lexington
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SN Brussels Airlines, the national carrier of Belguim, has announced 2 weekly flights between Cork and Brussels commencing this summer (July) – depending on the popularity of the route, the airline has said it will consider year round flights. This additional service now adds to the growing list of scheduled European services to Cork which now includes Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Barcelona, Malaga, Alicante, Rome, Munich, Malta, Nice, Prague, Budapest + many others.
For more info. on the Brussels route, see the SN Brussels Airlines website
Also, I have it on good word that a notable US Airline is currently in talks with the airport about commencing a scheduled, year-round Cork to New York JFK service (which will operate between 3 and 4 times weekly) – however, this will be subject to further negotiations and the outcome of US-Ireland Bilateral Aviation Agreement discussions. Aer Lingus have also expressed an interest in commencing a Cork – US service subject to the successful outcome of the same negotiations, New York JFK is also their preferred destination.
🙂 If you throw your minds back to a few pages ago in this thread, you may remember a mention regarding the sale of the small 2,025sq ft triangular site on Clontarf Street (to the east of the Bus Station, and to the rear of No.5 & No.6 Lapps Quay). Well, the site was sold last year for 1m euros to a developer who, for now I can’t name, however, what I can tell you is that planning permission will very shortly be sought for a 12-storey office building over commercial unit on this tiny, landmark site. The building will approx. 22,000sq ft of office space, plus commercial unit and provide a slender, landmark tower in the heart of this fast emerging office district of Cork. More details as they come.
🙂 Also, nearby, you may also remember that I informed you that Deloitte & Touche had be assessing a vertical extension to their offices on Lapps Quay (between No.5 Lapps Quay and Connolly Hall). Coughlan de Keyser Architects had been approached to part-assist in the design of this new extension, however, I have been now recently told that Deloitte may abandon this option for space at (so it is rumoured) nearby No.6 Lapps Quay, under construction by Bowen Construction, developed by O’Flynn Construction. It is assumed that Deloitte may option their existing offices on the market, including some space to it’s rear. It is not clear yet whether Deloitte will option their offices as is, or seek planning for the vertical extension and sell it off to a developer. The latter option may be appealing to OFC themselves – with a possible land-for-offices swap(??? – I’m just speculating on that point.)
No.6 Lapps Quay – under construction
🙂 Thankfully, OFC have scheduled a meeting with City Manager Joe Gavin for next week to help rectify the stale-mate reached between the developers and planners regarding car-parking at their Eglinton Street development. OFC propose 553 underground parking spaces as part of their massive, high-rise development, but Planner Evelyn Mitchell has conditioned that only .5 of this total space be made available. It seems a little idiotic to be honest with you, CCC didn’t have a problem issuing OCP with 450 underground parking spaces for a development not far removed from this one along the Western Road. Proper order too. See prev. post re: the OFC/CCC deadlock.
:rolleyes: I’m convinced a certain Irish Examiner property journalist reads this thread! Some of his reports display an uncanny resemblance to exactly the same information I have posted on this thread going back along. Hmmm – the Irish Examiner basically confirmed interested tenants for OCP’s Academy Street development as I had mentioned previously (i.e. Zara, Pull&Bear, Bershka etc etc – and its true, they are on ‘the list’.)
🙂 Rumour has it, in addition to Academy Street and a possible, but uncertain involvement with the Capitol Cineplex redevelopment, O’Callaghan Properties are actively developing plans for along Cornmarket Street. The plans are supposedly designed to compliment the large-scale retail and resdential development being undertaken by Rockfell Investments at the former Guy & Co. building (which now has confirmed tenants in Habitat, and definite ‘enquiries’ from the likes of H&M, Dixons and passing enquiries from Arnotts and John Lewis [however I hear, another city centre location may be more favourable to them]). Though I’m not clear on the exact details of the OCP Cornmarket Street involvement – it is thought to most likely have a large retail element to it, with extensive street/pedestrian access. However, if anything is pursued, it will not likely take form until after Academy Street is nearing completion or up and running.
