well what about the developments popping up in the shannonside ?

Words are failing me here. A giant rotating glass globe!!! Is somebody fricking kidding me!?! Will it be filled with snowflakes?? 🙁

@massamann wrote:

Words are failing me here. A giant rotating glass globe!!! Is somebody fricking kidding me!?! Will it be filled with snowflakes?? 🙁

massamann, its because of complete cretins like u that potentially the most beautiful city in ireland is a fucking dump. why have interesting ideas when we can build more of the tat that they built on the dock road and henry st.

@shanekeane wrote:

massamann, its because of complete cretins like u that potentially the most beautiful city in ireland is a fucking dump. why have interesting ideas when we can build more of the tat that they built on the dock road and henry st.

You aren’t serious are you?

This is clearly ripped off from the famous “sunsphere” episode of the Simpsons, what next, a monorail?

@massamann wrote:

Ha Ha, Shane you are a hoot!

For a second there, I actually believed that you thought the solution to Limericks image problems is to build a giant glass sphere. Yes, that would really improve things. Especially as it also rotates – surely that is the element that pushes this proposal from just being doggone fantastic into the realm of absolute genius. We can even pay for it from our billions of oil dollars. But wait! – we don’t live in Kazakhstan!

Seriously man, if you think this would add ANYTHING to the city, then I’m happy to have to suffer your personal abuse. 😉

Ya it would add at least one thing to the city: a giant glass sphere. Since the city currently consists mainly of badly maintained georgian buildings, a bunch of intimidating ugly central streets and a lifeless riverside, then anything out of the ordinary would make it better. I can’t imagine anybody even beginning to object in this fashion to the garbage that is the dunnes building on henry st., that marriott hotel building, the bank of scotland building, that ugly crap just being finished further up from it, the clarion hotel, the riverpoint building, and the entire dock road. Well that’s not working is it?

The Vision of a Revitalised Limerick

Peter Coyne / Edward Walsh

The Fundamental Vision

Arising from the 20 interviews with a selection of leading figures in the wider city area, a uniformity of expression was evident concerning the present state of the city and the fundamental or intuitive vision of its future:

What Urban Limerick Looks Like

• Retail moving out to suburbs – retail values falling;
• Nobody manages the entirety of the city: it’s divided up between 3 competing local authorities;
• Depopulating and looking a bit derelict;
• It’s going nowhere – even though it could be great;
• Little development compared to other cities;
• No joined up thinking – or doing;
• Economy hanging on a shrinking base;
• Three huge concentrations of inner city deprivation;
• City centre dragged down by social and economic imbalance;
• No heart to the city;
• Absence of vibrancy and culture;
• The river could be so much more;
• Hardly any tourism – very little to attract them;
• Business areas abandoned after work;
• The bigger city has no leadership;
• The city is not embraced by the people – they don’t own it;
• Not even a cinema;
• Terrible reputation for crime that’s probably undeserved but these things are self-fulfilling;
• There is no vision

How Urban Limerick Should Look

• A growing city for the region – could be a 250,000 metropolitan population;
• A proper city with ambitious and accountable government with a can-do attitude;
• A honeypot for inward investment – a counterbalance to the overheated east;
• A bustling and exciting waterfront – an iconic heart to the city;
• Vibrancy in the city centre – 18-24 hour city;
• A critical mass of tourist attractions;
• Family-friendly city with the homes and amenities that encourage people with economic choice to live in the city;
• The retail centre for the region;
• The university an inextricable element of the city brand – connecting socially and culturally with the city as well as economically,
• New economic activities – a knowledge industry growth centre – renewed synergies with a growing 3rd and 4th level;
• Excellent transportation infrastructure and interconnectivity with other Atlantic cities – people able to commute between them;
• Docklands and King’s Island new and wonderful mixed use extensions to the city centre;
• Several big civic pride icons – buildings and places to put us on the world stage;
• Citizens taking pride and caring for their city;
• Leadership;
• A city known for arts and culture;
• A city with a vision

I see in tonight’s Limerick Chronicle that the Fianna Fáil County Cllr. Eddie Wade feels threatened by this independent report where he said that he had hoped that the recent boundary extensions “would be the end of it”, and called on Dr Walsh and Mr Coyne to explain their proposals to County Councillors in person.

