ewankennedy
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@pier39 wrote:
ya know, if abp had shown some real insight, they would have cut that block (dont know which one, the one visualised up in those images with the sloping facade) by about 2 storeys and shift block a to the west by a few metres rather than cutting it and allowing the rest of the development proceed as proposed. that would have been a far more intelligent method of maintaining the views of st. finbars cathedral and maintaining the quality of the overall development in its original form.
I see what you mean and i agree. The removal of Block A was a bit of a farse. The second pic gives a pretty good idea of this. Removing the tallest (possibly one of the more interesting elements) makes ya worry bout Water street. But i read somewhere over the weekend that a planner involved with Water street said he was confident of a good outcome as the developers had made appropriate proposals and adjustments to satisfy most objections while maintaining the integrity of the project. I hope so cos it would be a great loss to the city if it didnt get the proper grant. All the best i say,
@lexington wrote:
Just to update you on this, I was told today that the sale on this site was publicised today, so with that I should probably tell you that the successful bidders on the site were Howard Holdings. The fate of the remaining properties is currently not yet known, but the would offer OFC a nice waterfront vantage considering their permitted Eglinton Street development is relatively land-locked on the 3-acre former sorting office site to the immediate south. Either way, the Howard Holdings acquistion gives the company an enviable dominance either side of the river channel with their City Quarter project along Lapps Quay and now WebWorks and Doyle premises on Albert Quay.
Can we expect a date anytime soon for an application on the Albert quay site? Howard must have really fought this one out which shows the strength of their interest in the docklands in Cork. Also someone said before they had a masterplan by Murray O’loaire architects made up, i take it they have further plans for the larger docklands area? I think Howard are probably the right guys for a big development job in the docklands and if City quarter is anything to go by they’ll produce first class stuff too! Cant wait to see what they have planned for Albert quay, another job for Scott Tallon walker??? And what of the in between sites? Think they’ll sell up to Howards or will O’flynns or Ascon (??) do something of their own. I suppose if i was making the decision for O’flynns i’d probably by very attracted to the idea of a nice waterfrontage. Who else do you think will be a big player in the south docklands?
I think highrise would look so awful in Galway. Its such a unique character city that i’d hate to see it ruined in a lust to look like every other city. I love Galway and always have the best craic up there, its character totally makes it what it is and would hate to see anything damage that. But who knows!!
@who_me wrote:
Pictures of Eden development in Blackrock.
I wouldn’t call them ugly at all, but considering they’re possibly the most expensive new development in Cork (per sq. foot) in the last few years, I was pretty underwhelmed.What is it about O’Mahony pike architects style?? I’ve been looking at their other projects like up in Dublin and they all seem to me the same. Very simple, very bland but they do bland and simple very well, its like their architecture is lost in the past somewhere. The Eden design just looks so boring. theres no flair or excitement to their architecture. Is this what we can expect from Horgans qy? :confused:
The architects that have impressed me most lately are Wilson architects, James Leahys, Coughlan Dekeyser and maybe Murray O’Loaire.
PS. (and Hogans are really good too sometimes!)
Is it just me or does anyone else think Reddy O’riordan staehli have dived lately these days. Is it the Reddy influence?? I dunno but i think the last thing they produced that was maybe somewhat decent was the new St. johns college. Everything else seems to have been boring boxy and bland. The Crows nest development is another clear example that joins the ranks of the Lavitts qy hotel (both designs!), CUH extension etc for bland design. Ive no problem with a tall building going up on the Crows nest site, in fact i think it should be taller to act as a proper landmark and not try and block off County hall half assed but properly, but if this is the design standard theyre going to produce, forget about it!
ps. Centre park road building looks very sleek indeed. Think McCarthys will go ahead and build it even if the Revenue go to Saint patricks qy??? Still prefer the Kenny proposal though, think its much better suited and REALLY hope it goes ahead. 🙂
@lexington wrote:
The Loft site will be redeveloped at some future stage, incorporating the Coal Quay bar. It is earmarked for higher order retail use and will likely extend vertically while incorporating the existing, protected limestone facade. Herlihy’s sold the Loft site for a sum believed to be in or above 2.5m euro, while Joe O’Donovan also purchased the Coal Quay bar next door for a figure understood to be about 4m euros.