🙂 Just regarding the Capitol Cineplex’s redevelopment, Ward Anderson (the facility’s owners) have been in discussions with city planners about the site’s redevelopment. Ward Anderson are hoping to seek planning permission before selling off the site – however, a number of developers (including one prominent Limerick-based developer, mentioned previously in this thread) have been pushing the entertainment operators to sell the premises ‘as is’ so that they can seek a specified planning application sooner and in line with many properties bought up surrounding the cineplex itself. Many of these properties have beenn purchased with great expense over the past year to 2 years.
Also, check out the website launched by developer/auctioneer Joe Carey and Dan Mulvihill for their large Fota Retail Park development in Carrigtwohill, at the site of the former Youghal Carpets Factory. Even if you’ve no interest in the development itself, it’s got some nice photos of the who Dalmatian Style Harbour area leading into the eastern suburbs and Little Island (like the image below!).
Oh, and HAPPY SAINT PATRICK’S DAY 2005!!!I just don’t understand some of the people in this city at all…
😡 The following have been brought to appeal despite all and many concessions made during CCC planning…
1. Cumnor Construction’s highly attractive Sunday’s Well development
2. Dick Walsh & Declan Kiely’s Grianbru/Dennehy’s Cross development (by CAHRA – shudder!!! People it’s 4-storeys not 40!!!! How can you say this is high-rise? Most buildings in the area are taller.)
3. The Victoria Hotel has brought Monsoon Accessorize to ABP about it’s new signage.
4. And EVEN Howard Holdings have been brought to appeal regarding the erection of the 12 metre quill sculpture for outside the Clarion Hotel!!! Are people thick??? The sculpture was presented to the people of Cork as a gift – and to add to its lacking street art. The eejit from An Taisce is objecting because he feels the quayside would be more suited to a water-scuplture given its proximity to the river! Grow up! You can pick, choose and tailor the gifts you receive. This is utterly atrocious behaviour!I’m so tired of these small minded individuals – Cork doesn’t know a good thing when it gets it and then complains about it to everyone when its not there. If Cork shoots itself in the foot, any bets it’ll be whining to Dublin about how it never gets anything? Here is Cork trying to take care of itself and it’s being prevented from doing so by its very own people.
Tripe!
Doug C – thanks for that! 😉
opus – the OPW approached consulting engineers, the David Kelly Partnership in 2002 about assessing redevelopment options for Sullivans Quay before ultimately deciding to relocate full-stop. A number of options were presented to the OPW about remodelling the Sullivans Quay Government Buildings, before it became clear structural and foundation issues would be too expensive and difficult to correct. I have a file load of drawings and reports made regarding the building’s redesign but I’ll only post one (below) for the time being due to the limited space. Click on the thumbnail for a fuller image.
phil – that’s the general idea. It’s a clever and progressive idea, one badly needed for Cork city centre, and the location is unmatched! Let’s just hope the councillors get off their high horse and start getting priorities right – if they turn this beauty down, they are effectively turning down 300 jobs, untold investment and a quality addition to the docklands over a worry that the lease-term is too long. It will still be CCC property, just on an extended lease to Howard Holdings. HH will pay CCC an initial down-payment of 2m euros for the site with an annual rent thereafter of 2 euros. However, the benefits to the Cork region have vast potential.This isn’t really an update as such – just more of the same. Below find 2 images of the redeveloped Jurys Hotel site along the Western Road. The scheme is a 130m euro redevelopment project being undertaken by O’Callaghan Properties (OCP) under the SPV Riga Ltd. The planning application is currently the subject of appeal, but has been prioritised with a due date set for May 17th. The development will be conducted over 3 Phases, with Phase 1 scheduled for Summer 2005 – it will consist of 100 apartments + the 182-bedroom redeveloped Jurys Hotel and 450 space basement car-park. The second phase will see the addition of a further 110 apartments, and Phase 3, the remaining 93 (this will depend on the outcome of the appeal – with consideration for conditions imposed by CCC in its grant). The project is designed by Henry J. Lyons and Partners and will be constructed by Bowen Construction.
One image has been seen before, the other is a more specific image of the actual Jurys Hotel element. Further images can be found back throughout this thread.
I sincerely hope the full original application sees a grant from ABP.
