lexington

One of the most overlooked but largest development projects currently at construction phase is Jacob’s Island – part of the Mahon Point lands (jointly bought from Cork Corp. by O’Callaghan Properties & McCarthy Developments. Whereas O’Callaghan Properties have developed the commercial element of the Mahon Point lands (44875sq m shopping centre, adjoining 11 screen multiplex, retail park, hotel and planned convention centre), McCarthy Developments have focused on the waterfront lands across the N25 for residential purposes, Jacob’s Island. Directly across the Douglas River and Atlantic Pond, on the Rochestown waterfront, McCarthy Developments are also developing the 160-unit, lavish Harty’s Quay.

Ridge Developments (contractors to both Jacob’s Island and Harty’s Quay) today erected their first tower crane on site at Jacob’s Island as part of their commencement on the taller waterfront residential buildings. In total, the Jacob’s Island project consists of the construction of 431 residential units made up of; 160 houses and duplex units consisting of 15 no. five bedroom two and three storey detached houses; 7 no. four bedroom two storey detached houses; 16 no. four bedroom three storey semi/terraced houses; 26 no. three or four bedroom two storey semi detached houses; 18 no. two and three bedroom two storey terraced courtyard houses. Also the proposed residential development includes the construction of 78 no. duplex units in 6 no. blocks of three and four storey with; 46 no. two bedroom apartments; 32 no. three bedroom duplex town houses with surface carparking for 87 no. cars; and 271 residential apartments on 8 no. blocks in 4 four storey; 1 five storey and 3 six storey buildings comprising of; 50 no. one bedroom; 212 no. two bedroom; and 9 no. three bedroom apartments with basement car parking for 408 cars with ancillary bicycle/refuse storage facilities, boardwalks and extensive public amenity areas.

Architects for Jacob’s Island are Project Architects, The Priory, John’s Street, Dublin 8. (the same architects responsible for Mahon Point Shopping Centre).

Harty’s Quay images

corkdood – Lexington. Do you know if there are any development planned for the vacant cash and carry which is adjacent to the statoil garage? Its been empty for years now.

John J. Fleming Construction, on behalf of UCC, have been granted permission after appeal for the demolition of the existing warehouse structures at M&P O’Sullivan Cash & Carry, Victoria Cross and the development of 60 student apartments, catering for 255 students, 62 basement car parking spaces, commercial units at ground floor & laundry – all in 4 stepped back, 5-storey blocks. Construction will go-ahead on word for UCC Buildings & Estates Dept.

Rumours (as reported in one of my previous posts) of a German bank locating to a major, purpose built office facility along Kennedy Quay have aired in the past, but we will not know any more of this until Feb 2005 (the period of which Dublin’s IFSC tax designation runs out).

CCC have pushed for the redevelopment of R&H Hall Grain Silos along Kennedy Quay (something in the vain of the Baltic Centre in Newcastle/Gateshead but for commercial use and with more extensive redevelopment). This earmark, has been much of the reason why CCC have not adopted a specific high-buildings policy within the docklands area, because the redevelopment would be anywhere between 12 to 15 storeys high. Also, the area is designated for high-density development (with a view to high-rise). The majority of land in this area is also privately owned, so the best CCC can do is encourage sale and relocation.

However, Horgan’s Quay and Water Street remain the main movers in the Docklands development. Water Street, with a planning decision date due for 29th of September 2004, is the first development off the ranks so to speak. It is an impressive start (400 apartments in a series of waterside blocks ranging between 3 to 19 storeys high, and office/IT development and commercial boardwalk area) and we sincerely hope that this most vital project receives an unconditional go-ahead. Werdna Ltd are the developers behind this project.

Horgan’s Quay has seen some movement with the Conference/Convention centre element at Railway Street, but nothing solid. The remainder of the proposed development sees a series of high-rise 20 – 25 storey, waterside commercial and residential buildings, new commercial/retail hub, redeveloped railway station and landmark plaza with recreational area. CIE, Treasury Holdings, Manor Park Homes and Howard Holdings are among the list of potential investors/developers.

However, believe me that most of the major docklands developments focused on the southern docks will not be announced until the outcomes of the northern dock projects have been verified.

The GAA are favourites to acquire the Cork Showgrounds near Pairc Ui Chaoimh (along the southern docks) – which it is proposed they will redevelop the stadium and construct new hotel and conference facilities, with additional training facilities also on-site.

