lexington

@Radioactiveman wrote:

I can’t say I’m disappointed with the decision to withdraw the plans for Carmelite Terrace. However, whether this will save the buildings as they stand, I very much doubt it.

I looked into sustainable redevelopment options on these houses some time ago – subsidence and drainage issues are big factors here, not least numerous structural complications. Of course these can all be addressed, however the economic cost of this does meet a viable development alternative. A number of factors have influenced this scenario, beyond refurbishment and foundation cost issues – land value is one of those factors. In terms of attaining a sustainable profit, the amount of money required to maintain these properties in a long-term habitable state plus the cost of site acquistion does not satisfy the individual sale of these houses as owner-occupier facilities. Furthermore, their conversion to interconnected student or worker habitats, supplemented by extensions to the rear of these adjoining premises also starts running into financial dark waters. I agree that they are notable structures in their own right – but given planning policy constraints, their retention by private sources whilst generating a sufficient profit does not tally up. However, should certain policies and zonings be readdressed, options do exist that may offer a successful retention of these premises – with modifications, however the predominantly residential nature of the surrounding area may make such options increasingly complicated.

🙂 Harvery Norman Leasing Limited are set to lodge for planning permission on the former Woodies DIY store along the Kinsale Road. The infamous Australian electrical and utilities retailler are seeking permission for alterations to the circa. 45,000sq ft premises to facilitate a new store, their first in Cork, and 3rd in nationwide. Permission for new signage is also sought, signalling the dawn of a flood more of those annoying Go Harvey Go! radio advertisments on Cork local radio. There’s a downside to good things sometimes you see! 😉

A source at the ABP Oral Hearing for Werdna Limited’s Water Street development has informed me on some of the morning’s proceedings. A relatively brief statement was made by Senior Planner Ronnie McDowell on behalf of Cork City Council and it’s position at the commencement of the hearing. Following this, only one resident with the Lower Glanmire Road Residents Association, who appealed the project on a 3rd party basis, is understood to have taken the floor. Following her statement, the applicant representatives were given the opportunity to state their case. First, project architect Sean Kearns with Murray O’Laoire provided the Bord representatives with an overview of the project and its nature, this was followed by an address by Planning Consultant John Crean of Cunnane Strattan Reynolds who provided a comprehensive insight into the development nature from an urban planning perspective and some justifications for its approval. Sean Kearns later outlined a history of the project from its inception, including details of the original plan which called for a 500-unit development arranged in a U-Shaped pattern to face the river and possessing a feature 26-storey tower to act as a significant landmark for Cork. In this outline, Mr. Kearns detailled the timeline and nature of discussions between the applicants and Cork City Council, and their planning consultant Kelvin Campbell with Urban Initiatives. According to the source, the applicants made what appeared to be a relatively solid argument and highlighted notable lapses in CCC planning logic including contradictions in the reasons for condition imposition and details of the proceeding North Docklands Area Plan 2005 publication – contradictions included planning and development intentions for CastleView Terrace, to name but a few. It is hoped that the ABP take note and consider such points in their deliberation which will follow on November 24th 2005. More details later.

This account is based on source input and is not suppose to represent any specific bias should it so appear.

@FIN wrote:

i believe that if planners had more design knowledge then we wouldn’t be poles apart and we could start to work on the urban framework of which brian eluded too. it could help the built environment a significant amount.

Interestingly, Director of Planning with Cork City Council (CCC), Jim O’Donovan has undertaken to provide his planners with a ‘Design Appreciation’-style course so that planners will have a heightened understanding and perception of architecture, as well as planning. Slowly but surely CCC planners are being pushed to consider quality design as well as planning issues. Unfortunately blunders still occur (i.e. permittance of Victoria Mills and the obliteration of the Water Street project through overwhleming planning conditions – and also the Ladyswell project in which the planner, after having his decision to refuse overturned by the City Manager and Director of Planning, decided to throw in a few conditions to cut the project down to size! :rolleyes: Both Water Street and Ladyswell consequently had to appeal and decisions are due on November 24th 2005 and October 13th 2005 respectively).

@daniel_7 wrote:

any chance of pics of that aer lingus building?

I’ve posted a new thread with images of the Aer Lingus HQ redevelopment. See New Aer Lingus HQ thread for those visuals. It is a dramatic looking development indeed. Another interesting Henry J. Lyons & Partners design is on the Earthquake Property proposal for Knockrabo in Dublin – well worth investigating.