As regards Academy Street – the 150m euro retail and residential development by OCP will see between 200,000sq ft and 240,000sq ft of retail space over approx. 40 units (all fashion based) on 3 floor + basement, with the top 3 floors dedicated to 80 luxury residential apartment units.I hope to be able to reveal the international architectural team behind the design in the coming weeks/months (depending) – will have to see. In the meantime, the image below outlines the current area allocated to this new development (with some minor inaccuracies not adjusted for due to inadequate current information regarding the final design).
And as the scaffolding continues to descend off the Patrick A. Cashman & Associates designed, 21 Lavitts Quay, the reality confirms what I had expected. The new OCP HQ and residential development (44 apartment units) is one of the best contemporary additions to Cork’s reshaping cityscape. Imposing yet graceful, the building sets a precedent for development yet to follow along and near Lavitts Quay. Cohalan Downing Associates report that office space at the development has almost all been pre-let or sold and apartment interest has been high with a substantial number of sales already achieved.
Doug C – I’m aware of a few proposals at this particular site, some not unlike the image displayed below, but I can’t say I’ve ever seen this particular graphic before. This is for a site along the southern docklands near Kennedy Quay/Marina Point (note Pairc Ui Caoimh outlined in the background), right? Is this the educational institute proposal? On what site did you attain this image?
sw101, you have any info on this particular image?
@Thomond Park wrote:
How can you say that a 40,000 sq foot building that has just been voted down by CCC will be built?
Because of the narrow margin of votes on the ‘dispensing’ of the site to Howard Holdings was so close, CCC have opted to defer a vote on the actual project itself until their next meeting so that in between they may address issues concerning the site – which will be subject to a obligatory repeat vote if favour of the project itself is passed.
Funnily enough opus , the OPW had actually assessed a number of options regarding the redevelopment of Sullivans Quay themselves before deciding to land-swap the building for new office premises. A number of options were looked at. I actually have drawings on the proposed alterations – I’ll try and put them up soon so watch this space! Demolition it would seem is perhaps the only real issue given the existensive structural issues. However, I am told by one developer who has been keen on the Sullivans Quay lot, that if successful, his company will be seeking to develop a similar height structure with mixed retail, leisure and residential uses – after appropriate treatment of the foundations, which may yet judge the project’s viability. However, the race is way to soon to call at this stage.
The WebWorks will be a 40,000sq ft office-type building which will house units to be let by Enterprise Ireland. These units will be allocated to start-up IT and Finance businesses in an effort to help them develop into successful enterprises. As part of the development, a variety of services will be available throughout the building to assist the businesses in various ways. R&D will be heavily supported at the centre. It will be used as a showcase for up-and-coming technologies developed by local businesses. The centre will create up to 300 jobs when complete.
The current use of Albert House is nothing – it was once a pleasant former train station building, most recently it has been used a CCC Parking Fines Centre and centre for the Traffic Division, but since early this year has been vacant awaiting its refurbishment and development of the WebWorks to the rear. The new development will allocate the top floor of Albert House for Traffic Division usage once again when complete.
*UPDATES*
😡 CCC, who at their meeting last night (Monday 14th March 2005), were set to vote on allowing Howard WebWorks Ltd (a company owned by Howard Holdings) possess the Albert Quay site on a 700 year lease from the City Council to develop a 4-storey WebWorks development designed by STW, have voted against such a permission being granted. They claim that a number of councillors are worried about passing over a public building such as Albert House over to a private developer. By a margin of just 2 votes, the motion failed to pass. Joe Gavin is said to be majorly ticked off – and who could blame him. The centre would have been the first of its kind – and was designed in conjunction with CCC. Enterprise Ireland have already begun marketing the project, which they will lease from, to provide start-up businesses with an incubation style setting. Issues concerning the project will be deferred to the next meeting were it is hoped another meeting will take place.
😡 And on another delightful note, Fine Gael councillor Colm Burke (former Lord Mayor) proposed to City Manager Joe Gavin that CIE be threatened with a CPO regarding Horgan’s Quay after 7 years of blatant lies, insults and broken promises on its redevelopment. John Lynch, Chair of CIE, has basically given another 2-fingers to Cork in another recent CIE-issued statement were he said that the promised Urban Rail network (which would have included stations at Blarney, Blackpool and so on) was no longer a CIE concern for the time-being. Joe Gavin said a CPO was unfeasible at this time.
