Street which now has a sign for almost every concievable event there is Sod-All to inform the intending public-transported minded person as to the conventions or rules of Taxi Travel.
The Shelter which was there pre IAP is long gone as are the information panels.By far the most dangerous element and the one which points a very accusatory finger at DCC Planners is the Designed-In element of DANGER which Taxi Drivers AND other Road Users now have at the New-Improved Rank.
It is Impossible for Vehicles to make the U Turn around the central reservation in order to maintain the queue without either projecting out into the Northbound general traffic lane,already compromised by the Cathal Brugha St right turn,or having to REVERSE back out onto the Southbound lane in order to conform to the requirements of the law.
Even when positioned correctly at the Rank the exposure to Danger continues with passengers entering the Taxi by the Nearside front and Rear Doors,which of course are now positioned on the OFFside of the general traffic lane travelling along OCS proper.
This is Lunacy and if it`s the Best DCC can come up with then it`s a living disgrace that former high-ranking City Officials can be wafted off into the stratosphere to the sound of Harps and rustle of rose-petals being thrown at them rather than having them dragged back to the OCS Taxi Rank and questioned as to what they were thinking of when they signed off on this piece of Krapp.
I am fairly certain that if,for example the Road Safety Agency were to commission a Safety Audit by REAL professionals on the design,construction and critically,THE OPERATION of this Rank then it would be closed down forthwith.
Perhaps if the RSA can not be bothered then the Motor Insurance companies which service the Taxi industry might be prepared to cast a critical eye over the situation.My essential point is that DCC have managed to take an imperfect situation vis a vis the OLD OCS Taxi Rank and make it immeasurably worse on every count ESPECIALLY from a Road Safety perspective with NO agency prepared to cry foul,even an Garda Siochana whose premises have a grandstand view of the crazed situation.
If ever there was a case for having our City Administrators chosen by the City Electorate this is IT.
Now……how much would UPS charge to deliver a crate of P45`s to Wood Quay ?? 😮While I haven’t exactly sat down to watch the rank in operation, I certainly agree regarding patrons accessing the front seat by the only exceedingly dangerous means possible, i.e. to walk out onto the busy road. It’s a major design flaw which is much more pronounced on this very busy dual carriageway laden with buses and fast moving cars bolting up from the Spire to beat the lights at the taxi junction, than other roadside ranks in the city. Another reason why this rank simply shouldn’t be here.
A little further down on Upper west, National Irish Bank have erected a new sign on their imposing 1860s Bryce-designed branch, in line with their recent rebranding, This is probably their only branch in the country where they had to depart with brand colouring and go for brass 😉
And how elegant it looks too, if perhaps a bit too bright? Maybe a brushed finish would have been better.
It appears to be backlit. A nice job.
Only the downside is, given they’ve just completed these works, it would suggest they’ve no intention of tackling that lower facade for a long time to come 🙁
What a shame, as it’s a fairly decent shopfront (if not original), but requires the stripping away of that hideous not-mentionable coloured paint, as well as the rather crude double glazed sash windows and other additions. The upper elevation could look spectacular if cleaned too, though if that unique colouring has developed over the years via the sandstone ‘rusting’ upon exposure, then it’s best to leave it alone.
A spectacular concealed floodlighting job could be done up there too.Was there no way DCC could enforce other improvements along with the sign development, given it’s a protected structure and the related nature of shopfront works?
the main thing that the NIB branch needs is a symetrical street level – it needs a mirroring entrance on the northern end for a start…
Their branch on College Green has recently had similar lettering added
A hideous colour! Who on earth chose it….
Well I got my first look at the competed street this week and I have to say I am quite pleased at how its turned out. I actually dont find it as bare and sterile as I expected, at least not with summer leaf cover. And lets not forget that the trees will grow and will become a much moire prominent feature. In fact the plaza trees are already look like they are thriving. There are a number of trees missing though…anyone notice this. About 10 in all I would think. I wonder are tehy related to the installation of kiosks? In fact the one thing that struck me about the street is the need for a thorough snagging. Lots of small bits and bobs needing attention to complete the finish.
I must also say that the visual clutter is also not as bad as I expected…in fact I think tehre has been some effort made to reduce the poles which seemed to be springing up everywhere. For example the plaza area is now cleared of poles and bus stops. I see Fenetec’s new telephone kiosk on the median where the fountain used to be. Sorry Fenetec but its a non-event I still stand by my suggestion of incorporating telephones into kiosks. Eircom are installing kiosk on the side pavements (the opposite of what was intended) although they are in line with things like lighting, post boxes and bins. But they have opted for their own design and I really dont see the DCC enforcing a standard model.
