well what about the developments popping up in the shannonside ?

Does no-one have a clue what to do about wires on the exterior of buildings? These restorations are very restrained, but it looks as if the wirescape is going to stay. Can wires not be put in the basement areas, or under string-courses or round the back – or just undergrounded and concealed within the structure as they should be?

@Dreamstate wrote:

Is this the same developer as the block onto Henry Street to the rear of the old County Council Offices?

Sean Geary and Len Dineen see post

@Tuborg wrote:

I presume the repaired wall will now be covered by salvaged or imitation brickwork as has been done just below the roofline?

I doubt it Tuborg, the plaster work looked to me like as if it were the finished job. Maybe a coat of white paint for the plaster work, as white is the predominant colour of the new buildings within the block.

Hartstonge Gate ~ River Stone House (Album)

@Dreamstate wrote:

It still amazes me that Arthurs Quay Park ( which is more popular than ever since the railings came down ) is to be built upon without any public backlash. This forum seems to be resigned to the fact.

Buildings PREVIOUSLY within the Architectural Conservation Area to be demolished to make room for the Opera Centre …..

‘ Any development is good development ‘ seems to be Limerick City Councils motto

Understandably there has been a lot of opposition to the proposed removal of this city centre park but you have to look at the bigger picture here. This part of the city is dying and badly needs to be brought back to life. Penneys and Debenhams gave up the ghost here years ago, just take a look at the yard behind Penneys in the attached aerial shot , its being used partly as a loading area and partly as a surface car park!:rolleyes:

Aurthurs Quay park was a decent proposal back in the early 90s but it just hasnt worked and its now time for a change. Under the plan, the redeveloped area would be a primarily pedestrian zone with a new public square at the junction of O Connell St and William/Sarsfield St. A promenade would be developed along the waterfront linking Sarsfield Bridge to another public space behind the Hunt museum. This in turn would be linked by a new pedestrian bridge to another public plaza at the potato market.

Obviously we will need more detailed information to make a proper judgement on the project but overall I think the proposals are positive enough!

Proposed Aurthurs Quay Redevelopment

@Dreamstate wrote:

The City Council Planners and Jim Henson’s characters have a lot in common ….

The Georgian Centre extends from Bank Place along Patrick & Rutland Street / Arthurs Quay onto O’Connell Street but LCC now say that it never really did !!!! They will only allow buildings of historic importance to be knocked to facilitate development .

Is Tiger Lillies gone yet ? Quins is due for demolition next ,,, Patrick / Rutland is about to be castrated …..

As I said before …. Limerick City Council view any development as good development.

The Limerick planning section seems to be in awe of any developer who once played for Munster , Ireland and any developer who uses a Dublin architect . . . . But then again , the GOBSHITE Councillors seem to rule the roost

You overrate the Councillors importance in planning in Limerick. The real issue is the planning office doesn’t have the energy or ability to decide what type of city it wants Limerick to be. The Councillors can object to or endorse a project, but most of the development in Limerick is not happening on council or State land.

Limerick City Hall is populated by some of the worst Civil Servants in Ireland, from housing right through to planning. These people are both unanswerable to anybody and uninterested in the city. The council have been relegated to a rubberstamp committee rather than a driving force in Limerick.

Hartstonge Gate ~ River Stone House

Georgian houses form a C-Shape boundary (Harstonge, O’Connell and Mallow Streets) around this re-developed block. This high density development shows in my opinion that the Opera Centre can also be developed without having to sacrifice any Georgian buildings on Ellen Street. On the other hand, will this type of high density re-development happen to similar Georgian blocks between O’Connell and Catherine Streets?

View A:

Henry Street / corner Harstonge Street. ( Nice hanging street cable. :rolleyes: )

View B:

Entrance to new L-Shaped lane. Henry Street / rear mews of Mallow Street.

Great potential for these old mews if properly restored (Restaurant, Café, Gallery).

View C:

I presume this is the entrance to the new foreign aid offices?

View D:

Left and right side perspectives of the new lane from within the core of the block.

View E:

Here buildings to the rear of the former Limerick County Council offices.

