urbanisto
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I think the objective of the IAP was to tackle the whole area and hence plans were drawn up (but soon forgotten) for side streets. The makeover for OC St is just one part of this and had certain aims, but it now seems to have become the project with hardly a mention of the side streets here from DCC. I suppose many are in limbo with Luas or Metro works proposed.
Parnell Sq is of course next on the hit list for a makeover., to start this immediately if the City Manager is to be believed. The other streets you refer to are part of the HARP plan… Henry Street its true is thriving but I’m not sure you could say that at all about Liffey Street or upper Mary Street, they’re in bits. The jury is also out on Blooms Quarter as its only a new development and as the relevant thread mentions is still a bit sterile. And while Arnotts will hoepfully do wonders for Abbey Street, the Luas was a compeltely missed opportunity for this street in my opinion. it is now so dead and unattractive.
Yes the bus stops here are definately badly placed as anyone trying to get by the queues on this narrow stretch of pavement would be aware.
It might work, its true that there are two lanes here. It would mean Molly has to move…and the man with the little leprauchans that dance to diddly eye music. 😀
However I dont see how it would improve the situation on College Green…or are you advocating closing off the right turn down Dame Street at Trinity? Even then what about eastbound traffic? Still left with a traffic island.
Yes, I agree with you. I also think the reason the Man U store failed was because there is not enough happening here. Most people stay on the other side of Westmoreland Street. In fact I remember reading about the possible IBS redevelopment that the developers were requesting a new pedestrian-friendly section of the street to entice punters over from Temple Bar. This is obviously a bigger question as the current College Green thread shows.
I think wider pavements on D’Olier St are a must…ther eis ample sapce and there is far to much traffic allowed here. The street has great potential. I also think a Westin ectension will factor in this. A possible bridge link on Fleet St or even the redesign of Fleet Street required. Again this causes problems for the Dublin Buspark here.
Hmmm its a real planning conundrum. You could spend years trying to figure out what to do with this whoel area.
Most definately! There are numerous streets around OC St crying out for some development and life. Malborough Street and Cathal Brugha are the obvious ones. And Parnell Street (OC to Summerhill stretch) is in a criminally rundown consition, although it must be said atht these streets already provide the types of shops that Frank refers to…as does Talbot Street, Moore St, Dorset St, Gardiner St…
There is one improvement i think we could all agree on. Close Suffulk street, make grafton street two way. You would need to move the loading bay facilities in front of spar round the corner onto suffolk street, but that is not too hard.
Would this solve anything. It would be great to have a traffic free Suffolk St (and this would conform with Frank’s ideas about successful predestrian spaces – which I would agree with) however most people use the crossing to Grafton Street because it is the natural north7south desire line for pedestrains. Reducing space for predestrains further in Grafton Street and sending them roundabouts to St Andrew’s/Suffolk St would not solve the problem. It would however open some samshing possibilities for the area around St Andrew’s Church.
The elephant in the room here is Dublin Bus. The whole development of traffic patterns in the city centre is governed by the fact that Dublin Bus have to use this north/south route. The WSC just weren’t wide enough…. Removing car traffic and slowing buses while creating a semi-pedestrian enviroment might be the best solution. It works in many places on the continent, although the buses are smaller and less threatening.
I think the rationale in improving the types of shops on O’Connell Street was
a) the balance had perhaps tipped too far in the favour of the so-called “undesireables” like fast food and call shops.
b) this is the capitals principal thoroughfare and should reflect the best that the city has to offer in terms of shops, restaurants etc.
c) many of the uses on the street (and the office developments, I believe, all fall in to this catagory) just don’t do anything for the street..don’t contribute any life to the street.
d) many of the arguements against cheap shops concern the poor upkeep of their premises and the general poor design… JWT, Funland, the terrace I mention above.Most commentators are not calling for all these shops to be closed, but they shouldn’t be allowed to dominate. A perfect example is the Centra/Londis/Spar proliferation in the city…undoubtably there is a demand for these shops but is the city any richer for having so many? Would you be happy to visit a city centre that only offered you this? Isn’t 5 fast food outlets enough on the street. Wouldnt an internet call shop be better suited to less prominent street?
A nice mixed retail scheme at ground level is just what D’Olier Street needs. A bit of remodelling of the facades will be required though. Might be time to review the protected status of the buildings.
A reannoucement as it were….
Over €25 million for headquarters of The Irish Times
After 111 years and ahead of a move to Tara Street, The Irish Times is selling its headquarters on D’Olier and Fleet streets, writes Jack Fagan
The Irish Times is to sell its extensive headquarters in Dublin city centre in advance of its move to a new office block in nearby Tara Street. The newspaper has been operating from its present premises on D’Olier Street and Fleet Street for 111 years.
Estate agent CB Richard Ellis is quoting a guide price of over €25 million for the landmark building which is likely to be redeveloped after it goes for sale by tender on June 23rd.
Management and staff are due to move this summer into a newly built office block, Liffey House, at the junction of Tara Street and Townsend Street, where the latest technology has been installed to ensure the smooth and efficient production of the newspaper.
The move follows the development of an €85 million printing and publishing facility at Citywest, which has facilitated the production of larger newspapers with a greater range of colour options.
The production of the newspaper has undergone major changes in recent years. It is now published simultaneously in Dublin, London and Madrid. The Citywest printing operation was recently extended to handle an ever-increasing number of other contract publications.