As for OCP plans on an Event Centre at Mahon Point, it seems doubtful. Consider site size, access, land type, proximity to residential (400 new units being developed by McCarthy Developments at Jacobs Island directly next-door), parking etc etc. Although I do agree that the waterfront nature of the site would be attractive, it would be an exceptionally tight/tricky fit. The original plan was for a predominantly public-string (EU etc) funded trade centre.
I dont think i’d like the idea of any event centre at Mahon point. For one traffic is bad enough as it is without 4000 more cars having to add to it. I think it should be kept as close to the city centre and docklands as possible. The new Water street bridge should help facilitate the plan at the showgrounds.
As for Cornmarkt street, i think a development at the Loft/Coal quay bar could be really nice but it would have to be respectful and really classy. I think a little postmodern Romanseque could do the trick here. Maybe, i dunno.
Any sign of work starting on the Grand parade plaza yet??? I thought it said in the news like, last April work was due to commence in a few weeks. Its amazing the amount of other big projects that have come and gone in the space this project has lain idle, surely excavations must be long over! I though i saw them pouring in concrete for the basement carpark ages ago.
I am curious. I know Manor park homes are taking on board the redevelopment of Horgans quay. but who will be the FIRST big player to take on a significant south docklands site redevelopment? And when?? and how ambitious will they be?
And lex was saying that a new website for the development at the Ursalines college in Blackrock was due to be launched. I saw an ad in one of the Sunday papers and it gave the website address at -> http://www.edenblackrock.ie
The add showed some pics of the proposal too, i think designed by O’Mahony pike architects. Personally I think it looks rather boring. I hope O’Mahony pike offer something a little better than that at Horgans quay.!!
@bunch wrote:
btw – does anyone think that the sean mhuileann (?) development in blackpool looks CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP – pure 1990s tax-incentive red brick underwhelming designs – probably will be redeveloped in 10-15 years – almost as bad as the other development on commons road – cannot remember the name (advertised as dreamland)
Its a far sight better than the other Keating associates design at Camden wharf. And as far as tax driven developments go its far better than that monstrosity at Victoria mills.
Does anyone know who will be building Eglinton street? will the O’flynns be doing it themselves??? And who were the architects/planners for the Howard holdings masterplan in the docklands?? anyone?
@Radioactiveman wrote:
I see what you’re saying Ewan, but
(a) As far as I’m aware, the appeal was related to both the demolision and construction of the proposed building.
(b) The building already demolished could not have been unsafe due to it being in constant public use up until a few weeks ago.
(c) The developers are very unlikely to have had Council consent since a warning letter was sent to Frinailla by the Council when these early demolitions were first rumoured.The ABP decision is due on the 13th October.
Well i dunno, but I don’t understand why they would do something like that if they know its going to cause trouble…unless their friends with Jim mansfield and the T&C partnership! :rolleyes: I’m sure theres a perfectly good reason.
I was walking along Cornmarket street earlier and see the works on the Guy and company site is proceeding nicely. Buildings to the side of the Musgrave building have been demolished and the red-brick facade seems almost freestanding now. Think a post said here that excavations were due to be finished this month and construction work would go ahead thereafter.
I think 2006 will be a good year for Cork development. 2005 was good but i think we’ll see some big changes next year as some of the projects put forward this year come into action. By the end of this year i’m sure we’ll see new tower cranes over the School of music. Parnell place hotel, Cornmarket street, Ladyswell(?), maybe Grand parade plaza???? (at long last!), UCC Boole library, and another over Jurys? Hopefully it’ll be bright in the night skies of Cork this Christmas!!!! 😀
And the start of next year? More cranes over Eglinton street, Paul kenny’s Revenue commisioner building (i hope), Water street (I also hope) and maybe the Clontarf street and Deane street office buildings? I get excited seeing our city develop in a good way and always think the sight of these cranes is the most visual demonstration of these changes and their impending arrival!
@Radioactiveman wrote:
Frinailla Ltd. have started to demolish parts of their site at Watercourse Road without planning permission and before ABP have ruled on the appeal which local residents brought against the decision to grant permission by CCC.
I’m astonished that Frinailla couldn’t wait 1 month for a decision (which may well be in their favour) before proceeding. This move will no doubt cause uproar amongst local residents who made submissions and appealled all 8 (at last count 🙂 ) planning applications which have been made by the developers. There is also a high profile campaign being carrried out by former workers in the Meat factory portion of the site who are looking for redundancy payments from their former employer.