😎 According to Capitol Cineplex manager, Patrick O’Brien, the prominent Grand Parade premises is to seize operations come December 2nd 2005. Operator Ward Anderson will focus on their new, successful 13-screen Omniplex facility at Mahon Point S.C. and may consider a further option in Cork at a later date. Over 50 years on the site, a redevelopment deal was struck between Ward Anderson and Limerick-based developers John Costello and Paul O’Brien (of Mount Kennett Investments) to demolish the valuable premises and reconstuct a new 30,000sq ft department store/retail outlet and 18 overhead apartments. The design for the new structure was by Dungarvan-based The e-Project, but subsequently has met design worries in planning – a significant reassessment of the proposal is currently being undertaken and believed to be near ready – however further issues have arisen since with the propsect of a substantial retail development by a consortium involving investor Joe O’Donovan at properties to the rear and side of the Capitol Cineplex site.

Those who woe the loss of this historic cinema facility (which probably equals the same amount of persons that will celebrate it! :p ) may take comfort in knowing the further cinema facilities are planned for Cork city down the line. That aside, one site I believe has substantial potential for a nice city centre multiplex facility – as a part element of a larger commercial development – is the site on Sullivans Quay currently occupied by Government Buildings. This site will likely be the subject of a landmark redevelopment at the hands of the successful Revenue Commissioners bidder – a possible proposal could comfortably facilitate a substantial new one-stop entertainment venue with multiplex, ice-rink, nightclubs, bars, retail etc among other elements. Just a thought!

Speaking of ice-rinks, today saw the launch of Cork’s first synthetic facility called “Skidz” at the former Tall Order restaurant premises on the 1st floor of North Main Street S.C. The facility is being operated by Rod Mellor and Bill Cremin (who I hear have attained deals on extending the franchise to Kerry and Dublin already). The facility is, to be brutally honest, underwhelming – which is a disappointment because it is a great idea. It feels very slapped together and is certainly under-sized. Perhaps the operators will consider developing a more elaborate theme element to the premises over the coming future with good use of light, theme-materials such as artifical “ice-berg” and “igloo” type structures – as is, it is still the Tall Order restaurant with a small L-Shaped creche sized (200 sq m) skating area. Great for small kids no doubt, however there exists a market for a larger, proper ice-facility. Cork could stand to benefit from a larger multi-purpose facility like that at Yerba Buena Gardens/Metreon in San Francisco which has a multiplex, retail and late-night entertainment facility all mixed into a convenient area. A late night skate on the rink before catching a movie and then off to the nightclub anyone? 😀

John F. Supple Limited and The Montgomery Kenneally Partnership are also involved in a further social-affordable residential scheme at Cogan’s Field along the Boreenmanna Road, currently under construction, for 157 new units designed by Derek Tynan & Associates. 50 of these units will be provided for social-affordable use with 55 apartments and 52 housing units for private/market sale. As for the design…well I let you decide, I have my own feelings on Derek Tynan practice designs and I keep thinking someone must miss the Blackpool flats, but make up your own mind -> here.

@daniel_7 wrote:

I agree, it would be a disaster if the event centre that is eventually built is only able to hold 2,500 people.the markee in the showgrounds cleary showed that there is demand for a big venue to be built in cork…

MPH’s assessment of the Event Centre was probably more of a ‘niciety’ to establish good favour with CCC consequent of the procrastination on the Horgan’s Quay site and in light of its planned applications and intentions for the site. MPH were not smiling ear-to-ear following publication of the NADP but have, as I understand it, agreed to many components contained therein. It will be important for CCC to show flexibility on the plan, however without compromising the standard of development. MPH will likely push for increased retail provision among other things in their proposals for Horgan’s Quay – an event centre would really be just a fly in the ointment rather than a willing development component for them. With 2,500 being the proposed capacity, clearly this is unacceptable. Indeed Horgan’s Quay is idealistically a great location for such an event centre, but realistically, it is a very restrictive and difficult site to develop such a centre – that’s not to say it is impossible. However, I would agree that perhaps the Munster Agricultural Showgrounds (MAS) offers probably a better alternative for such a centre and that CCC should now seriously start getting their act together on the Water Street Bridge to facilitate comfortable movement between Kent Station/Horgan’s Quay and the MAS. A centre of 5,000/6,000 should be seen as the minimum capacity acceptable. I don’t think CCC should be so steadfast on Horgan’s Quay as to settle for second-best or to hinder the progress of the quay’s redevelopment whilst trying to get their way, and without considering the other attractive options. Mahon Point is not a realistic alternative from a development or traffic management point of view and I agree it should be kept as near as possible to the city centre. But that’s just my opinion.

