theblimp
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Super news about the proposed Marina complex at Fota – I know from previous experience that it’s almost impossible to get a berth for a boat in Cork Harbour.
With one of the finest ‘Bay’ areas in the world we really should have a first-rate leisure infrastructure in place already. Hopefully this Fota project, the plan for Cobh and future docklands development will address this deficit
aarrgghh it’s that feckin terracotta colour again – do Cork Builders Providers have an offer on or something? Seriously though I guess it would have to be pretty good to hold it’s own against it’s new striking neighbour, but even allowing for that it’s pretty lazy.
Anyone got any thoughts on the vertical colour banding of 6 (?) Lapps Quay (that’s the newest one)? Don’t quite know what colour to call it – I guess teracotta would be about the closest – but it just seems so out of place on a reasonably contemporary design.
As for Paul Kenny’s RC development ’tis a pity that it’s off-centre due to having to protect some of the existing buildings. Just imagine what it could look like without them!! This is a strange one – I like the new design, and I like the aesthetic of the old buildings. However I don’t think they work well together in this execution. Mind you, the proposed Eastern elevation doesn’t appear to be too ground-breaking – could just as easily be one of the sides from the new City Quarter.
I wonder what we’re all going to think in a decade or so when ‘glass & steel’ becomes old hat
re the Kyrls Quay competition, eeeuuuccch – let’s crumple some pieces of cardboard and drop them randomly … see how it looks. I guess it would help to see some more detail, but from the image above it’s nothing near what I had been hoping for. A great opportunity squandered – sadly it’s not like that phrase hasn’t been used here before. What happens with the winning project? Are developers invited to build according to the winning design, or does the competition gather dust somewhere? :confused:
I’m as saddened and amazed as everyone else by this pending decision. “Density and Traffic Management” (among others) … come on!!! It’s obvious that extensive discussions took place with the planners about the density issue so it would strike as extremely odd that an agreement on this matter wasn’t settled. As for ‘traffic management’, I’m sure the architects have sufficient accommodation on site for it’s own traffic so it must be an issue concerning the impact on local traffic – two items shout out here. The first is that the Jack Lynch Tunnel has removed a lot of traffic from that area – the second (and most important) is that the city itself is committed to a long-term docklands development strategy – surely they have accounted for the associated increases in dockland-area traffic!!??? Perhaps they expect people to swim into the city centre? Bad, bad news and equally bad, bad policy if they persist with this rejection. A bigger concern is the message it sends out to other developers with equally large docklands plans. Good work Lex (as always) on highlighting this.
Finally got round to taking a close look at HH’s ‘City Quarter’ over the weekend and must say that I was very impressed. Especially liked the atrium in the Clarion Hotel and the public space / boardwalk outside. It kind of reminded me of the many occasions where I’ve been abroad, seen something nice and questioned why we don’t have something like this at home. This in itself is something of a reflection of other city developments in that most would leave me cold at worst and unengaged in remaining instances. But, credit where it’s due to HH. It’s a shame that so many of our primary transport routes through the city are quay-based since an expansion of this boardwalk concept would be most welcome and would totally change the dynamic within the city. I’m aware that there are strong plans to increase boardwalk areas along the quays but, I assume, in many case the waterfront will be shared with the inevitable motorised traffic.
nope – my understanding is that Paul had looked at something like this some time back (rumour has it that he was also asked by a certain large local developer if he’d be interested in running his ‘out-of-town’ arena if it were built) but nothing seems to have come of it. Again, it’s a difficult one to justify from a normal developers point of view.
I could of course be wrong, lisam, as it has been known to happen in the past!! However the above is the most recent info I have Mr. M’s interest in a local concert arena. By the way, go on, give us a hint, where is Paul’s site to which you refer?
yup
…sorry about that!