:rolleyes: :rolleyes:@Doug C wrote:
Also can anyone suggest very good examples of single houses (old or new) in Cork City or environs.
Probably not the best example but this is No.1 Annaville along the Western Road, Cork – built in a private, gated cul-de-sac with 5 other similar but non-identical residencies accompanying it. The houses (valued at 950,000euros + each) are built in an American Colonial-type fashion with delicate copper finishings to boot! This image doesn’t do the house or houses any justice, but to see them hand-up in real life, they’re oddly drawing. 6 bedrooms and what a location! Built in the 1930s.
The architects for this project are J.E. Keating & Associates – the firm seems to be a big fan of brick-work such as Camden Wharf. It’s other projects such as East Douglas Village also uses this form of brick-work to an exceptionally high aesthetic standard, also, the other big J.E. Keating project under development (and only a stone’s throw away from Camden Wharf) is Sean Mhuileann (see image below), A 169-unit apartment development backed by auctioneer/developers Frank Sheahan and Joe Carey. The development is a highly imposing set of structures near Hewitt Mills along the Blackpool By-pass. Phase 1 (that large stepped 8-storey semi-circular building) was completed by PJ Hegarty & Sons Ltd earlier this year, with Phase 2 (the 3 stand-alone blocks) are currently under construction by Ascon Ltd.
Note: This image is a mirror-reversal -> the main semi-circular structure is actually to the north (left-hand-side)What about Water Street??? Or McCarthy Developments 120,000sq ft office development??? Eglinton Street??? I suppose whatever floats your boat – but I think they’re slow but surely positive steps.
Yeah I think it would be a great idea now that the Docklands seem to be finally getting a move on – I was merely referring Frogmarch to the ‘Look at de state of Cork, like!’ thread for him to be able to look up news posted thus far.
@Radioactiveman wrote:
Thanks Lex,
One more thing, a few months back you mentioned something about a beam of light (or something like that anyway) which had previously been planned for the Gate Cinema. Anymore details/images? Or maybe it was all a dream i had 🙂I think your referring to the glass tower planned from the front entrance of the existing Gate Multiplex. The hollow, internally illuminated tower was part of the original drawings for the development but was subsequently removed – for some stupid reason, the structure would have added some desperately needed design to the building.
@phil wrote:
There used to be a Captain Americas in Dun Laoghaire. It closed about 12 years ago though.
My mistake – that’s actually correct I remember even visiting that way back when. Sorry about that.
@Radioactiveman wrote:Just a few questions for everyone which have been bugging me for a while….
Q What kind of progress (if any) has been made on the redevelopment of the riverside of the Everyman Theatre?
Q Have the Revenue Commisioners decided where they are moving to yet? Will that eyesore on Sullivan’s Quay finally be demolished?
Q Any news on the IAWS/ R&H Hall development plans?Radioactiveman
1. A plan was drawn up by 2 developers with the Everyman Palace – which would see the quayside fronting St. Patrick’s Quay redeveloped as a 5-storey mixed-use development spanning the area between the Metropole Hotel Leisure Centre to the Sporting Club near Bridge Street. The development was scheduled to include lecture theatres, film development centre, training facilities, a conference centre, nightclub and roof-top cocktail lounge, restaurant, some retail, office units and basement car-parking all incorporated into the Everyman Palace. I’m not fully aware of how the status regarding the buy-up of appropriate lands has progressed. A prominent Cork-based architectural firm were enlisted to design the project – however, as best I am aware, these plans have been scrapped. There is a possibility a future proposal will be reimagined – this time including a well-known department store, however I have heard nothing solid of this as yet.
2. The deadline for final proposal submissions has been extended for March 24th 2005 until April 29th 2005 – as predicted. This is to allow some developers who approached the OPW get their projects into planning. This could mean a few new large-scale proposals headed for Navigation House in the coming weeks – but I can’t say. McCarthy Developments, O’Callaghan Properties and O’Flynn Construction have all approached the OPW and been approached in return. I am also told a very prime city centre site – the subject of many former planning applications – is also set to see a new application placed on it by its developer/owner. It possesses a very attractive location from the Revenue Commissioners perspective. The Sullivans Quay building will be set for either redevelopment or refurbishment – although the latter seems improbable given the substantial subsidence issues related to the current structure.
