Griff

Meanwhile back in town….
http://www.limerickpost.ie/index.php/navigation-mainmenu-30/local-news/3561-mas-key-link-to-city-centre-project-.html

M&S key link to city centre project
by Limerick Post exclusive by Marie Hobbins
Thursday, 01 September 2011 09:30
Council to seek expressions of interest in large tract of land

EXPRESSIONS of interest in a prime city centre site are to be sought by City Council, which could result in the long awaited arrival of Marks & Spencer.
It is understood that M&S are part of current negotiations, as are the Roche Group, which has leased its former Roches Stores premises to Debenhams.

The area involved includes Sarsfield Street, lower O’Connell Street and Liddy Street, as well as the vacated Dunnes Stores site and a section of Arthur’s Quay Park.
An impeccable source has confirmed to the Limerick Post that although the council will officially advertise for expressions of interest, “there really is only one gig in town, and that is the developer, Michael Tiernan.”
It has also been confirmed that a prominent Limerick city business woman is involved.
Some years ago, the Limerick Post exclusively revealed Mr Tiernan’s plan to demolish the aforementioned city centre block.
The proposed development, put on hold when the Opera Centre was approved, is now, according to reliable sources, “ready to roll.”
Marks and Spencer are being sought as anchor tenant, and serious talks are taking place.
“The area is ripe for development and there is no impediment to the title, if approval is given by the Department of the Marine,” the Limerick Post was told
Shortly before going to press, this newspaper was informed that Mr Tiernan, brother-in-law of accountant Gerry Boland, closely associated with JP McManus, is also keen to purchase the Opera Centre, which would be a welcome development for the council.
Another source told the Limerick Post: “Mr Tiernan, who developed the Arthur’s Quay Shopping Centre, would ideally like to attract M&S to the city.
“Such a move would gain the goodwill of the council, which would have reservations about any possible entry of M&S into Arthur’s Quay Park, a proposal which had been put on the table”.

Yes but you just know that a tunnel isnt going to be built under the park.. as good an idea it might be, the funding just isnt there to build it.. I think some form of pedestrian priority system in front of Arthurs quay would make the park more accessible without costing millions..

I don’t agree that the Opera centre was too big a development – in fact the proposal to refurbish and incorporate neglected Georgian buildings into the scheme was one of its selling points imho…. Sadly we are unlikely ever to see this development proceed. The only bright light I can see is once the amalgamation of the 2 councils happens there may be more money to spend on the city… maybe.. There has been some good work done on the 2 strands and Thomas st/Bedford row.. Jury is still out on Sarsfield st/William st.. I think there should be a scheme to help finance the refurbishment of existing buildings on these streets also..

@Dan Sullivan wrote:

I’ve heard talk, vague to say the least, about redeveloping Arthur’s Quay and integrating this development with the Opera Centre site. If Mr. Tiernan hasn’t, unlike the other players around town, over extended himself he could develop the Opera centre and move his existing tenants into it and then re-do Arthur’s Quay as prime city centre office space.

I wonder to what degree we could end up with more land/site swaps happening around the city. I think the Parkway for example could take the half completed Liam Carroll site out the Dublin road and level the existing Parkway complex and revamp it as office/residential making much better use of the site with an integrated train station (wishful thinking) and bus link to the Plassey campus.

Interesting point Dan,Arthurs Quay looks over the park and river and so you would imagine that it would make an attractive location for an office and/or apartment development.With regard to the Parkway site , this area needs serious consideration by the council from the point of view of traffic management.For many people travelling into town from the Dublin road this area is a major bottleneck that puts people off going into the city centre.
In Cork they built the Blackpool bypass ( Im sure anyone who travelled into Cork city in the old days remembers crawling along through Blackpool). The final result is a road littered with traffic lights but at least there is a reasonable flow and you are brought driectly into the city centre opposite the Opera house and a choice of 3 multi-story car parks to aim for.Similarly on the south of Cork city they built the south city link road – on the site of the old railway line I believe.This provides quick access to the city centre and a route to the train station. All the above is off topic – but for the Opera centre to be successful and indeed for the rest of the city centre to get an increase in footfall, the city needs to still pander to the lazy approach — hop in your car and get out in a parking lot..multi-story… with free parking! ( How about free parking all day everyday for anyone with 30euro+ receipts from city centre shops… I know , I know…cloud cookoo land.)

