lexington

@kite wrote:

:confused: What is going on on this forum Lex?
Things have never been so quiet, the title is changing, the time display suggests that we are all burning midnight oil…Just finding this all hard fo follow.

kite – the development front was going through a little lull there for a period, but things are starting to pick up now again coming up to Christmas. As for participation, that really is the discretion of users – the number of hits to the thread would seem to dictate that it is continuing to be read regularly by a number of persons (many not registered), however it terms of contribution – it’s up to people I suppose to take that on themselves. The same happened once or twice before, when there’s no real big news, things aren’t as frequently responded to.

As for the title, you’ll have to direct your enquiry to Paul Clerkin – presumably the title element ‘architecture’ was not perceived as warranted(???), Admittedly the new title is a little confusing, and maybe a revised title like “Cork: Development” would at least provide some sense of identifiability with respect to the preceding thread title. Similarly, you’ll have to ask him about the time displays – I don’t generally take note of them but I know other users have mentioned the same issue on other threads. I don’t know, sorry. :confused:

Interestingly, between the ‘LADSOCL’ thread and this thread, a combined hit volume of 248,219 views has been achieved with a combined 3,042 posts. That’s no bad achievement in terms of participation and says a great deal about the popularity of the threads and the Archiseek.com forums as a whole. 🙂

All the best,

Lex 😮

@Aidan wrote:

Lexington, about the location for this proposed pharma plant, there has been some activity (testbores etc) in a field on the right of th dual carraigeway as you head for Midleton (where the Ploughing Championship was held a number of years ago). Is this the site in question?

Quite genuinely, I don’t know the precise location. I was informed of the proposal by a well-respected member of the Cork Harbour Pharma Industry and was never issued a precise location – but was simply told it will be with easy accessibility of the Cork – Midelton Dual Carriageway and by extension, Little Island.

The OPW have indicated their intention to announce the successful Revenue Commissioners tenancy bid for next week. The contest has been a long and tough one with some good proposals forwarded. The likes of The Shipton Group, Kenny Group and McCarthy Developments had all forwarded pitches, however, in the end only 2 proposals came down to the final tie with a proposal set for the former ‘Susie’s Field’ quarry off Assumption Road in Blackpool, now looking set to bring home the ‘trophy’. Ascon Rohcon Limited who have championed a planning permission attained by auctioneer/developers Joe Carey & Frank Sheahan are claiming to be dead-cert in having attained Revenue Commissioner tenancy. The subject proposal attained permission in July 2003 following a lengthy planning process beginning back in 2001. Designed by Jack Coughlan & Associates, the scheme was granted with permission for 397 basement car-parking spaces over 2 decks and 13,511sq m of additional commercial space of which the bulk is open plan office space. A provision of 250sq m of retail space will be made for local services use. The new building will extend to 4-floors over the basement car-parking with the structure’s profile generally aligning with the quarry slopes.

Susie’s Field site indicated in purple. Not shown is the new link road between the Blackpool By-Pass and Pope’s Road which also graces the western periphery of the site.

If Theo Cullinane (of Ascon) is endorsed by the OPW announcement next week, it will mean up to 600 of the Revenue Commissioners staff will leave Sullivans Quay in the city centre and travel to the northern suburb breaches. Should the case be verified, construction on the project is likely to commence early in 2006. It will mean the loss of McCarthy Developments contestancy who provided a highly attractive docklands alternative of 8-storeys along Centre Park Road, designed by Murray O’Laoire (see below). As part of the deal, Ascon Rohcon & Joe Carey/Frank Sheahan will also acquire the valuable 0.75acre Government Buildings site at Sullivans Quay which, subject to some site foundation modifications, is capable of providing a landmark commercial scheme which would have adequate scope for a new city centre cinema facility (in lieu of the Capitol Cineplex closure and its prospective redevelopment see here -> https://archiseek.com/content/showpost.php?p=43573&postcount=1128). Any redevelopment of Sullivans Quay will demand a superb architectural standard utilising the exceptional vista afforded down the soon-to-be renewed Grand Parade (designed by Beth Gali & Associates).

Also on the subject of Ascon Rohcon, who are now pushing further into development activity in Cork city centre, the group are linked to a holding on Albert Quay which adjoins the recently purchased Doyle Warehousing facility (0.5acres) sold recently to Howard Holdings for an estimated €9m to €10m.

Paul Kenny’s proposal, designed by Wilson Architecture – no longer in the RC bid running.

McCarthy Developments’ Centre Park Road proposal designed by Murray O’Laoire.

It is unfortunate that the 2 proposals depicted in the images above have not attained RC tenancy, from a city centre urban renewal perspective. However, does this mean the projects are lost entirely? Not necessarily. McCarthy Developments, who hold full planning on their proposal, may yet decide to proceed with it on a more ‘independent’ basis – as for the Kenny proposal, a number of options remain with this scheme, including a phased development or change of use of certain elements to create a more mixed use approach – should its appeal prove successful. :confused:

