well what about the developments popping up in the shannonside ?
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GMIT gone wrong.
Will be an interesting one to see how it turns out. The site is absolutely huge. I hope its not that green stuff they are going to tack on the side of it.
I wonder if the existing Parkway might go once the new place is up and running. A large residential development might be interesting there.
@vkid wrote:
i wonder are they starting it anyway…there was workmen going in and out of the buildings this morning again and they are definitely stripping out some of the shops and the old workspace building..plenty high vis vests going in that gate near the old Quinns pub..
I took a little stroll around the site on Friday afternoon, there seemed to be a few limited signs of life, 5 or 6 workmen knocking around the laneway between the cahill may roberts building and the granary, they seemed to be taking away a lot of material in skips, in preparation for demolition maybe? I also hadnt realised that the City Council had fenced off the area between Quinns and the granary!, the sign said it was done back in July “to secure the site for redevelopment” its a pity there hasnt been any sign of “redevelopment” since then. I noticed bogues yard, which is at the core of the site ( between Rutland St and Michael St) has also been sealed off, Id imagine this and Bank Place will be the main access points to the site for the construction works.
Its only when you have a good look at the site that you realise what a mammoth project this is going to be. The former AIB, the adjacent building on Ellen Street along with the near derelict Georgian on Patrick St and the river deep building all have to come down along with the rears of 8 and 9 Patrick Street and a couple more on Ellen Street. Most of the remaining buildings will then have to be braced and secured, the amount of facade retention is going to be pretty dramatic. This part of town should be a pretty interesting place over the next 2/3 years!
@Dan Sullivan wrote:
I wonder if the existing Parkway might go once the new place is up and running. A large residential development might be interesting there.
Yeah, the existing shopping centre will be flattened, probably once the new complex across the road is up and running. Apparently its to be replaced by a high density scheme of apartments, a hotel and more shopping space. Also the former Dillons garage site just off the parkway roundabout has recently been bought up, an apartment complex is also said to be planned for here.
@Dan Sullivan wrote:
I wonder if the existing Parkway might go once the new place is up and running. A large residential development might be interesting there.
@Tuborg wrote:
Yeah, the existing shopping centre will be flattened, probably once the new complex across the road is up and running. Apparently its to be replaced by a high density scheme of apartments, a hotel and more shopping space. Also the former Dillons garage site just off the parkway roundabout has recently been bought up, an apartment complex is also said to be planned for here.
The City Council and Iarnrod Eireann should consider planning a small suburban rail station stop at the parkway, would be practical for students, workers coming in / going out on the Ennis line. Of course the existing Castletroy bus route would have to connect with it?
Image of the development located at the corner between Catherine
St. and Thomas St.Looks okay this but what was there originally?
@CologneMike wrote:
The City Council and Iarnrod Eireann should consider planning a small suburban rail station stop at the parkway, would be practical for students, workers coming in / going out on the Ennis line. Of course the existing Castletroy bus route would have to connect with it?
I agree a small platform wouldn’t be that problematic and combine that with a stop out to the north of King’s isle and we would be seeing some real forward planning.
@demolition man wrote:
Image of the development located at the corner between Catherine
St. and Thomas St.Looks okay this but what was there originally?
Ah the obligatory red brick makes its return! Is that a 6 storey structure I see?, might be a bit excessive! It’ll certainly change the face of the Thomas Street/Catherine Street junction anyway. The plans are for offices, apartments and ground floor retail.
That site was crying out for development really, set price taxi’s was literally falling down and a number of other buildings were in a poor state of repair. Thomas Street really has come on a lot in the last few years, mainly due to the pedestrianisation, work on the remainder of the street is due to start in January.
@demolition man wrote:
Image of the development located at the corner between Catherine St. and Thomas St.
The proposal looks well for the corner of Catherine / Thomas Street. This modern building complements nicely the on going pedestrianisation there, especially when the building becomes wider footpaths to it’s frontage. The height appears to be keeping in line with the Georgian buildings on the other side of Thomas Street. There are a few more sites to be redeveloped in the direction of Wickham Street (Thompson’s Undertakers).
Any more angles of this proposal to be seen?
From todays IT Commercial property section..Also mentions the same rumour I heard earlier in the year that Brown Thomas was possibly to relocate to the Opera Centre and we will eventually see the back of that ugly building dominating O’Connell Street. Would be great if they do. Better image of the entrance to the Opera Centre at the corner of Ellen Street and Patrick Street which looks a lot better than the original one the Post and Leader had. Will see if I can scan in..it doesn’t seem to be online.