Despite the obvious need for re-development in this area, I do not like this type of underhand approach which Frinailla seem to be employing. I doubt whether the decision to begin demolition on a soaking wet Friday was made at random. I’d be confident that little or nothing would be left by Monday morning. Frinailla have really let themselves down with this one!I think you may be a little wrong on this one, and i dont know much about planning as such but as far as I know they can demolish buildings proven to be either unsafe with council consent or following local authority grant where the appeal is for the actual development construction and where the buildings have been deemed not to be of any historical or architectural significance. As far as i know they are actual allowed do this…but feel free to correct me cos i looked into this when the O’flynns demolish the old sorting office before getting planning on Eglinton street.
Wow that Crows nest development sounds really exciting, can’t wait to see the pics. Along with the Nat ross development and that news on Joe O’donovans city centre plan, they are the best new plans i’ve seen proposed for Cork in a few months.
BTC line up seems only ok. Good for local community i’d say and Aldis is suppose to be getting under construction later this Autumn. Maybe when the full list is released for BTC it will look a bit better. Love Jump juice bars though so thats a good one for me! 🙂
I think now that O’callaghan properties have the Lavits quay site, I hope they design something along the lines of their 21 Lavits quay building. Something really classy. The last few proposals were very poor. I think the retail plan sounds interesting. But Joe O’donovans plan sounds equally enticing.
Does anyone else thing that generally Fleming constructions developments are somewhat lacking in the design department? just looking at some of their schemes I can’t get over how boring and bland they are. The most they seem to have ever input into design has been with Trinity court or the hotel in their Fota island development. For such a seemingly successful company youd think they could afford the time and effort to push for good design.
@A-ha wrote:
Was I right in presuming that R&H Hall is Ireland’s third tallest building…. I can’t find any sort of Top Ten list anywhere on the internet.
Nope even to start with you have Georges quay plaza in Dublin which is the same height as Liberty hall at 56m and then theres Riverpoint in Limerick which is being completed and Millenium tower in Dublin too.
Hi, just talking about the 2 developments either side of Carrolls quay, you have the James leahy designed Camden court on the western side of the road and the J. Keating designed Camden wharf on the eastern side. Both are new and under sale at the moment. As far as i know, phase 2 of Camden wharf is under sale – There are 59 apartments here in total. Camden court is seeing its 2nd phase now under construction, i think it totall there will be something like 90 apartments there. Which do you think is the better design? I have 2 pics below (thanks for info too lex) so which do you think ended up the superior development? in terms of design i mean!!
Camden wharf. J. Keating and associates. and developed by the Hornibrook holdings.
Camden court. James Leahy and associates. developed by OSB group.????????
WOW!!!
Are they serious though?? maybe if Mr. kenny is successful in getting the Revenue comissioners and I hope he does cos i really love the St. patricks qy building he proposed, maybe he could use the Sullivans quay site for that hotel proposal. That site could probably accomodate a building of that height a bit better and provide a dramatic backdrop when viewed down along Grand parade.
But really, do ya think that building at the location seen in the pictures is really that bad? It could make for a nice punctuation of the citys skyline with County hall in the west, that hotel in the city centre, Eglinton street in the east and leading out to highrise in the docklands.
i dont think St. Finbars would be too dirupted by that cos the hotel is stepped to the side of the vista and not actually in its path like that other hotel proposal at Crosses green, yeuck!C’mon lads! Cant we get this thread the 5 stars it deserves?? give it yer vote! hehe
I do hope St. patricks qy gets the Revenue commissioners. It makes sense location wise and would be a great addition to the city centre.
On Blackpool I agree, i live nearby and its a great asset to the area. Far better than Mahon point.
The Ford site is 11 acres according to your last post on it. Clearly a site that big and in such a prominent location will require big imagination and big pockets. What developer do ya think could be up for taking such a project on????
I’d say the big want will be waterfront sites but Fords site seems pretty exciting too.
I like the designs for Grand parade. I think it’ll add continuity to the city centre and i especially like the way the pedestrian area to the west is being enlarged with the traffic lanes moved to 1 side.
Has anyone seen the new building on Copley street under construction by Coffey builders it looks so cheap and boring! 😡