Of note, a large site (1.6 acres) sold by Lisney along the Centre Park Road went for 2m euro to a private developer (whom I am informed, intends to make a series of similar purchases nearby as part of a strategic, major commercial development).

Well although I take some of your points and completely agree with them – the title of ‘Dirtiest City’ I do think is undeserved. I disagree with this not purely because of my Leeside pride but because in genuine fairness, this title is far from the truth. Cork has made prudent and effective efforts in tidying up its image. I don’t want to name other cities and towns for fear of being condemningly accusative, but I can think of many other urban centres around Ireland that a disgracefully rubbished.

It’s unfair to label streets like Patrick’s Street and Oliver Plunkett Street as being ‘dirty’ especially at a time of such dramatic redevelopment is like shooting fish in a barrell. Of course they’ll be unsightly during such construction work.

However, I agree wholeheartedly about the inadequate bins on Patricks Street which CCC are now having to replace at a cost of 90,000 euros. They are too small, too difficult and as a result, cannot handle the appropriate volume of waste. This inadequacy is staining what has become a superb thoroughfare.

Plans are in the motion to close of Patrick’s Street to public traffic, bar buses, emergency and goods vehicles – but this will not come into effect until all city centre resurfacing and development work has been complete.

In addition, the Gardai have taken a lazy and inadequate stance on controlling the inner city pedestrian priority zones. It is a disgrace and has made what should be a pleasant shopping and walking district into a hostile one. Instead of campaigning against the condition of Beamish & Crawford premises, I think energy would be better invested in campaigning the Gardai and CCC to address this far more serious but neglected issue.

I’m totally in favour of the redevelopment of the Jury’s site, and I do think O’Callaghan Properties proposal is of a satisfactory standard – but I have doubts on the viability of the residential element of the project. It also seems curious Jurys are optioning for a smaller capacity hotel with this project when their original plans involved a major expansion. The current Jurys has 185-bedrooms, the proposed O’CP one will have 182. Nevertheless, Inside Cork is a publication desperately trying to take an Evening Echo stance as ‘the voice of the common man’. Its campaign is just a short-sighted self-serving ego trip – in Cork, there will always be objections sadly, Inside Cork is just trying to tap into this. Pity. I would of thought real objections should be aimed at getting rid of the awful current Jurys and not opposing a stylish, complimentary new one. The proposed development will be aestheticaly beneficial to the area – St. Finbarres is so prominent it certainly won’t be obsecured, besides, its the other side of the development altogether, objection on these grounds don’t even make sense!

A couple of newsworthy updates make the post today –

🙂 Cornmarket Street is set for a 5m euro makeover, which is to also include 20 set market stalls with an emphasis on fresh foods and open-air food stands freshly served up, traditional crafts etc. The street will be lined with green-leaf trees and the road surface will be relayed with extended, blending pathways which strongly support pedestrian activity. The project will compliment the new Rockfell Department Store and Residential development (which is scheduled to complete around the same time as the street redevelopment) along with the new Cornmarket Street Footbridge.

🙂 Beth Gali, the Spanish architect responsible for the designs of the Patrick Street, Grand Parade and Oliver Plunkett Street redevelopments – has also designed the impressive new Christmas lighting scheme for Patrick’s Street, set to debut this Christmas 2004. The CG images are pretty impressive – I’ll try and get them up for you as soon as I can. There is a great emphasis on style, to compliment the redevelopment, and gone are the rancid tacky creations of years past.

🙂 Lidl GmbH have reapplied for permission of a store on their Churchfield site (formerly Ecco Shoes HQ), after a refusal on the original plan a few weeks ago. The new submission takes into account recommendations made by the CCC Planning Dept. and has a strong emphasis on ‘neighbourhood’ accomodation. The new plan sees 2 single storey pitched-roof buildings being constructed on-site. One with Lidl Supermarket, and the other with 3 smaller, complimentary retail units and 166 car-parking spaces. Design is by O’Shaugnessy & Co.