Full article here” The new Opera shopping centre – planned for the centre of Limerick by Gerry O’Reilly, Terry Sweeney and David Courtney – was unveiled at a time when two more shopping centres are under construction in the city and two others are to be redeveloped.
The timing of the Opera project may well be fortuitous because Limerick is the only Irish city to have allowed out-of-town shopping centres to grow like topsy at the expense of the traditional shopping streets in the city centre. It is also the only Irish city where out-of-town retail rents are higher than on the high streets – a serious indictment of the way the city council has managed shopping developments.
The Opera scheme has the potential to help shift the balance back in favour of the city because it will involve the regeneration of a large block of rundown buildings, some almost opposite Arthur’s Quay shopping centre and running around the corner to Bank Place and Michael Street at the rear.
The plan is to provide 40,000sq m (430,556sq ft) of shopping space on two main levels and two smaller top floors, much of it in modern shopping malls behind Georgian facades.
The well located site was quietly assembled over the years by Northern Ireland businessmen Sam Morrison and Sunil Sharma who later sold it for a reputed €100 million.
Larry Brennan of Savills HOK will be letting agent for the centre which will have two main anchor tenants and about 40 shop units. The promoters will obviously be hoping that Brown Thomas may fill one of those anchor units by moving down from its tired store on O’Connell Street.
The Opera centre will also have a foodcourt to seat 500 people. Otherwise it will be aimed at fashion and lifestyle retailers. The development is likely to trigger an upgrading of the Arthur’s Quay shopping centre which has dated rapidly despite the fact that it is not yet 20 years in business.Also due to be redeveloped is the rundown Parkway shopping centre on the Dublin Road which was acquired last year by Pat Doherty’s Harcourt Group. A few hundred yards away, Liam Carroll is building Parkway Valley shopping centre in competition with the impressive new Dunnes Stores on nearby Childers Road. And on the opposite end of the city, Tesco is to anchor a new shopping centre known as Coonagh Cross on the Ennis Road. It will be only a short distance from the new Jetland Centre anchored by Dunnes and still struggling to make its mark.”
Architect dreams large for city’s future
Limerick Independent Rachel Finucane
A Leading architect has proposed that a tram system, the radical development of Colbert Station, and the establishment of a city financial district could be an example of the “leadership and vision†needed to halt the decline of the Shannon region.
EML architects Managing Director Hugh Elliott said that the transfer of the Heathrow slots from Shannon to Belfast, and the refusal of Iarnrod Eireann to provide a Shannon-Limerick rail link, highlight the urgent need for a coherent regional policy.
“The lack of leadership and vision means that the area is handicapped in competing with other regions. A unified planning and development framework is urgently needed to halt this decline,†he said.
“The Government’s intention to reform local government in their ‘Programme for Government’ is the key and Limerick’s voice must be heard loud and clear.â€Mr Elliott made his comments at a Breakfast Briefing hosted by EML architects in the Marriott Hotel, on the theme: Opportunities in Urban Development—Where to next?
EML Director Michael Landers said the Limerick city needs a modern transportation system, and trams would be the answer to that.
“This is about providing infrastructure to cater for the future growth and development of our city. Think about the positive image trams would portray in attracting investors and tourists, not to mention providing Limerick with a real competitive edge over other gateway cities,’’ Mr Landers added.The proposed tram system would connect Caherdavin, Castletroy, Ballysimon and Raheen to the city centre and would be provided through private investment, based on the Croydon Tram-link model.
Another suggestion was a “new public plaza and transport hub†at Colbert Train Station, with new mixed-use developments as well as a pedestrian connection from the train station down to the riverside to “provide a counter-balance for city centre developmentâ€.The ambitious plan would be completed with “clusters of tall buildings on the riverside from Bishop’s Quay to Steamboat Quay to become the financial district of the cityâ€.
Limerick City Council Director of Services John Field also gave a presentation on the new Draft City Centre Strategy at the briefing.
“Our vision is for a vibrant riverside city with a centre of world-class excellence for working, learning, leisure and living. We want to regenerate the city centre and we see the re-development of Arthur’s Quay and the building of the Opera Centre as the catalysts for that,†he said.
He added that “the pedestrianisation of O’Connell Street and the all the adjacent streets will bring a new dynamic living area to the heart of the city centreâ€.
The upgrading of leisure facilities with Riverside Walks, new arts and cultural facilities and the redevelopment of Thomond Park will also “greatly improve†the city’s recreation facilities according to the official.@vkid wrote:
From todays IT Commercial property section..Also mentions the same rumour I heard earlier in the year that Brown Thomas was possibly to relocate to the Opera Centre and we will eventually see the back of that ugly building dominating O’Connell Street. Would be great if they do. Better image of the entrance to the Opera Centre at the corner of Ellen Street and Patrick Street which looks a lot better than the original one the Post and Leader had. Will see if I can scan in..it doesn’t seem to be online.
