urbanisto
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I think that Trinity College now own th former AIB Building mentioned above. In fact tey have taken over a couple of properties on this street (for the School of Nursing if Im not mistaken).
The Howley Harrington Plan for Temple Bar did metion Foster Place and argued for an Arcade link through to Fleet Street from College Green though this might have been from the Westmoreland Street entrance. As you might be aware the actually Parliament Building is in fact a large screen hiding a collection of buildings behind it so a bit of configuration might allow greater movemnet through without necessarily compromising the BoI.As for a new use for Foster Place. Definately. Its criminally underused and is of poor value at the moment if nobody ever sees it. I would disagree with it being seen as quiet oasis in the city. I’d say few people go down there…even for a bit of peace. A qiuet oasis should be an escape from traffic…of wheich there is plenty on College Green. A framework plan for area is urgently needed to unlock its potential. You can already see the pressure that Habitat is having on the pavement outside as more people fight for a limited space. And plans are afoot to open a second store in the EBS premises beside Habitat.
I live in a similar scheme in Donnycarney…although it was built a little earlier than Crumlin. But there are similar issues here. Extensions into side plots, building whole houses on some corner plots, re-rendering of facades out of style with the restof the scheme, hacienda style additions.
We also had no trees for years until some where put in about 10 years ago. However it was more a case of put a tree where there’s an excess of pavement rather than laying out any sort of planting scheme.
Paving and surfaces are in a poor state generally. Personally I dont understand this fixation with using poured concrete for surfaces. Its only laid and it dug up by a utility. The cumulative affect in our scheme is a patchwork of low quality pavements and roads. The use of a high wuality tarmac set off with proper stone kerbs would be much more practical. Or eve the combination of tarmac and paving slabs that you see in UK housing schemes. At least the tarmac can be more easily removed and replaced when utility works are required.
And finally the mass of overhead wires and poor grade lighting takes away from the schemes. You rightly point out the aesthetic qualities of these housing schemes Graham…its such a pity that the public domain wasn’t given as much consideration. Of course if this was Sandymount, Ballsbridge, Foxrock….
I agree. I was thinking when Graham mentioned the case for a redbrick and limestone facade that that is exactly what was there prior to demolition. I just could remember clearly….such a shame really as I think we’l get an infil that will look as bad in 30 years as the Arnotts infill looks today. I think the quality of the ILAC revamp is very mediocre. Its certainly wont reinvent ILAC in my mind. Have a look in H&M, it looks like the cheapest thrown together creation ever (a bit like there clothes LOL). Im dissapointed. To say nothing of the fact that the ILAC still covers too much land for the actualy size of the centre..its a complete waste,
Aaah! I was wondering what happened to this book. I asked recently at Waterstones but they said it had yet to be published. Well for Frank and James getting such a high-profile launch. Fererro Roche anyone?!
Theres a good letter about this in todays Times comparing it to the original move of UCD to Belfield and the loss to the city of a major campus in its heart. I think NCAD is fine where it is. The whole Thomas Street area needs an anchor to get it up to a good standard again
Gone are the days of the spectacular extravaganza of lights on Henry and OConnell Streets….or is that because we were kids. I agree this years ‘illuminations’ are a bit of a let down. Even Clerys seems to be opting for a muted display.
The trees are moving in and should really bring back a bit of structure to the street, There’s two rather large gaps though which cause concern. The first is the taxi rank as mentioned above which is nothing short of a scandal and the second is just after the Spire – a large empty space with no trees and by the looks of the finished paving no lighting. Its most likely going to be the spot for one of the kiosks. We’d probably forgotten all about them. They’ll realy alter the look when installed
A planning application has gone up to open a northern entrance to the Garden of Rememberance opposite the Municipal Gallery. The application involves a new gate the creation of an enlarged paved area at street level and steps down either side to the sunken garden. THe proposals are modest but are the first step in the planned revamp of Parnell Square due to start next year and be completed by 2050 (or thereabouts…LOL).