Maybe Cllr. Eddie Wade should explain to the Irish tax payers the economic logic of three local authorities administrating a city of 100.000 people? Or better still he should explain to their constituents in West Limerick as to why they are been off-loaded into North Kerry for future general elections? The Limerick County would had been better served by a central location of their county council offices in Newcastlewest , instead of planking it along side the Crescent Shopping Centre.

Surprisingly (to myself most of all), I’ve got to say that I agree with Shane on this one. If churches have to be converted, I’d much prefer they became public buildings instead of private spaces with crazy membership fees. For a reason that I can’t quite put my finger on, I’d feel so much better about it if it was a public pool that was going in, and not some fancy-pants private operation. Strange.

Anyway, here’s a pic of a former Dominican church turned into a bookstore by Dutch architects Merkx + Girod. True, it’s not a library, but I have to admit it’s pretty tasty looking (I haven’t included the photo of the cafe section that includes a table in the shape of a crucifix – you’ll just have to look up their website for that particular detail!). Hopefully if/when the Jesuits is adapted, it’s to as high a standard as this.

I agree completely with the two posts above. Looks like another lost opportunity for Limerick is on the cards with that proposal, we can only hope the planners will agree. A new city library in the church building perhaps with the long anticipated arthouse cinema, housed in the adjoining buildings would seem like the most obvious use for the Jesuit complex. With all the recent reports and talk of regeneration of Limerick the city council and developers could put their money where their mouths are and take this opportunity to provide at least one interesting facility to entice people into the centre. Is there even a planner in Limerick with conservation expertise to deal with listed buildings? I don’t think the interior will fair too welI with a swimming pool.

A swimming pool/ gym facility for the city centre would find an ideal location integrated with the River Shannon and could make for a second unique spectacular and practical addition to a regenerated city centre It could be designed to incorporate new public space, perhaps located around the Arthur’s Quay Park/ Dunnes Stores/ Sarsfield House area.

The Dutch bookshop looks stunning, perhaps something for the Fransiscan Church to emulate when it becomes a library for Mary I? I tried to find some info on the ‘designers’ of the Jesuit Church scheme but there doesn’t appear to anything on the net.Information on the appliction has yet to be posted on the City Council site.
I can’t help think of the vandalism that was carried out to one of the Georgian buildings on Glentworth St – not the Chinese restaurant that stuck some kind of a pagoda lookin thing on the front, but across the road where a large green extension was stuck on to the side of one the buildings in the middle of the street – think it’s used as the Youth Services building, sorry for lack of photo’s. It’s dreadful, would probably crack your computer monitors if Iposted it anyways.

A leisure centre? Sounds more like some Turkish Bath house…

@ShaneP wrote:

Why? All the descriptions say leisure centre/ gym/ spa!

Just considering the interior decor of a church with a pool in the floor, it simply sounded like some Russian steam house or bath house.

Originally Posted by bonzer1again
Finally, The rumours come to an end with the announcement of plans for the Jesuit church. This Article appeared in the Limerick Chronicle. Enjoy the read!!

I made the post to clear up some of the rumours that had been circulating, such as the rumour that it was going to be made into a nightclub. That rumour having recently been given legs by the fact that the developers also bought the adjoining “Kennedy O’Brien’s” Pub.

I personally believe that it’s a shame that such a wonderful building will be reduced to the same classification as a sports complex. However having said that, at least it will still be a building in use by the public all be it on a limited and paid basis, as opposed to it becoming private offices.

With regards churches becoming libraries, is that not still the plan for the Franciscan’s church on Henry street, or have the talks with Mary Immaculate College come to a halt?