3. IAWS have assessed plans for the R&H Hall site along Kennedy Quay – though no date has been specified for an announcement, some believe it could be this year. IAWS have consulted with some developers related to the sale of the site or joint development. CCC is pushing a cultural or historical use to the site with some commercial elements – they favour the retention of the silos. One developer I’m aware of views this as unfeasible – so its still all up in the air.Standing on Emmet Place, you could be well forgiven for forgetting about the horrible monstrosity that this Murray O’Laoire designed facade extension hides. The original Opera House, designed by Scott Tallon Walker back in the early-1960s was originally destined for a site adjacent the InterContinental Hotel (Jurys – which itself will now be sooned demolished for a massive redevelopment scheme in conjunction with O’Callaghan Properties) along the Western Road. However the Cork public protested against such a move (surprise surprise) as they longed for the current Lavitts Quay site to be retained, as it was the site of the original Cork Opera House destroyed by a fire in the late 1950s – they’ve been paying the price ever since. Cork has been punished by the hideously expansive, bland grey-brown North Wall ever since the current Opera House was constructed. MOLA were the winning entry in a competition held by COH and CCC to improve the Opera House’s appearance in late 1999. The development was valued at 5m euros and included an extensive refurbishment inside and out. It formed Phase 2 of a 3 Phase plan for the institution. Phase 1 being the auditorium refurbishment and Phase 3 being an extensive recladding and physical adjustment to the North Wall making it more aestically approachable, and enhancing the quayside. So, far, other than the minor alterations enacted as part of Phase 2, the third stage has never proceeded. Funding is the apparent culprit. However with the superb Lavitts Quay enhancement at 21 Lavitts Quay, the project in planning for the former Thomas Crosbie Holdings site at 16 Lavitts Quay by Howard Holdings, an architectural competition in mid-transit to redevelop Kyrls Quay, and plans for the Coal Quay also in the pipeline – we may yet see improvements to the North Wall in the future.
In the meantime, it’s nice to take the time to appreciate the wonderfully altered Emmet Place facade of the Opera House. Emmet Place has a very cosmopolitan European feel to it. The extensive pedestrian areas, innovative landscaping, imposing Crawford Gallery building, and many neat Victorian and Georgian stand-alone houses that pop up in the most unexpected areas of the street (e.g. Marble & Lemon building, Meadows & Byrne, Insurances House next to the AA Offices). O’Callaghan Properties also have a huge 6-storey, 150m euro retail and residential development for the former Irish Examiner HQ and Academy Street block in the pipeline – with an application being lodged this Summer. It is hoped that this will all enhance the delicate aesthetic value of the street, which the Opera House has so positively helped support.
MOLA also won a 2001 Southern Region RIAI Award for the efforts!
Wow – talk about digging up a dinosaur, this thread took me ages to find, but I never remember there ever being half-decent image of the hotel proposal, so, here ya go! (Sorry, but it still doesn’t do it for me.)
😮 With so much going on lately, I forgot to mention that Jeremiah Lynch’s 123-unit residential development for Riversdale, Bishopstown (just north of the new Ballincollig By-pass, across the road from the University College Cork Technology & Business Centre and Curraheen Greyhound Stadium) designed by Murray O’Laoire, was given the greenlight there recently following an appeal to ABP. Cork County Council had initially granted permission. The development for the 6-acre site has seen some alterations over the planning process.
🙂 Just on a note of interest, Cork’s newest (and God knows much needed!) nightclub currently being developed by Newcastle-based, Ultimate Leisure UK Ltd at the premises of the former Maltings Bar on Lynch Street, is to be entitled “Blue Bamboo” and will be scheduled for an April opening.– Cork’s other new nightclub is under construction by Ridge Developments on South Main Street, over the former Classic Bar. The nightclub, being developed by City Properties, will adjoin the soon-to-be-opened restaurant complex (also owned by City Properties) hosting international noodle-house Wagamama and the first Captain Americas outside Dublin.