I have to agree atbeing annoyed by the taxi rank on Upper OCSt being devoid of trees. Its going to make a big difference to the planting scheme for the street. I cant help but wonder why other streets couldnt have been better utilised to provide a taxi rank – Sackville Place and Cathedral Street or even the wasted patch of space around the church on Cathal Brugha Street. A bit of repaving, some good lighting a some planting would have made getting a cab much more enjoyable and allowed for the median to be planted more cohesively on Oc St
“It isn’t that bad and is a damn site better than it used to be.Jaysus just cuz it doesn’t have a mochafrapucciono joint every 20 yards doesn’t make it a “dump” of a street.Sometimes pple need to watch their language on this forum and be aware they end up sounding really petty and mean minded”
Agreed. Sorry 😮 What I should say is street life and pedestrians are poorly catered for on the street which is traffic choked most of the time (by its nature). The public domain is ver poor with poor quality paving, lighting etc. There are no trees. Shopfronts are generally of poor quality and there have been some dodgy additions to the street over the past year. What it does have is a very bustling commercial life whihc should be retained and enhanced by a little bit of tlc from the City Council (hence the new trees, paving and lighting at Binns Bridge). Not a dump maybe but certainly not what the pirmary northside route into the city should be. And I would offer the same for North Strand/Amiens Street as well (my route in)
Its actually part of a greater scheme to improve the whole route from Drumcondra to the City Centre precisely becase Dorset Street is such a grim dump of a street
I think the number of continental employees at major architectural firms might be having a positive effect on the quality of new builds in the city. You can definately see a step change from the ‘build anything’ styles prior to c. 2000 with a grwoing awareness of new styles, materials and forms etc since then. Its not all good news for sure (Capel Building – my pet hate) but some of the new stuff is promising enough.
I think expectations have a lot to do with it as well. The early 1990s dross along the western quays of Dublin just won’t wash anymore. Investors and private buyers are starting to become more decerning.I often look for you Alex wandering the streets of Dublin with steam coming from your ears! 😀
Now that Owen Keegan is heading off to run Dun Laoghaire Rathdown and chancve you might see yourself in the job of Director of Traffic? 🙂These kiosks really are turning into a bad joke. The above has patio door and a replcement awning advertising its wares, the two centre ones (a gallery and flower shop) are rarely open and covered in tacky stickers and the last one – little more than a confectionary and newspaper stand – has a broken awning that no seems interested in repairing. I think they are all crap. Useless, ugly intrusion on the bridge. I think they should be removed and perhaps converted into ticket stalls for Ticketmaster or transport and located strategically around the city. A competely failed project. Lets hope that the kiosks planned for OConnell Street have benefitted from a little more planning.
Yes I agree. He is also unsufferably boring although I have to say Garret is not far behind. And the there is Breda at the top, ever the good Catholic. All in all makes Saturday’s comment page exceedingly dull (as Mr Kipling might say)
The Times reports that the old Fish Markets will be demolished from today. Should take 6 weeks. The demolision means that the long awaited rejuvenation project for this area commences.
The Wax Museum is moving to Smithfield Market according to its manager who was being interviewed last week on City Edition (NewsTalk 106FM). The new museum should be completed by next summer.
Such a sceptic! Im a bit sceptical myself actually. I think the Lucan Luas line is DEFINATELY an election play (such a ideal constituency to get on board and isnt Ms Harney’s seat out that way) and so Dame Street can heave a sigh of relief yet. The Metro has had a lot of political mileage though so I wouldn’t completely right it off. Good to see Martin Mansreagh highlighting Bordeaux’s LRT system at the weekend which uses overhead wires until it reaches the city cenbtre core and then a ‘contact mat’ technology which means the trams travel through without and overhad clutter. The French also used the LRT as an opportunity to completely reinvent their city centre. Visit it and weep…. http://www.aerlingus.com