🙂 Developer Tom Fitzgerald, owner of Athlone Leisure World, who has already received planning for a family recreational centre at Fitz’s Boreen in Blackpool, has announced his intention to commence construction of the development. This will include a 4-storey over basement building of 6203sq m, with 14 no. ten pin bowling lanes, childrens and toddlers play areas, café, kitchen and service/storage areas, toilets, club bar, games and circulation areas, all at ground floor level. At first floor level, the gross floor area will be approximately 1784 sq. metres accommodating pool and snooker room, electronic games rooms, administrative office, staff quarters and plants/machinery area. The remaining floors will house a day care centre, swimming pool, steam rooms and saunas, aerobics centre, gym and beauty treatment facility. Design is by Finola Deavey, of Deavey & Assoc.

:rolleyes: Though Hamilton Osbourne King indicate the Thomas Crosbie Holdings site on Lavitts Quay (proposed new Irish Examiner HQ) is under ‘offer consideration’, directors at TCH are adament they intend to decide on the fate of this deal and their new city offices within the coming weeks.

🙂 Blarney-based John Cleary Developments, who recently succeeded in gaining permission for 5 light industrial units at Kilnap Business Park in Blackpool, are lodging an application to construct 5 state-of-the-art car showrooms for varied dealerships adjacent to the new Johnson & Perrot showrooms, awaiting planning and designed by SDA O’Flynn, at Mahon Point. The development should create 200 jobs and will secure Mahon Point as one of the major dealership locations in the country.

It has all been very secretive burge_eye, but it is my understanding, more than one architectural firm has been employed on the project. Similar to the method adopted by O’Flynn Construction at their 500m euro Ballincollig Town Centre project. All I can say is that such a development as proposed for the Horgan’s Quay site must be an architects dream.

mickeydocs – Is this for everyman

Once again, mickey I can’t say. But what I can say is that it is a project that hopefully every woman and Every man will benefit from. 😉

For those curious as to what exactly is happening with the former An Post Sorting Office Site on Eglinton Street which was purchased not so long ago by O’Flynn Construction – I managed to have a discussion with a certain director within the company. The site has a sign located on it which indicates clearly the intention of a ‘MAJOR RETAIL/RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT’ – but O’Flynn Construction are remaining more tight-lipped on this project than any other. This is partially due to the fact that a certain Evening Echo reporter blurted out all over the local media that ‘Marks & Spencer’ were looking into locating at Ballincollig Town Centre – a report first posted on this forum, but which was taken from it without my prior consent. Now O’Flynn Construction are being a lot more cautious. However, the director did tell me that pre-planning discussions with Cork City Council had just been complete and that they would be lodging a large application with the Planning Department ( and it was said in these exact words) “pretty soon now, I can’t give you the specifics anymore, but the application will be lodge very shortly”.

When it is, this forum will be the first to know about what is expected to be among the most exciting of the new docklands developments. Although I have some details already, hopefully I will be able to post them here, the day before the application is made formally. So you’ll all know, a day before everyone else does – that is, if they don’t pull an O’Callaghan Properties/Jurys Hotel announcement.

😉 Speculation within development circles continues to mount – though cautiously I might add – about a large-scale redevelopment, renovation and extention of an existing Cork cultural institution. The speculation continues after holding companies for a number of investors who had been attached to the redevelopment plans for the MacCurtain Street-based culture and arts facility, quietly purchased quayside properties adjoining the institution. Rumour has it, an on-going feasibility study is being conducted into a huge refurbishment and extension of the cultural property, extending from MacCurtain Street to Patrick’s Quay. The development will consist of underground parking, late-night bar and possibly nightclub, educational facility w/ film production school, new mezzanine, restaurant and cafe, adjoining commercial units and additional smaller arts theatres which will be able to facilitate medium to large scale lectures/conferences etc etc as well as plays/dramas and so on. The project is seen as a perfect opportunity to provide Cork with world class conference and cultural educational facilities (which will work in conjunction with both UCC and CIT), and which will compliment Cork’s European Capital of Culture status. The expected value of the project is in and around 40m euro. However this is project, may I please remind you, is only at the pre-planning stage and there is no guarantee of commencement.

Horgan’s Quay represents not only one of the biggest investment and development opportunities in Cork, but the entire country. Though ‘sketch’ plans have been drawn up by an investment company consisting of Treasury Holdings, Manor Park Homes, CIE and with input from CCC and various local developers – I agree that CIE have been the predominant culprit in holding back on this development. Sketch plans have proposed offices, commercial/retail quarter, a new grand plaza utilizing the river, boardwalks, new railway station development (drawings of which can be seen in the Cork Development Plan 2004 – 2009), a large new underground and multistorey parking facility to cater for public and private uses, a new 6000 seat convention centre, up to 5000 residential units, up to 5 high-rise office, residential and commercial buildings of ‘world-class’ proportions and quality reaching up to 20 – 25 storeys each. The potential is overwhelming, and could provide a substantial strategic income for the semi-state body over the next 25 years easily. Much of the company’s reluctance comes in the form of pure lack of foresight and real management strategy. CIE will be the lesser for not getting it’s act together.