Full article hereThe promoters will obviously be hoping that Brown Thomas may fill one of those anchor units by moving down from its tired store on O’Connell Street.
I think everyone longs for the day when that monument to misery meets the wrecking ball, but I wont get my hopes up just yet! I wonder would Brown Thomas really consider moving into a shopping mall?, after all they like to consider themselves an exclusively high street department store, I believe all their stores are located on the principal retailing streets in each city! The O Connell Street location is unrivalled, its the building itself thats the achilles heel of the business. Even though it was only opened in 1963 and despite a good deal of investment over the last couple of years, its basically obselete at this stage. The layout is awkward and the whole operation seems to be hampered by a lack of space. I notice, Brown Thomas have recently spruced up the facades by giving them a nice coat of grey paint!:)
Theres been a lot of talk of Debenhams switching to the opera centre aswell, of course their current store could be facing demolition aswell as part of the plans for the Arthurs Quay area. Marks & spencer appear to have signed up for the parkway scheme although there are rumours that they’re planning a city centre store aswell. Whatever happens, there should be a bit of a scrap for the 2 anchor units. BTW has anyone come across any flooor plans for the opera centre?
Below;
Old Todds Department store, destroyed by fire in 1959.
City Hall may target ‘derelict’ city site
Limerick Leader Mike Dwane
PROPERTY developer Ger Madden has been warned Limerick City Council could acquire through compulsory purchase order a mixed scheme that has been left idle for three years.
Planner Ciaran Reeves said that while his department wasn’t looking directly at the site adjacent to Watergate Flats, it was clear the developer and former Radio Limerick boss had “walked away from the site”.
Former mayor Cllr Joe Leddin, Labour, has suggested the site could be registered as derelict. Once a site is put on that register, the Council can charge a levy of six per cent of the rate of valuation per annum in respect of a site that is deemed derelict.
Mr Reeves confirmed this was a possibility and “equally we could acquire the site through CPO”.
The planner pointed out that when the city centre strategy was unveiled in draft form last week, it was made clear that a dim view would be taken of sites that were being left idle in the heart of the city.
Ger Madden received planning permission for a mixed development of apartments, retail and a car park at the Carr Street site a number of years ago but Cllr Leddin complained that “after initial work began over three years ago on the site, no further progress has been made”.
A separate development by Mr Madden in the middle of Watergate Flats is nearing completion but Mr Reeves noted in respect of that scheme that one of the conditions for planning permission was that it be served by the car park at the unfinished Carr Street site.
“While that development has gone ahead, he has clearly walked away from the other one and it has not been completed in accordance with the permission granted,” Mr Reev
es said.Cllr Leddin says he now wants action on the Carr Street site. “The structure is now effectively derelict and the whole site area is a total disgrace with discoloured hoardings falling down. It is not acceptable for residents of Watergate to have to endure this eyesore and the problems it is causing for their community simply because the developer has other plans,” he claimed.
The site should now either be completed immediately or demolished and cleared, Cllr Leddin said.
He feared that children from Watergate and Sean Heuston Place could get up to mischief and access the site through the substandard hoardings.
“If Health & Safety went down there, they would shut it down,” Cllr Leddin said, adding he would be bringing the matter to the attention of senior planners at the next meeting of the City Council. Ger Madden could not be contacted for a comment.
19 November 2007
He should have stuck to bottling milk. 😀 Shannon Dairies v City Manager
Below is an image from Ger Madden’s second on-going building site across the road (june 2007). I presume it is finished now?
I hear that O’Connor and Shanahan architects have put a submission to Limerick City Council looking to save Arthurs Quay Park. Anyone know anything about it?
@Bock the Robber wrote:
Just take one look at the standard of construction there.
It looks like it was built by a milkman.
Dammit you owe me a cup of coffee and a new monitor for that 😀
@Bock the Robber wrote:
Just take one look at the standard of construction there.
Yeah Bock, my own (subjective) impression of the building site in the summer was a dodgy one.
The state of the footpath at the entrance of the building-site was littered with burst bags of plaster-gypsum was an absolute disgrace. Residents of the Watergate Flats had to walk through this slippy white muck.
The contractor involved seemed to save costs for not using a full scaffolding to finish the façade of the building. Instead they moved a small scaffold along the façade from section to section. I wonder, if such a practice is acceptable to the health and safety officer?
The use of timber frames to support the exterior walls of the six storey building façade didn’t inspire me (as a lay person) on the grounds of fire safety either? I may be wrong but would not concrete blocks or metal frames be a better option?
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