The Irish Times has been based in the Westmoreland Street/Fleet Street/D’Olier Street triangle since 1895. Previously it was based in Lower Abbey Street, near Wynns Hotel, after its foundation in 1859. The Irish Times clock was located on Westmoreland Street for many years until the 1970s and was subsequently moved to D’Olier Street along with the front office. The intention is to move the clock once more if planning permission is forthcoming.
The block going for sale covers most of D’Olier Street and part of Fleet Street – 8 to 16 D’Olier Street and 24 to 27 Fleet Street. The entire site extends to 0.18 hectares (0.44 of an acre) with 65 metres of frontage on to D’Olier Street and 60 metres on to Fleet Street.
The overall floor area comes to around 6,000sq m (64,584sq ft) and, according to Ronan Webster of CBRE, the planners are likely to look favourably on a higher density scheme in line with the Treasury Holdings development of the Westin Hotel on the opposite side of Fleet Street.
Curiously, numbers 8 to 16 D’Olier Street are listed for preservation in the Dublin City Development Plan 2005-2011 even though numbers 11 and 12 were completely rebuilt after a fire in the early 1950s.
Webster says that, subject to planning permission, he believes the office and printing facility will be developed as a high density office, residential, hotel or mixed-use scheme. It is the largest block of properties to come on the market in the city centre since Independent Newspapers sold its Middle Abbey Street premises two years ago.
© The Irish Times
My offer: The row of faux-Edwardian apartments on Dorset Street, resplendent with their memorial plaques recalling “Cosgrove 1998”, the famous statesman no doubt. The brickwork and faiencing on these masterpieces are exquisite, while the many vents and alluminium fenestration make for such a varied and interesting streetscape.
But does this space get used now that the pink furniture is in place. Its interesting but does it make a blind bit of difference. The qualities that make a space work…and encourage people to use it can be allusive
I quite like when threads evolve and go off topic slightly, so don’t get me wrong in what I am about to post. I just think that this has been taken a little bit too far off topic. I know there is a relationship between the current traffic issues in Dublin City Centre and possible further pedestrianisation of College Green or other areas, but it would seem that this discussion is now probably more suited to having its own thread.
Here here…. I think most people have switched off from this.. Its just too technical. Also pie in the sky as half of that T21 shit will never be built anyhow. 🙁
Besides a new look College Green is my next big thing! 🙂
At last a bit of rigour on the part of DCC Planning…take a look at the Reasons for Refusal for Anne Summers. An application for retention by O’Carrolls across the street was also thrown out.
Full Development Description
Planning permission is sought by Ann Summers Ltd for the removal of the existing shop front, signage, the installation of a new shop front, signage along with stripping out the ground floor retail unit and providing a new retail shop fit-out with minor works to the basement floor level consisting of the removal of partitions, the construction of new partitions, repair and redecoration works at 30/31, O’Connell Street Lower, Dublin 1 (Protected Structure).
DCC Refusal:
1. The proposed development materially contravenes Section 15.24.0 of the City Development Plan 2005-2011 and the Special Planning Control Scheme for the O’Connell Street Architectural Conservation Area (2003) in terms of both design and materials for the proposed shopfront and signage. The materials and design proposed are inappropriate and present a poor quality finish to both this Protected Structure and to the O’Connell Street Architectural Conservation Area. The proposal is therefore considered to be inconsistent with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area
2. The proposal fails to satisfy the requirements of the ‘Shopfront Design Guidelines- The O’Connell Street Area’ (2003) and is considered injurious to the overall building and its setting within an Architectural Conservation Area. The proposed development is considered to materially the zoning objective for the area, which seeks to ‘To consolidate and facilitate the development of the central area, and to identify, reinforce and strengthen and protect its civic design character and dignity’ and is inconsistent with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
3. The proposal, if permitted would set an undesirable precedent for similar poor quality developments in this Architectural Conservation Area and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.
(Sorry..Im sure ther eis an easier way to link this but it didnt seem to pcik up the page.)
That building is a travesty of good architecture and good planning. Those responsible should honestly be ashamed of themselves…
I would love to see the marketing for it though…. “Stunning new development on one of Dubl
Yes i agree…though one could argue that for many yeara we had a living, breathing, fully functioning transport museum on the road in the form of our bus and rail system…still Transport 21 should sort that out….shouldn’t it?
I think Graham meant the statues on the top of the GPO rather than the memorials on the street. Its a fair enough point about illuminating them,although I wonder how/if this could be done without being intrusive.
I quite like these new installations (from the pics) although I agree the bases are awful. Couldnt they have made a little more effort. This is the same sculptor who installed the statue at the top of Grafton Street, set in a tractor tyre….hmmm.
Lovely collection of hideously cheap shopfronts to be seen through the trees on the second photo….call shops, budget travel, a newsagents or three…
The statues are temporary and are part of a series that will eventually go all the way up Pernell Square to the museums/gallery.
Its a disgrace ( as I have said previously) that this beautiful terrace has been so shamefully let go. Especially so as its directly across from trhe Deaprtment for Heritage. I would imagine that none of the alterations you refer to TP have permission.
The same must be said for Lower Gardiner Street, although a number of proposals to upgrade different B&Bs have ben put forward recently.
This has been around a long time phil, Its one of the big set pieces (and drivers) of the new development of Poolbeg. Its been in planning for a while but I think it was withdrawn until the DCC has created a masterplan for the area. I agree the scale is impressive.