I saw this application – it was posted just before Christmas – if my memory is right this was previously refused ?.. I thought the thinking was no more cinemas outside of the city centre and now we have a possible 3 .. Coonagh , Jetland and Ballysimon… hope Hollywood ups the outout for the increased demand.

January 2010
By Nick Rabbitts
DEVELOPERS are planning to build a seven-screen, 1,300-seat cinema on the city’s northside.

MZM Holdings has lodged an application with the city planning authority to change the use of three units in the Ennis Road retail park to one single unit.

The project – if it gets the go-ahead from Limerick City Council – would see a seven-screen cinema, consisting of 1,338 seats built on the Ennis Road retail park, near to the Jetland Shopping Centre.

If the plans get the green light, it will represent the second cinema to be granted permission on the northside, following an application by Chieftain Construction to build at Coonagh Cross.

Full story: See our Wednesday edition

According to the application lodged by developers MZM Holdings, the proposals also include a children’s party area and a computer entertainment facility.
The developers have described the proposals to construct a cinema as something which will “diversify” the mix which already exists on the northside of the city.
The development, they say, “will provide an active recreational use for the area. The provision of a cinema would provide a significant amenity facility for the residents and employees of the Ennis Road area and would significantly enhance the attractiveness of the retail park as an employment mode.”
Mayor Kevin Kiely, also a northside councillor, said he would rather see a cinema at Coonagh Cross. But he would welcome “this alternative location”.
“It will provide local facilities for that area. I have been talking to planners, and they are anxious that at least one cinema complex goes ahead,” he stated.
Labour councillor Tom Shortt said the lack of a cinema on the northside was one of the major issues he came across on his election campaign.
“Strangely you would think the calls would come from young people, but there were also calls from older people. I am not surprised that somebody has identified there is a market there which I genuinely think there is a huge demand for.
To go to a cinema, people (from the northside] have to essentially cross the city. The major inconvenience here is for parents. One of the biggest sectors who use cinemas are young people, and this is a transport problem. Parents are dropping their kids across the city, and no sooner have they got home, it is time to collect them again,” he said.
Ger O’Rourke of Chieftain Construction last week told the Limerick Leader he believes his proposed cinema at Coonagh Cross will be ready to open by the end of this year or early next year.
As the Limerick Leader went to press, no spokesperson for MZM Holdings was available for comment.

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Last Updated: 20 January 2010 8:37 AM
Source: n/a
Location: Limerick

@D-A-V-E wrote:

the other floodlight is up beside it, im guessing the other 2 are going up for the end of the week

The 2 on the Clareview side just dont look right imo…

well they have…and you can add the Opera centre … the Butler Office development on Henry st..part of Coonagh Cross seems to be abandoned also…The private hospital on the Dock rd has been stuck at foundation level for over a year now – although I heard that they are close to agreeing finance and will be back onsite soon. The private hospital for Adare I believe isnt going ahead..

@D-A-V-E wrote:

cool do you know if this is actually going ahead, how big will it be etc..probably going to be a nightmear building it as you have a busy road immediately adjacent to it!

Havnt a clue – just heard it from the contractor installing the floodlights.

I assume its safe to say this site will never be finished by Dannigers.. its going to be the most awful eyesore – and I bet theres no way they can be legally forced to level/clean up the site ? A good solution perhaps would be to close the old parkway SC (taking some of the load off the roundabout) and transfer into the Parkway Valley site. The biggest change this region needs is a boundary extension to prevent any more of these ludicrous out of town developments..

All my young-fella wants to know is if there is going to be an Eddie Rockets diner attached to the hotel… Personally I think its a smart location for Travelodge !