well what about the developments popping up in the shannonside ?

@ShaneP wrote:

Just saw this in the Limerick leader – Sounds promising!

Limerick city to get new seven screen cinema

Bedford Row: plans for a multi-screen cinema

« Previous « PreviousNext » Next »View GalleryADVERTISEMENTPublished Date:
08 October 2008
By Anne Sheridan
A SEVEN screen cinema complex could be opened in the city centre in the next two years if Limerick City Council gives its approval.
Developer Michael Daly of Fordmount Developments, has confirmed that he has now bought the remainder of the properties on Bedford Row and wants to open the first cinema in the city for nearly a decade.

Under the planned €20million redevelopment of the area, fashion outlets will continue on one side of Bedford Row, with food outlets overhead.

It is hoped the opposite site of the pedestrianised street will comprise of a seven or eight screen cinema complex.

“We expect to have the planning application in before Christmas and have it ready for next September. We really want to create a leisure area to revitalise the city centre. We (Fordmount Developments] have 150 apartments rented out so we need to provide something for people,” said Mr Daly.

The first premise purchased by Fordmount Developments in July was Nevada Smiths pub on the corner of Bedford Row and Henry Street. Other outlets including Cafe on the Row and Figaro have now been acquired.

Finally! It’s probably the single most important thing you can do to bring a bit of life back to the city. But I hope that this whole block is redeveloped, not just those few buildings, especially along the O’Connell Street side.

@ShaneP wrote:

Just saw this in the Limerick leader – Sounds promising!

Bedford Row: plans for a multi-screen cinema

A SEVEN screen cinema complex could be opened in the city centre in the next two years if Limerick City Council gives its approval.

Developer Michael Daly of Fordmount Developments, has confirmed that he has now bought the remainder of the properties on Bedford Row and wants to open the first cinema in the city for nearly a decade.

Promising indeed and long overdue!

Figr0ll’s night time image 😎 of the corner of Henry Street / Bedford Row gives one a fair idea as to how well a cinema will fit in here to this location.

I quite like Cafe on the Row – especially for the all day brekkie on a sunday… be a pity if it has to go in order for the cinema to be built.. speaking of which- I remember well when the Savoy cinema re-opended around…1989 I think – it was fantastic – but between the noise of the bowling balls and the fact that it was actually a cheap and nasty building- the allure soon wore off..but I think going to the cinema in town is a lot more appealing than at the edge of a shopping centre..if only to pop into a real pub for after film banter.

Brown Thomas at least looks a bit better since they painted it, put new windows in and did the work on the canopy. It’s still pretty ugly but it at least doesn’t look quite so depressing and shabby.

Griff – I agree, Café on the Row breakfast on a Sunday is great. I love the interior of it too whatever about the mundane 90s building that it is a unit in. I’d be really sorry to see it go – it’s the kind of place that makes the city centre better than any soulless out of town shopping mall.

@Griff wrote:

Brown Thomas should be knocked (ideally) its a cheap nasty looking building in the centre of town.Sticking on fancy porches and a lick of paint is short term, you cant dress up dross…this should be a flagship department store fitting the centre of a major ( in Irish terms) city… as for penneys/dunnes/roches supermarket….they have destroyed Sarsfield st IMO… cheap and tacky.I dont think knocking the whole block is a good idea unless a seriously high quality development is put in its place – which , lets be fair is unlikley. Id be in favour of retaining the original Roches building – its not great but the best of the lot ,as well as the TSB bank and Martins pub. The chemists next to Dunnes also is not too bad. While Im on this rant, there are many fine buildings in the town – but so many need money spent to maintain them… in an ideal world a few million would be spent on Re replacing all the PVC crap that was put it and fitting new sash windows.. on all georgian buildings from Matthew Bridge to O Connel ave..including the major side strees…

The Roches Stores/Debenhams building is a relatively pleasing building, especially when you compare it with rubbish like Penneys and Brown Thomas. However, it looks as if the City Council have their minds set on the creation of a new public square at the junction of O Connell Street/Sarsfield Street, so if that is to become a reality the Debenhams building will have to go.