On the planning front I notice Clerys have a permission in to renovate their Sackville Place frontage. Also saw a couple of refusals for internet cafes in the ACA area. What really needed is for the DCC to target certain units along the street for big name retailers to stimulate development. Findlater House is an obvious target and is Dr Quirkeys. I would also like to see some progress by the RDH, Savoy and Gresham on their already approved application. And encouraging street cafes and some quality restaurants would also be a positive move.
And finally, I think the sculptures are cool., a great idea. Just need a few seats to admire them.
Since National Irish was bought by Danske Bank, the Danes have imposed the parent bank’s style/image on NIB. Everything has changed except the names.
Here’s a shot of Danske Bank’s external signage.
I don’t know if I’m the first to post this, but Ann Summers have stuck up a plannign permission notice, setting out their intention to re-do their shopfront.
Maybe it won’t be turquoise with lingerie adverts and mannequins directly opposite the GPO..
Myself and the other half disagree on this, I think it looks pretty bad where it is. A classy facade could make all the difference in the world.Stumbled upon a great image of O’Connell Street in 1965 here the other day. The street lamps look particularly impressive I think.
I just tried it there and it worked, but try copying and pasting this into your browser.
http://www.ribapix.com/image.php?i=15498&r=2&t=4&x=1
Hope it works.
Phil
What has happened to (at least) 15 trees on O’Connell Street?! Removed, in some cases sawed off at the base. Its very strange…were they diseased, dead on arrival? Can anyone shed some light.
And speaking of light…. there are a number of lamp standards not working, including the whole section in the median at before the Larkin statue. Is it a tripped switch?
I was walking along the other night and also noticed the fact that many of the lights aren’t working. However, I didn’t notice a pattern to it. It seemed that at random at least half the lights were out along the upper end of the street. One might be working, then the next two out and vice versa.
I have also noticed the trees,and wondered if it had anything to do with the riot in February?
You mean the riot that wasnt a riot phil? The thing is that many of these missing trees where only put in place after the riot, particularly along the upper stretch of the street.
I also though it might be something to do with the installation of the kiosks. I reckon the CC have gone cold on these. Id say there wasnt sufficient uptake to make them commercially viable and they fear a repeat of the situation on Grattan Bridge. I may be wrong but it they havent even been mentioned lately. The planning permission for the kiosks on the lower half of the street was granted early last year and I would expect that the kiosk incorporating the Luas power room be in place at least. Instead this concrete lump just got a paint job to make it less conspicuous. The tender for the kiosks, issued earlier this year I think, mentioned that they were build and operate jobs, that is the CC wasnt undertaking thew works themselves.
Mr Fenetec has found another spot for one of his (or is it her) non-descript telephone kiosks. At least Fenetec is sticking to the median as proposed by the overall plan for the street. Eircon also recently installed a number of booths along the side pavement although they are in line with the lamps, trees, etc.
@StephenC wrote:
You mean the riot that wasnt a riot phil? The thing is that many of these missing trees where only put in place after the riot, particularly along the upper stretch of the street.
As an eye witness to the incident I can tell you that it was definitely some form of riot.
Yes, I know that some of the trees were not in place at the time of this incident, but even in the upper end there were some already there. The six closest to the Parnell Monument being a case in point. The other exlaination, as you have already mentioned is that there was something wrong with them when they were delivered. Of course, the other option is that they were damaged since then.
It seems likely they were damaged during the Junior Cert ‘celebrations’ on O’Connell Strreet the other night.
I walked the length of the street only a few days ago and everything was fine – where is all this damage Stephen? 15 trees is a heck of a lot.Agreed about the median lighting – a number of clusters are not operational, and many were on during daylight the other day. Clearly there’s still teething problems.
Fennetec’s phone pedestal (taken few months ago):
Also one of the bright new LED units on the Upper median – they’re wonderfully bright and clear in their new state. They ought to be regularly cleaned.
@GrahamH wrote:
It seems likely they were damaged during the Junior Cert ‘celebrations’ on O’Connell Strreet the other night.
I walked the length of the street only a few days ago and everything was fine – where is all this damage Stephen? 15 trees is a heck of a lot.Some of them have been missing for quite a while now. Not sure how long, but it certainly hasn’t just happened in the last few days.
Humm…I dont remember but was bikes locked to trees and poles a part of the design? :rolleyes:
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
