urbanisto
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But thats the whole point of road usage isn’t it… as quick as you build the roads the cares fill them! I am sure the same thing will happen with the new M1 (or N01) when it opens. Meath dwellers will now have a quicker route into Dublin which will only fuel the urban sprawl in this county.
Too many cars, too much traffic
I have to agree… if you think the ILAC is a good piece of a architecture then you really need to get out more!
It is an ugly concrete mess. Its an unpleasant place to shop. It is lucky to have a good mix of shops but its makes nothing of it. Personally I hate malls, I much prefere the atmosphere of a street. I would love to see the ILAC develop in this direction with plenty of natural light and open air.
That is probably the funniest thing I have read on this site in months! (No offence to other members intended)
You’re right there isn’t a direct link from Heathrow to Canary Wharf ot more importantly the City of London (as London’s main business area). So surprise, surprise, the Mayor’s office is supporting the building of CrossRail, an underground rail project to connect Paddington (where the Heathrow Express currently terminates) with Liverpool St in the heart of the City. In addition the Mayor’s office (or rather Transport for London) is proposing a large expansion to the London City Airport, in the Docklands, together with lightrail connection to Canary Wharf and the City (via Bank).
But I rest my case on this one. Its seems to be the general view to terminate at D’Olier St (whats on D’Olier St??). I think that is myopic and going against the trend for the city to develop to the east.
I would also be concerned about any plans to reduce the stations along the Metro before it reaches the city, which I believe is being mooted.
I can’t get the pics across but this article from the Southside People might be of interest. visit them for a view of the proposals http://www.dublinpeople.com
The €5m question
An artist’s impression of one the proposed structures for the site of the old Dun Laoghaire baths
If you sent a child down to the shops to pick up a packet of sugar you’d probably do more than lift an eyebrow if they returned without the sugar but with a promise to deliver a 19- tier wedding cake sometime in the future.So it was last week at the launch of the two most favoured proposals – at least by local authority planners – for the Dun Laoghaire Baths site.
Delivering the bag of sugar as requested was the Bennet Group. Sticking to the brief outlined by the County Council it offered detailed plans for a £25m million Thalasso Spa (apparently it involves doing something vaguely unpleasant with seaweed) and Baths complex, along with a 104-bedroom four-Star Hotel, 25m pool, children’s pool, jacuzzi, and an outdoor artifical beach and lagoon. The structure would be just four storeys high.
Eugene Moore of Bennet Construction described it as a “timely new tourism/leisure asset for Dun Laoghaire … the best option for the people of Dun Laoghaire and the area as a whole.â€
The 19-tier wedding cake was offered up for consideration by the Pierse Group. Standing 65m high, it would have 120,000 sq. ft. of office space, plus apartments, shops and restaurant, Sea Bathing Pools and an indoor water leisure centre.
It was, admitted Ged Pierse, not a plan but a concept. It would, he noted, pull the focus away from “a decrepit town†and provide a gateway building to Dublin Port.
There would be objections to this bold concept but it was time that the “tail stopped wagging the dogâ€. Everyone would like it apart from the two per cent who will object.†The 95% per cent who would support the building of the most sought after building in Dublin would “fight and defeat†those who objected.
As it was a concept, he noted, the detail would follow after consultation with the planners. He reckoned that it would take four years from now before it would be completed.
So why wasn’t the Pierse Group concept shown the virtual door? After all, their proposal bears no relation to what the County Council asked for.
There’s just one reason why they’re not just still in but are considered favourites – money, and lots of it.
According to Ged Pierse not only would his company build the 19-story structure without it costing the local authority, they would also pay a form of “ground rentâ€, based on occupancy, in perpetuity. The figure of e5m was bandied about with the hint that this would be just the beginning of a profitable relationship.
Obviously the much smaller Bennett Construction would never generate sums of this nature.
Models and other details of both proposals are on display at County Hall, Marine Road, until July 7.
Its good news about the ILAC. Its renovation is long over due. Lets hope they opt for something radical and make better use of the vast amount of space they occupy. For some reason though I think development only affect one of the malls… am I right?
