PoxyShamrock

I don’t want the pedestrianisation of O’Connell Street to go ahead. Just look at it this way, you’re walking up Cruises Street in the middle of Autumn at 8 o’clock, how many people do you meet? Less than five would be my answer. This pedestrianisation will turn the CBD into a ghost town.
@Demolition Man wrote:

Limerick should look to Patrick St in Cork as an example of excellent street design that enhances the architecture surrounding it.In my opinion it’s the most attractive street in the country and is a credit to the city council for pushing through on its bold and controversial design.

I fully agree with what Demolition man is saying Patrick Street right now is absolutely gorgeous. It is the city’s main street and has recently (2005) got a makeover but it still allows traffic through the city centre.
Tbh I would prefer something along the lines of O’Connell Street in Dublin than to Patrick Street as the traffic situation in Cork is quite confusing and dangerous when it comes to Cars coming from the side streets leading onto Patrick Street.

I think a masterplan similar to that of O’Connell Street in Dublin would enhance the city beautifully.

If a Raheen Commuter Line was to ever go ahead, a great location for a station would be the old Guinness Depot on Carey’s Road. It’s right next to the city centre, connected to old Foynes line and there’s room for a lot of Car Spaces.

The Shell of ALDI is up so it will only be another few weeks before it’s open possibly late february. Wow I didn’t know there was going to be some kinda of Multistorey building alongside Aldi.
As for Spaights, yeah I would also like to see some pictures of it, I forget what it looks like, then again I would have been really young when it was open.
Anybody got some picture of The Marriott Hotel? I saw it a few weeks ago and I must say it looks really nice and as for the Hilton well imo I think it’s really nice looking.

@CologneMike wrote:

The two red brick buildings maybe listed, because they are a 100+ years old or so. If they are listed it still should not be a taboo to re-evaluate their status in light of the regeneration programme of the city especially with it’s emphasis on the ‘riverside city project’. http://www.riversidecity.ie The new proposal is logically a good one for the Boat Club if of course they are part of the proposal. New facilities would bring more members into club and people onto the river. The Shannon River is a totally under utilised amenity in Limerick. Similar proposals would be good for St Michael’s on Cleeve’s Bank and the Curragour Boat house along side the Court house.

Personally I see very little architectural merit or charm in those red brick buildings as compared to the Shannon Rowing Club on the other side of the bridge. In fact it’s the cut-stone Sarsfield Bridge with it’s once movable metal sections between Wellesley Pier and Poor Man’s Kilkee that should be the major focus of attention and not these small add-ons.

Why not consider a third option which would see the Wellesley Pier return to it’s original state just like Poor Man’s Kilkee is today i.e. an open green space.
In my opinion by removing the red brick buildings it would:
(1) Greatly improve the view of the beautiful cut-stone bridge.
(2) Reveal the once movable part of Sarsfield Bridge.
(3) Wellesley Pier as an open green space would be accessible for every one.
(4) Docking permanently a sailing ship (Maritime Museum) along side Poor Man’s Kilkee.

Yeah, I agree those red brick buildings being knocked wouldn’t be much of a loss to the city, they are quiet an eyesore sometimes and are not of any architectural importance to me. On the other hand though the Shannon Boat Club is a highly impressive building and always looks stunning on a sunny day.
A Maritime Museum would be really nice but I don’t know whether it would take off as an attraction…although something that works well in European Cities is having Stationary Boats used as Restaurants. Something along those lines could be popular with local diners. If they removed the two red brick buildings i would like to see it used as a public area rather than some other developments, what I’d like to see there would be a public space with one of those coffee kiosks along the river in the summer like Cruises Coffee Co. on Bachelors Walk in Dublin.
Limerick really needs to focus on the river in the future. The Riverside City project just isn’t doing enough in my opinion, http://www.riversidecity.ie hasn’t been updated in a long time and their projects don’t seem to be arising. I think things like boat-trips and public areas along the river would really help Limerick’s Riverside. Limerick City Council should also try and promote the Canal in Limerick and the beautiful Marina we have.

@Tuborg wrote:

Although theres no doubt William Street is in dire need of overhaul, I think O Connell Street is a much more urgent case. After all, it is the city’s main thoroughfare and at the moment it’s a total embarrassment, its dirty and neglected looking, many buildings are in very poor shape and too many crap retailers have really lowered the tone of the street, It says a lot about Limerick City Council that they’ve allowed the street to Degenerate so much! There has been no movement whatsoever on the O Connell Street re-modelling plan that was announced over 5 years ago! Have the exact details of the Makeover even been agreed yet?..

Initially the plan was for complete pedestrianisation between William Street & Roches Street , however this seems to have been scaled back since with pedestrian priority treatment now more likely! This basically means wider footpaths, reduced traffic lanes and properly designated pedestrian crossings! A “major focal point” was planned for the junction of Thomas Street/ Bedford Row!.. but I wonder will this be dropped now aswell? A life size statue of Richard Harris is to be unveiled on Bedford Row early in the new year!..