Cork is embarking on a phase of expansion and renewal – some describing it as the most exciting revival of the city in modern times. As a location to develop and invest, the likes of Mark Fitzgerald (CEO of Sherry FitzGerald Group) are hailing it as having the potential to represent one of the best urban revival operations in Europe. Fintan Tierney of DTZ Sherry FitzGerald has earmarked Cork as one of the best investment opportunities in the country. Hamilton Osbourne King’s Paul McNeive has noted his company’s commitment to the city citing it’s intention to be at the cusp of what offers the company and its clients one of the best operational opportunities available. The confidence in the city and metropolitan area has been reflected by moves from major construction companies like Michael McNamara Construction, Coffey Construction, PJ Walls and arrivals expected soon by the likes of Laing O’Rourke (who are investigating setting up its first regional office outside of Dublin in Cork city) and P. Elliot, whose expansion south to Nenagh is seen as a happy-medium to take advantage of southern opportunities but with one company insider noting, Cork is very much on the long-term list. Major design practices have moved in to the city in recent times like Scott Tallon Walker, O’Mahony Pike and Henry J. Lyons & Partners. And too developers not traditionally active in the Cork region are involving or soon to involve in exciting projects over the coming future. CSO predictions cite the Cork region is in a position to take advantage of a population spurt of anywhere up to 100,000 by 2015. All in all, the forecast looks good – with perhaps the biggest threat lurking in the shadows of property value inflation. So all this progress is positive news – but as the city embarks on this revival path, it now has to consider how it intends to distinguish itself as an individual city and character…much of this can be achieved through good, considerate design. Are we there yet? No, not at all, but we now have an opportunity to get there.

The historical humdrum nature of development activity in Cork has never really offered it the chance to establish a unique character in the modern age – up until about 2002, new structure formation failed to kick into the frequency it is now starting to enjoy…the biggest redevelopment challeges now stand ahead. To date, there has been some success and some, well, not so successful projects in emergence. Cork needs to develop a distinctly Corkonian character in the prospective design of its new buildings but one which is not afraid to interpret new ideas and architectural approaches. A distinct ‘character’ (and of course opinion will vary) does not mean monotonously repetitive design layouts, but rather designs which utilises facets of the city’s history, culture, people and surroundings (i.e. river, natural materials etc) as inspirations for their realisation. It is in realising such features that Cork can be pitched with a unique flavour to prospective investors, employers, businesses, residents and so on with a strong leg to stand on. In seeking out this ‘character’ represented through our buildings, we should not be afraid to explore new avenues of design and utilise the various offerings of different approaches to provide new ways of realising this identity – regardless of height, usage or location, the opportunity to ascertain and develop this identity remains. Does this mean there is no room for other influences? Certainly not, but as I said, individual character does not mean restriction to any one architectural discipline or style. We should strive to build on the highest existing standards – and by doing so, incorporate these new standards as immediately recognisable facets of the character which we seek to build.

Are the buildings below stepping stones toward creating an individual architectural identity in the modern age for Cork???

Eglinton Street – designed by Wilson Architecture

Phase 1 of Camden Court – designed by James Leahy & Associates

Coppinger Court – designed by Magee Creedon Architects

(P.S.: I’m not stating ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the designs posted above, nor am I implying a vantage one way or the other regarding them – they are simpy posted for deliberation. Any other examples are most welcome.)

@Leesider wrote:

now that Douglas has been brought up what is the current situation with this?? is construction due to start any time soon or is it still in the planning phase?

Are you referring to the ‘town centre’ development by The Shipton Group?

Planning already exists on Douglas Village S.C. for a substantial redevelopment, designed by Wilson Architecture, which will facilitate increased retail space and a multi-storey car-park so as to allow and new east-west routeway and alleviate many of the rancid traffic concerns facing Douglas.

However, this will likely see some alteration and allowance for a link-up with the redevelopment site constituent of the former Permanent TSB premises, Cinema World premises, Shell Petrol Station and the green site to the east of Cinema World. Douglas Court S.C., also in the possession of The Shipton Group, will benefit from a link-up to the remainder development plans. Bowen Construction are also understood to be on-board with the scheme. As best I am aware, issues are being ironed out with Cork County Manager Maurice Moloney and CCC, with a planning application scheduled within the prospective future – so in answer, construction on the overall scheme is a bit away I’m afraid.

😎 Quinlan Private, as part of a larger €103m acquisition of property assets put on the market by KBC Asset Management, has acquired the retail premises occupied by Argos (part of what was formerly the Queen’s Old Castle Centre) at Daunt Square, the junction between the western end of Patrick’s Street and Grand Parade. The remaining properties as part of the deal are centred around Dublin and include the likes of Oldbrook House on the Lower Pembroke Road and Block P6 of the Eastpoint Business Park.

Lexington, you know the way you said they were going to extend the shopping centre northwards, well isn’t the multi-storey carpark and apartments in the way. U have any plans/photos of the extension of how the extension well look, so as to visualise it. Thanks

I think we may have got our wires crossed – I was referring to Mahon Point SC. Designs there, as best I am aware, have yet to be realised entirely. Movement on that was posited at 2009, so it’s somewhat off yet.

The Ballincollig S.C. expansion is earmarked for the west, sorry, on a siet beyond the existing surface car-park. An application for that is about 5 months away, pending. 🙂

I’ll be honest, beyond one or two projects – such as the Evelina Children’s Hospital (interestingly, which was used as a comparitive in the planning application for Paul Kenny’s Treasury development along Patrick’s Quay by Wilson Architecture) and Wildscreen in Bristol, my familiarity with Hopkins Architects was limited. I’ve been looking into the practice increasingly so and I have to say, I’m impressed!

Hmmm, interesting! 😉

Well worth a look – any opinions?

Visit: http://www.hopkins.co.uk