Great pics as usual CologneMike, I had meant to take a look around that place myself but never got around to it! I suppose the first thing to say is that its certainly good to see the site developed after lying derelict for as long as I can remember.

Unfortunately though I find myself distinctly underwhelmed by the finished product. The Henry Street frontage is incredibly bland and Id nearly go as far as to say ugly! I mean whats the story with all those windows?, it just look really messy! I dont think this particular patchwork of materials on the front facade works either.

The City Council may feel that this development reflects their ambitions for a more intensive usage of the core areas of Georgian blocks. But in my opinion it comes pretty close to over-development, maybe others might think it actually is? Them apartments squeezed in between the office block and the old council hq surely cant provide a quality living environment either. What have you got to look at, only the backsides of the surrounding buildings. Its all a bit claustrophobic, I dont think I’d like to live there anyway!

@vkid wrote:

Speaking of the Opera Centre, did i see somewhere a decision on the new plans is due this month??

A decision is due by next Thursday, provided the planning department don’t look for further clarification on the plans. Although the word is that they are now satisfied with the information they received a few weeks back.

Unfortunately we don’t know what that information is. It would be great if the developers came around to the idea of retaining the buildings on Ellen Street, although that’s probably being optimistic. Either way we should know the score next week.

Incidentally I came across a large group of Italian tourists yesterday, making their way from the Hunt Museum towards O Connell Street. As they passed the forlorn, boarded up buildings on Rutland/Patrick St, many of them starting gesturing and pointing at them, the group then stopped to take some photos. They seemed to be particularly interested in the building with the tree growing out of it:eek:; I don’t think they could quite believe what they were seeing! Its certainly makes for an impressive sight, literally on the doorstep of one of the city’s main tourist attractions. What an embarrassment!:o

Heard that was changed in the new plans and there is to be another entrance on Patricks St.. Was talking to someone who had seen the plans and was overall more excited by the new design than what went before. It is only one opinion..havent seen them myself.

TO be honest thats the one thing I notice any time I’m on Ellen Street is how dark it is. Any apartments oi’ve been inon the street are extremely dark. Would do no harm in my book to open it up a bit…Its a horrible street at the moment, dark dingy and made up mostly of sex shops, head shops and the odd antique store thrown into the mix..

@Dan Sullivan wrote:

My suspicion (but I read The Prince too often) is that they are looking to draw a foul with the Ellen st changes as we’d say in GAA circles so as to delay the start of the project (while having an reasonable excuse for their banks) until they think they can get the best value for their construction Euro and be hitting completion just as the economy picks up.

Well they might have another “excuse” now if this story drags on. Limerick City Council, the developers and Trinity Rooms have been at each others throats quite a bit lately, Trinity Rooms are already worried about the impact on their business during the construction of the opera centre.

Land dispute could delay Opera Centre

The area outside the Trinity Rooms which is subject to a planning oral hearing

By David Hurley

A ROW over a tiny plot of land, which will be the subject of a contentious public hearing next month, could further delay the construction of the multi-million euro Opera Shopping Centre.
Management at one of Limerick’s most popular nightclubs are seeking to halt proceedings initiated by Limerick City Council to acquire a footpath at Bank Place near the Granary, which they argue, is located outside one of the main entrances to the complex.

An Bord Pleanala has confirmed a full oral hearing, which will cost thousands of euro, will be held at the Castletroy Park Hotel on September 3 next after the Trinity Rooms formally objected to the CPO proceedings.

The tiny piece of land, which is less than 100 square metres in size has no registered owner but according to a spokesperson for Limerick City Council it is in “the charge” of the local authority.

A number of other plots of land and properties at adjacent streets have already been acquired by Limerick City Council in order to pave the way for the construction of the Opera Centre, which could cost up to €250 million.

In a detailed submission to an Bord Pleanala Managing Director of the Trinity Rooms, Pat Barry, states: “The proposed CPO will put the day to day running of my business and its 103 employees at risk and cause hardship to my employees, suppliers and customers as the main access point via Bank Place will no longer have a public right of way.”

Limerick Leader