It was announced recently that phase 1 of the Thomas Street Renewal Project (from O Connell St to Little William Street) will be completed before Christmas with the 2nd phase from Little William Street to Little Catherine Street to be finished by next June!

I would love to see something similar to O’Connell Street in Dublin. It’s really impressive, although what gives O’Connell Street in Dublin a really nice look is the fact that the street is so wide.

I see they’ve begun attaching the reflective glass panels to the front of the new Marriott hotel on Henry Street, there also seems to be a fair bit of the usual stone tiling peeking through the scaffolding, I really hope that they haven’t revised the plans for the façade as glass was to be the dominant feature, stone cladding is an incredibly tired look at this stage! A Brise Soleil is mentioned in the application, similar to the wooden grill on the façade of the County Council offices in Dooradoyle Id imagine!

Work has also started on the steelwork for the retail element of the complex on the Bedford Row side of the site, the number of retail units have reduced from 14 to 12 as a result of the amalgamation of some units!

Quote:
Permission for development for alterations to a previously permitted development (Reg Ref. P04/550), identified primarily as: the former Savoy Cinema Complex, Henry Street/Bedford Row/Stella Lane; former Bedford House, Bedford Row; former Nos. 2-7 Bedford Row; and the former premises running from the rear of No. 122 O’Connell Street (parallel with the former rear of Nos. 1-9 Bedford Row), Limerick. The development will consist of the provision of: an additional one metre length on the Bedford Row elevation The amalgamation of part of previously permitted Retail Unit No. 9 into Retail Unit No. 6 and subsequent reduction in the retail floor area of Retail Units Nos. 9, 10 and 11 by 99 sq m at basement ground floor and first floor level; an 87 sq m extension to Retail Unit No. 14 at ground and first floor level; the amalgamation of previously permitted Retail Unit Nos. 6,7 and 8 into one retail unit and a minor increase in retail floor area as a result of revised corner details on the amalgamated unit at both ground (342 sq m) and first floor level (313 sq m); re-positioning of the entrance door in Retail Unit No. 14 and the hotel entrance and permitted brise soleil on Henry street; addition of a hotel entrance on Stella Lane; change of use of Retail Units Nos. 12 & 13 at ground floor level to hotel foyer area (135 sq m) and at first floor level to private function room and lounge area (114 sq m); provision of shopfronts to all retail units; amalgamation of previously permitted Retail Unit No. 9 and 8 (part of) to create a larger Unit No. 9 (155 sq m) The proposed development results in an increase of some 794 sq m gross floor space to the permitted development at Former Savoy Cinema Complex, Henry St/Bedford Row, Limerick.

There was a piece on the Absolute Hotel on Sir Harry’s Mall in the Independent on Wednesday. Its due to open on February 1st next with 99 bedrooms, executive business suites, other “luxury” suites and also a range of spa facilities!

The “George Boutique Hotel” opened last weekend, it includes the George bar & Kitchen restaurant. They have applied for a change of use of part of the ground floor on O Connell street from Retail to café use, The remaining retail space is still up for grabs

If they got rid of No Name from Bedford Row they could try and make it a bit more upmarket by attracting bigger high street names onto the street, now no offence to the owner and faculty of No Name or its customers but it not exactly the nicest of shops. I’d love if a Starbucks opened on Bedford Row and get rid of the goths, metalers and scumbags who like to hang out on the street.

Quote:
Originally Posted by PoxyShamrock
from what i’ve heard the builders at the strand have been cutting corners everywhere, so I wouldnt be too doubtful if this hotel could be swarmed with problems in the future.

Quote:
Originally Posted by justnotbothered
I heard the opposite, that everything was being done pretty high spec.

Quote:
Originally Posted by PoxyShamrock
Well its turns out that a part of the Apartments being built on the same site as The Hilton partially collapsed during the week.

Here we go! I heard it ages ago that the Hilton Builders were cutting awful corners.

Looking at the picture of The Limerick Marina I must say I actually quite like it. Even though it hasn’t proved to be extremely popular it certainly brightens up that part of the City where the Abbey meets the Shannon. I think they should try and promote the marina in areas like Athlone and Killaloe to Encourage people to come to Limerick via the waterways. I also really like the Sylvester O’Halloran Bridge, it has a certain character to it.

Yeah, I saw that crane going up in the today. Is that where the new Department of Foreign Affairs Building is going?

@CologneMike wrote:

Thanks PoxyShamrock.
With the completion of the Shannon tunnel in 2010, the Quality Hotel Group have strategically opened their hotel near where the Dublin (N7), the Cork (N20) and the Shannon / Galway (N18) roads meet.

I call it the Shunnelâ„¢. Just a copy of the Channel Tunnel (Chunnel), but it could stick!