There are definitely a number of buildings within the boundary of this new development area that I would like to see preserved aswell. Martins Pub, Permanent TSB and the remaining couple of Georgians on Patrick Street are all worthy of retention. They have all been well maintained, are in good structural condition and the retention of these buildings would not pose any real problems to the overall redevelopment of the area!

@SuperCool wrote:

Good to hear about the cinema.
It’s been way too long.
Right across from where I’m living now too!:p

I’ll miss Cafe On The Row too though.
Never a big fan of the food, but I have fond memories of being kicked out for kissing my girlfriend in the back one day.
A school days!:D

Whats so bad about kissing your girlfriend’s back ??…
Seemingly Cafe on the Row have had no discussion with the developer regarding the future of their premises..

Thanks for the post/pics Tuborg !.. according to the Leader its a 6 storey deveopment..Id like to see some architects cgi’s of the proposal-how will the 3 storey georgians being retained look? Also seemingly there is going to be 3 levels of below ground parking – thats serious digging in a mature site !.. still it might be a good fore runner for the development of other inner spaces of our georgian blocks – not neccessarily to build on them but to provide off street parking and green space as part of an overall regeneration of a block. BTW – they have put up a big poster at bank place advertising the Opera centre…

What was rejected in the past few months was the Ma Hogan’s Ó Riada’s site.

@dave123 wrote:

I thought that development was rejected a few months back:confused: Did they reapply the application of this one, or is this a different app? I’m sure it was the same development brought forward.

Is there any plans available of what is proposed, would like to see them. Glad to see that depressing lot on those pics, to go to be honest. 6 storeys seems good planning aswell, High density is the way to go in the CBD area. It will push land values up and further stimulate investment along the peripherals.

Anything happening with the docklands? Any site around the Riverpoint eamarked for high rise, It would be nice to a cluster of high rise buildings, for working, living and retail combined. Create a real riverside buzz.

Also has Estuary house started, sorry for all the question’s, I haven’t really been around Limerick since last year to have a good nose in to see what’s happening. But right now the city seems to be really still pulling in more redevelopment and investment.

Dave , on the contrary I think there is a serious problem in the core of the city centre – traditional business is really suffering from the out of town shopping centres and for all the talk of plans to regenerate the city centre, the sad fact is people would rather drive their car to a car park in the crescent or childers road than in town… its going be a long time before this trend is reversed…and the ghost-town look of Sarsfield st parts of O Connell St and Patrick st are going to be around for awhile!… on a positive note…this isnt Boston or LA.. a little will go a long way and some of the work already carried out ..for example Bedford Row/Thomas St ..Henry St shows that there is a lot to be happy about.. and we really do have a diamond in the rough in our Georgian buildings…
Also – maybe Im being a bit naive here..but I think local developers like Aidan Brookes and Robert butler seem to have more than self-interest when it comes to their projects… I quite like the Brookes HQ on Henry st and Riverpoint is a lot better than Munchins house!..maybe the curse of St Munchin doesnt apply after all…

@Tuborg wrote:

There are no visible signs of life at the parkway valley site, not a single 1 of the 10 or so cranes on the site is currently in operation. Despite repeated guarantees from the developers that the project is going ahead, no significant construction has taken place over the past 2 months!

The Punches Cross development was suppposed to go to construction back in February, however the site has yet to be cleared and theres nothing to suggest that anything is going to happen for the foreseeable future!

The re-development of the GPO/ Hanging Gardens is continuing, much of the work is currently focused on the new office block backing on to Post Office Lane. The lift shafts are now in place and the buildings skeleton is beginning to take shape. The project is due to be finished in early 2010.

To be a little more accurate..of the 8 tower cranes on the Parkway valley site , only 1 of them has been operational in recent days.. working on a liftshaft close to the Dublin Rd. I was talking to the services engineers last week and they said there is no news as to when ‘proper’ work will recommence there – but as far as they knew it was still going to proceed. There has been so much investment already in the site it would be a tradgedy if it was abandoned now. But in the current climate nothing is certain..