Ten Developments that shook Dublin

Dublin-Kinstown Railway
Loop Line
Royal Hospital
Parliament Building
ESB Hq – at the time at least.
Busaras – albeits impact short-lived.
Wood Quay – stirred the city into action.

The Central Bank inso much as ensured the financial district stayed around Anglesea St until the early 90’s

The dandelion market and resulting Stephens Green Shopping Centre both firstly as a sub culture ie barclay Dunnes william Tell, Bruxelles etc, then later the Centre as it extended the prime retail zone right to the top of Grafton St.

Powerscourt town house restoration/conversion take a bow mr Power

The Morrison Hotel or possibly the Clarence hotel restoration or both combined they both did loads for temple bar.

O’Connell Bridge house

Trinity Court in Pearse St, Dublins first methadone clinic, back as far as Tara St dart station still suffers greatly. Even early 90’s there were a number of retail choices on this stretch of Pearse St now everything is locked or has a bouncer

Georges Quay plaza as it has sparked the south inner docklands

The first 2nd generation office block in Blackrock, we can thank that one for Sandyford etc.

The U2 Tower its not built but is a catalyst none the less.

The Inner Relief Road – brought dual carriage carnage to the city centre.

The METRO if it ever actually happens.

The 24-hour Spar on Talbot Street to be honest.

– the road-widening programme & associated mass evictions
– Dublin new towns, including Tallaght & Blanchardstown; loosely based on the Myles Wright 1966 masterplan
– 1916 Rising
– the Age of Flight; Dublin Airport
– the Temple Bar redevelopment

The County Hall down in Cork.

Liberty Hall – first real highrise in Dublin (Hawkins House doesn’t count and if it did, its only 3 years older) and Liberty Hall still remains one of the tallest.

I’d say O’Connell Bridge House was the development that paved the way for Liberty Hall and Hawkins House and the subsequent floor area/plot ratio limit that meant Dublin never got any highrises of good or bad quality. I suspect most would have been bad, however.

The road widening schemes would have to be one of the major impacts made on the city as Craig Davis and Zap said….Whole streets were demolished and it took years for them to be rebuilt. This ruined many fine old streets that Dublin had and saw the loss of many familar landmarks. The evidence of such can still be seen today with the corners of many streets brutally lopped off as well as the makings of dual carriageways around.
Frank Feely and Co legacy!

Without a doubt the anihalation of whole streetscapes has been detremental in the planning and developing ‘ Mindset ‘ of Dublin. As they did, removing whole sides of streets rendered the opposite side ( Generally left untouched ) redundant. The street loses it’s original shape and purpose and ultimately, cos’ residents on the surviving side might find staring at the donnelly centre or wide swatchs of empty rubbleised space none to pleasent to greeted with when pulling the curtains in the morning, also becomes depressed and void and eventually allowed slip into dereliction. Every road widening scheme of this nature shows these symptoms.

How many City crossroads still maintain the original four corners?

Cheers
Dave

Originally posted by Andrew Duffy
I’d say O’Connell Bridge House was the development that paved the way for Liberty Hall and Hawkins House and the subsequent floor area/plot ratio limit that meant Dublin never got any highrises of good or bad quality. I suspect most would have been bad, however.

Hawkins House was built in 1962. Liberty Hall & O’Connell Bridge House were both built in 1965, although I don’t know when in 1965 each was.

And this next bit is a little off topic, but…

I just have to say, since its right next to Bridge House, The O’Connell Bridge Tower is simply one of my favourite buildings on earth.

I think O’Connell Bridge house was built first, I lent my Destruction of Dublin out recently so I can’t check. But I think remember seeing a picture of O’Connell Bridge House completed and scaffolding up on Hawkins House.

Re: Tower House it is one of the best pieces of urban architecture (Vs Govt budget not important) in Dublin, You are not alone in your appreciation of it, John Ronan bought it a few years ago, and converted its upper floors into Apartments

Oh man, when I move to Dublin- I have to live there!!

Here are the buildings/areas of Dublin that I consider changed Dublin
Corporation Housing schemes of the 1930’s (i.e Crumlin, Cabra)
Temple Bar
Archers Garage (and its demolition)
Ex Bord Na Mona Building on Baggot Street
The original Terminal in Dublin Airport (Collinstown)
The Square in Tallaght c.a. 1990
The DART in 1984
The pedestrianisation of Grafton Street incl. the paving
The Arts & Commerce Block in UCD Belfield
Nelsons Pillar being blown up in 1966

Originally posted by Punchbowl

How many City crossroads still maintain the original four corners?

Unfortunately, it seems, none too many.

From the sounds of it, the crossroads at St. Patrick St. and Dean St. was quite impressive, dubbed the four corners of hell due to the present of pubs at each of its corners – something I guess similar to Doyles Corner. What has replaced it though is truly terrible – an awful mis-shaped mess.

What about the Grafton St. pedestrianisation?

The Wide Streets Commision (Although I wasn’t there to witness it’s effects)
Stephens Green shopping centre debacle
Eccles Street demolition debacle
Gardiner Street demolition debacle
Parnell Street demolition and road widening scheme debacle
Patricks Street demolition and road widening scheme debacle
Fitzwilliam Street demolition debacle (already said)
Wood Quay debacle (already said) …….these are endless
The Central Bank
Port Tunnel
LUAS

I’m surprised nobody’s mentioned the Fr. Pat Noise Memorial.

The ripping up of the extensive tram system in the 50’s.
The prosperity which brought widespread car ownership and made car use affordable resulting the sprawl of Leinster.

As opposed to concentrating on individual manefestations why not look at some causes of patterns.

1 The development of private housing associations in the 1920’s which spawned many of the inner suburbs such as Clontarf, Marino etc

2 Containerisation which altered land use patterns in the docklands