I can’t say where at present for a number of reasons. But look at it this way, Mahon Point was proposed as a ‘preferred’ site – I mentioned some time back that I didn’t see it as being suitable for a number of reasons (too ‘out of town’ to be of benefit to city business, 1 road in 1 road out, tight site, etc.) Now anyone that has gone near MP in the past month will know that traffic there is chaotic a lot of the time. Add 5,000-6,000 people heading to a concert into that mix and you have mayhem.
Another suggested site was the back of the railway station. Aside from the fact that the site is too tight (narrow) and diesel locos are fairly loud and heavy (= vibrations), CIE have made it pretty clear just how important developing this site is in terms of their current priorities.
So, I can’t tell you where (yet), but hopefully the above will tell you where not!
Papworth – you’re correct in regard to the lack of venues. You need, though, to bear in mind that, traditionally, large venues DO NOT make huge profits, so are therefore not particularly attractive to developers. However they are of immense value to both the social fabric and the economic well-being of their immediate city. Lots of ‘media-speak’ about a large venue for Cork in the past month but nothing so far …… but all that could change very soon!
Lex, if the Tedcastles masterplan you’ve seen is the same as the one I’ve seen then I hope they adopt something else! From memory it looked like a Russian Social Housing project (think Victoria Mills ‘boxes’, but lots of ’em!) – besides would you really wish to leave alongside a power plant?
I know the site quite well and strongly feel that this is the wrong location for housing. Commerce and/or leisure would be far more suitable, but then I’m not Mr. Tedcastles so what do I know?
…with regard to the airbridges at Cork Airport – a little birdy told me very recently that Aer Lingus spoke with the airport and told them that they wouldn’t need them (cost-cutting). I don’t think Aer Arann can use them, and Ryanair avoid them like the plague. That just leaves a small few others, and the holiday charters who work to a budget anyway. Looks like that tradition of getting soaked going to and from planes is going to continue ….. !!! Not long now before we enter the 20th century, eh?
Lex, generally speaking I would welcome that Eglinton Street development. However I have to say that it looks just a little isolated. I would have thought that one or two other buildings in that development not of the same height but of a more complmentary nature to the feature building would have been more appropriate.
Thanks Lex, that article certainly raised a few smiles around these parts!!! To be fair to Joe I think he’s getting as frustrated as the rest of us at the Cork2005 scenario, and when you add into the mix the growing number of people who are now starting to do some big things themselves – while at the same time clearly stating that their work is NOT associated with the Cork2005 offices – he had to come out with something. Kudos to him for trying to be proactive – however, 3,000 capacity is not a ‘giant tent’ – one of our specialist designers has designed and constructed marquees that will take capacities anywhere from 8,000 to 22,000 ….. now they’re giant tents!!!
Echoing the sentiments of mickeydocs. I came kind’a late to the forum but have find it really enlightening over these past few months. Looking forward to more of the same for 2005 …….. fingers crossed may even be able to announce one or two projects personal to me early in the New Year!!! Happy Christmas y’all
I’ve always found that the tidal nature of the Lee has a negative impact on utilising the quays. However this could be easily overcome by putting some kind of ‘weir’ (automated or otherwise), say, under the last two bridges before the two channels become one again. Just a thought – feel free to ridicule….!
Phatman – been to Bristol recently? Now, there’s how a lesson in how to re-develop your city centre while taking advantage of your riverside setting.
… a bit off-topic but does anyone know the story behind the ‘Crows Nest’ at Victoria Cross? Fire was quite some time back and with all of the ‘stooodent’ development in the area I would have thought a quick resolution would have been sought to tap this market. Still, it’s just sitting there with a patched-up roof and scaffolding. Anyone know the b/round?
off-thread here a little, but anyone have any thoughts on the festive lights in ‘Pana’ – perhaps it’s just me but they only seem to add to the bloody confusion and mess of Beth Gali’s kerrplunk sticks. Any chance, when we’re opening the (yawn) 2005 celebrations we could attach most of the fireworks to these ‘lights’ and replace them with something more in keeping with our primary street. Back to the Christmas lights – anyone involved with this project have any creativity?