However, in fairness to Cork City Manager Joe Gavin, he has vehemently campaigned to get the CIE site at Horgan’s Quay/Railway Street up and running as a large-scale convention centre. This was reported in one of these posts a few weeks back. Mr. Gavin has already received a number of interested party proposals and it is his intention to push through with the project to have it up and running within 2 years pending the decision deadline given to O’Callaghan Properties regarding their proposed convention centre at Mahon Point.

The Irish Examiner HQ site on Lavitts Quay has, according to Mr. Roger Flack of Hamilton Osbourne King, received an offer – of which terms are still being finalised, but no official tender has been agreed as of yet. The site is still open to offers and the trustees are expected to consider adopting a final bid date soon.

See ‘Look at the de state of Cork, like!’ thread for more information.

Originally designed to celebrate the turn of the Millenium, the Cornmarket Street footbridge was set in place at a cost of 2.2m euro to CCC on August the 14th 2004. Now designated as part of the Cork 2005 celebrations, it will form part of the 1st stage in the redevelopment of Cornmarket Street as a more ‘cultural extension’ of Patrick’s Street. The new bridge, yet to be opened to the public or officially titled was designed by McGarry Ni Éanaigh Architects with Muir Associates Consulting Engineers. Construction work was provided by Ascon.

😉 A number of projects are taking place in and around Grand Parade at present and are planned for the future. Grand Parade has always been a traditionally important and vibrant Cork main street and has been earmarked as an important natural progression of the existing Patrick’s Street commerical core – along with Cornmarket Street.

-> First, is the Grand Parade redevelopment, which has already begun its first phase, between Daunt Sqaure and Finns Corner, which is scheduled for a late September completion. The redevelopment has been designed by Beth Gali, who also designed the Patrick’s Street and Oliver Plunkett Street refurbishments and whom has been hired to begin design on the entire length of Grand Parade (schedule for initiation is as yet unknown).

-> A number of commercial developments are embracing the Grand Parade area. Most notably the Grand Parade Plaza retail and residential development (see post above for images) on the site of the old Grand Parade Hotel linked to South Main Street. The project consists of a 7-storey over basement building designed by Richard Rainey – holding 50 apartments, incl. 3 roof-top penthouses, communal ‘sky-gardens’ throughout, a retail mall and underground car-parking. Almost ALL apartments (starting at 369,000 up) and ALL parking spaces (80,000 each) have been sold at this point.

-> J.D. Hotels Ltd, have applied to demolish the buildings at Singers Corner (except number 77 which will be refurbished) and along 1 – 9 Tobin’s Lane with a view to constructing a 4-storey late-night bar and restaurant w/ ancillary offices (see prev. post for more details).

-> The English Market is due for a renewal in the near future.

-> Not far from Grand Parade, John Mannix is awaiting a decision on a 7-storey over basement residential, retail and office development at 40-42 Washington Street.

-> At 50 Grand Parade, the Kenny Group is planning a mixed use, 7-storey development of 22-bedroom hotel, 35 duplexes, 141 multi-storey car-parking, retail centre, office development, cantiviliered boardwalk, 2 superpubs, restaurants and cafes – designed by RKD McCarthy and on the site of the former Citi Car Park (oddly re-opened for use not so long ago after a planning amendment to the project was withdrawn). I will update you on this when I can.

-> On Tobin Lane, the Triskel Arts Centre is currently undergoing a renovation and expansion. Cumnor Construction are on site.

-> But the ‘big-one’, is that which is in the pipeline for the 30,000 sq ft Capitol Cineplex site at the Grand Parade/Washington Street junction. (see previous post on this topic for more details). An announcement is expected on this site when Ward Anderson announce their relocation to the new 11-screen multiplex at the Mahon Point SC, late this September.

:rolleyes: CCC have today received the Further Information they requested from Rockfell Investments regarding the major Cornmarket Street department store/residential development. A decision is now expected within 1 month.