Previously I may have hinted that Manor Park Homes (MPH) headed up by Michael O’Driscoll may have had ‘issues’ with the CCC request to develop a 5,000-seater event centre on the 17-acre lands at Horgan’s Quay – well this has become public with a submission by planning consultants Tom Phillips & Associates on behalf of the developers. Both MPH and CIE are not happy with the NADP (North Area Docklands Plan) published by CCC earlier this year. Indeed MPH have agreed in principal to some of the outlines stated by the council, but following assessments by consulting engineers and design consultants, MPH has concluded that such a centre as part of its development, is not sustainable. Their proposal instead states that a smaller, 2,500 seater centre may be somewhat more feasible on its site, however, in order to do so, it is requesting that CCC allow for a greater provision of retail and leisure uses to support the centre. Such a centre of this size will of course not be immediately welcome as it would provide direct competition to Cork Opera House, and clearly, the city would find it exceptionally difficult to sustain 2 like-sized venues. Despite this fumble, MPH have been very proactively proceeding with other elements of their €500m plan to redevelop the quay. Architects O’Mahony Pike, led by architect Richard Collins, have been jointly working on designs for the scheme with John Gannon of Tom Phillips & Associates acting as Planning Consultants. Other firms are also inputing into the effort. An application which had been supposed for late October earlier in the year, is now understood to be delayed with no set date yet available. CIE are currently waiting a final clearance on funding (as is my understanding at the current point in time) to redevelop Kent Station and provide a new central bus terminus – a gentleman with the company has stated that unlike the previous procrastination, he expects funding to become available very soon at which point CIE will immediately proceed to lodge an application on their €25m euro redevelopment scheme. MPH are expected to work in tangent with plans for under 1,000 high density residential units, a significant retail quarter (subject to CCC approval), leisure provisions, offices and a new plaza area all in what will be a significant 3 phase operation. A waterfront provision for leisure use is also for consideration in coherrence with CCC intentions. However, some elements of this scheme will be subject to discussions currently on-going. It is understood CCC will be discussing the NADP and associated submissions at next Monday night’s council session and will be capable of passing or altering plans up until October 24th 2005. We anxiously await.

Regarding the Event Centre, 2 other plans are still in formulation/completion – one of these plans has been rumoured to involve 2 well known Cork business figures (that’s not including OCP’s own Mahon Point plan), who up until recently were believed to have stalled their proposals, though talk would now suggest this is no longer so. The other plan has conceived a design and location already but is assessing other issues regarding its development at the moment. Both those proposals are capable of hosting up to 6,000 patrons for various event types. Deadlines are fast approaching and the heat is on more so now than ever. The next few weeks could be interesting.

🙂 The design by Magee Creedon for Michael Bradley’s proposed development at 44 Sheare’s Street is a most interesting one and is bound to attract a lot of talk. The proposal is mooted for a tiny corner premises, currently home to a single-storey fast food premises, once popularly known as the “Grub Tub” and later on, “Daytrippers”. The development calls for a 4-storey building over basement with undergound and ground level retail facilities, 1st floor office use, associated with the retail element, and a 2-storey duplex apartment for 1 bedroom. The copper-clad design is very Magee Creedon, with the split level roof-top also providing for a roof-garden. The design reminds me somewhat of a haul-tower on a submarine! It’s an interesting, if not, imaginative use of a small site – though the design is unique to this historic area, it could be quite a nice, individualistic addition.

😮 Today, Friday 30th September 2005, has been something of a triple bonus day for large-scale development in Cork. First came the announcement of Frinailla’s exciting Dennehy’s Cross redevelopment, then news of a €30m redevelopment of Dunnes Stores’ Patrick’s Street premises into a brand new 6-storey retail centre of some 13, 863m sq, now Blarney-based John Cleary Developments have confirmed that they are lodging plans for a new 13, 831sq m (just under 150,000sq ft) retail and office development at the former Sifco premises near Mahon Point. The development will rise 5-storeys over a dual level basement car-park for 301 spaces, with a further 68 spaces at surface level. The proposed offices will be located over 4 no. ground floor retail showrooms ranging between 700 and 704 sq m gross floor areas – this essentially leaves approx. 11015 sq m of office space available, or 118,564sq ft – more than adequate for say, a tenant such as the Revenue Commissioners? I’ll look into those details early next week. The design is by Coughlan de Keyser Architects. John Cleary Developments have also attained planning permission for a substantial motor-mall on the former Sifco site, and marketing is in full swing.

Image of MotorMall already proposed by John Cleary Developments for the former Sifco site.