Rory W

Yes O’Connell Street is a tip. As a Dub I feel ashamed of what should be our Champs Elysses, I think that it is dreadful that I feel worried every time I walk down there after 8 O’Clock at night. Lets face though, when the corpo does try to do something the whingers get to the plan and destroy it, yes our millenial monument will be a disaster, but only because it wont be up for new years eve this year. As for the piazza outside the GPO, I dont think we’ll see it for a while. Its like the Stillorgan Bus Corridor, the Car Lobby will whinge about losing space on the street, as they will even more when Luas it put in. Well tough. If we do not make the effort to sort out our public transport problems now then it will only get worse. Dublin could be a lovely city but only if we try. Look how successful the independent authorities (DDDA, Temple Bar) have been, we need strong leadership for O’Connell Street and Its environs. The HARP Area is just too big. The worst thing about it is that no one could be bothered with trying to make it better. I sincerely hope that the Carlton Complex is a draw for people to the Northside of town, after all some of the new “trendy” establishments (Pravda, Morrisson Hotel) are north of the river (only just, but we’re getting there). It is true that the corpo should get the finger out, but what is there to do on O’Connell Street after dark (Unless you want to go to the cinema or 1 or 2 dull bars), there is nothing. To get vibrancy back into the street it is necessary to breath life back into it, sustainable life, continuous life, life that goes on after 6pm.

Look how it used to be, Sackville Street was once known worldwide for its graciousness. Later on, O’Connell Street was the beating Heart of Dublin, with the Trams the Metropole Hotel, Ballrooms, Bars, cinemas, theatres, restraunts (proper ones), decent shops (Findlaters). Even the old Carlton cinema used to have concerts. Until we can get a post 6pm life into the street, make it a place to go for proper meals, and a night out then whatever we do on a gentrification level (Spike, Piazza etc) will be meaningless. Its whats in the buildings that counts, and as long as its offices (Upper levels) and crap (street level) then nobody will want to go there.

Rory W

How about the appaling Apollo House on Tara Street, or that red brick thing opposite it, absolutely everything on Lower Mount street, the gang of three on Harcourt Road. That building on Ushers Island that belongs to a lift company (another one set back for traffic) is particularly unappealing. Findlater house (Telecom Eireann) O’Connell Street, the (corporation?) office block on Wellington quay (you know the one that has a particularly nasty gate on essex street in temple bar). The old Irish Press building on Burgh quay. The extention to the telephone exchange in Temple Bar (Anglesea and Fleet street facades). Of course the worst has to be Hawkins House, but rumour has it that the building has “Concrete cancer” and will probably have to come down anyway. Yippee.
Am I the only one who thinks that O’Connell Bridge house is Okay (well if you cleaned it up and got rid of the Harp Bar)???

No doubt the Reconstructed Archers garage will be a sterile replica (Harcourt Street anyone?) part of O’Callaghans new lego block that will no doubt be built on the site.

If the Alexander Hotel was pulled down would anyone feel the same? I doubt it.