As for Hawkins House… I think the observation about planning difficulties in getting the same amount of space is probably spot on! The drawing of what it will look like seem okay but I would much rather see this type of building further down the river in DDDAland. I say tear it down and learn a lesson. The same goes for the nasty monstrosities surrounding it.
Turn the whole area into an extension of Temple Bar with narrow streets and set piece architecture… a new arthouse cinema to replace the Screen, maybe even a theatre
I like the first one… its sounds very cool. I like the idea of it being an ‘event’ when the bridge is withdrawn
Its not that bad! They probably get a hellicopter to Galway and then its only 2.5 – 3hrs by road. It might not be a motorway but its no boreen!
I am not entirely sure we should use the arguement of ‘when time get better we can…’ Historically, this has led to projects being developed at less than their potential.
A link to the existing rail network would not be to benefit mainline services as these are all northbound and would have joined the Metro earlier (at Swords for example). It is to fit in with the existing DART connection to south Dublin therefore creating a north-south easy airport link.
New plans just announced today also adds to the issue. The Government are planning to ask developers to build a new National Conference Centre and lease it back to the State. Okay so it may not happen…. but then again it may! And if the Docklands is chosen as is most likely (or eventhe RDS) then a direct Metro link into Connolly would be vital to its success. Think of all the hotels which will spring up in this area should a conference centre get the go-ahead.
Dublin Airport is another example of poor public transport facilities….especially as it is the first time most visitors to the city will use the bus system.
The OPW own Hawkins House so maybe you should contact them or visit http://www.opw.ie
I think there is some merit to the suggestion. Obviously if all developments were subject to this it would mean a glut of possible ‘stops’ en route. I think big development like ILAC or Stephen;s Green centre shoudl most definately have had to have taken public transport into consideration.
Adelaide in Australia has a large underground bus terminus under its main city shoppiing mall and I though it worked quite effectively (with platforms, and inforation screeens etc). It was very dirty and noisy though.
What I would like to see is buses not been parked on city streets… why Eden Quay needs to second as a CIE carpark I will never know.
If the plan is to terminate at D’Olier Street, the where will the trains go then? Will they simply change cabs and return back up the line?
If this is the case why does it necessitate a massive expansion at Connolly? DART is catered for (albeit poorly in terms of platform to street access), mainline is catered for (and how much mainline traffic uses Connolly? will this decrease when the M1 finally opens in all its glory). All thats needed thenn is the freeing up of underground space for platforms and sidings.
Yes, the National Baskeyball Arena is in Tallaght, the RDS in Ballsbridge, the Aquatic Centre in Abbotstown, Portmarnock, UCD, Blanchardstown…. we have quite a good little set up really don’t we
I was in Barcelona recently and the majority of stations involved down a stairs to the ticket hall and down another stairs to the platform (interchanges aside). You rightly point out that this is the first phase of what will hopefully (I won’t hold my breath – remember DART) be a number of phases. All the more reason then that you get the location of stations right and plan these stations as if they are the basis for a larger network.
I think you have a good point about arriving in O’Connel Street, but I reckon that, with the arrival of LUAS and the inevitable reduction in taffic that will have to take place in Dublin city centre, Connolly will increasingly become a more important transport hub with mainline, DART, LUAS and bus links. Not everyone taking the metro into the city will want to stay there – many will be continuing in to the southside or into the expanding east of the city (ie Docklands). I think the Metro shoudl stop at O’Connell Street (up near Parnell Square – a great draw to the north end of the street – see ‘Carlton’ threads) and continue on to Connolly and then Tara then St Stephens Green.
I have the horrible feeling they will make a pigs ear out of the Metro. All this talk about integrated transport and they still go ahead with an expensive transport link which completely fails in this respect. Why do we need to have a major interchange at O’Connell Street! Why not link up with the exisiting transport network at Connolly and Tara Street.
And how shortsighted to miss out the opportunity of including stations outside of the canals. That means anyone who wants to use the airport link and not want to travel in from the city will have to use their car…
