who_me
Forum Replies Created
- Posts
Is that yet another new bridge I see in that picture?
Sounds to me like an insidious form of land reclamation!! 😀
Seriously though, great news, the design looks great.
@securityman wrote:
I think the idea of including the english market would be a great idea and a totally different shopping experience possibly even calling the whole development the english market. Its a pity that the brog and qube complex will be knocked though because I fear cork is losing too many pubs and clubs in recent years. Can anybody confirm that the roundy on daunt square is to be turned into a phone shop and what is happening with lebowskis on marlboro st. With the increased population we need more places for leisure and entertainment so the planners need to be carefull of getting rid of small pubs etc areound the city.
It’s a real pity – the Bróg and Qube are (were?) unique in Cork, late night establishments 7 nights a week with no admission charge. The Bróg in particular, with it’s use of the alleyway access to the English market at night time – very interesting. Important to remember too – we’ve lost 5 venues (licenses?) here, not 2: The Hairy Lemon, The Bróg, the Cránnog, The Qube and Cocos.
Very popular with foreign students/tourists. Even more so the Roundy / Rhino Rooms. It’s a very attractive little establishment at the top of Cornmarket St., when that’s looking a bit more respectable it’ll be a fine view. It’d make a great pub/cafe/small restaurant. Please not another phone shop – it’s not as if anyone’s scratching their heads wondering why to buy a phone these days!
pier39 wrote:but yes i agree its unfortunate. im really routing for this building and i agree it would transform this particular quayside immensely. suppose all we can do is hope for the best. ]Each to their own I guess.. of all the quays, that’s one I’d rather was left alone (well, given a cleanup, but naught more). Now, if the RC building was to replace, say, the rear of the Metropole, or the god-awful Penrose Wharf building, then I’d really be in favour of it.
@Radioactiveman wrote:
As far as i’m aware, the Elisabeth Fort is spotlighted at night.
Err… really? You’d think I’d have noticed that, given that I live in the apartment building next door! 😮 I really need to get out more..
Still, looking forward to getting a look at a few interiors that day. I’m not sure why the Clarion penthouse is included, but I’d be very curious for a look.
The lighting on City Quarter is very well done, improves greatly on what might otherwise be a rather bland building. The Clarion’s lighting is nice too (apart from when they animate it – a little too Las Vegas for my liking!). The No.6 lighting is piercingly bright – you could take someone’s eye out with light that bright!!! 😀
But the quayside/boardwalk lighting is first rate! The way they highlight the trees, the railings, the shelter supports, even the stonework on the sides of the “cafe boxes”, is superb. (Incidentally – does anyone know when those cafes are due to open?)
On another note – isn’t a pity the Elizabethan fort isn’t similarly spotlighted? I know it was just recently de-ivyed, but it could look great lit up at night, with St. Patrick’s as a backdrop.
@Radioactiveman wrote:
Yeah, I did mean Lavitts. Sorry for the confusion. Still no nearer to finding out whether its true or not.
I was passing the Lavitt’s Quay building yesterday, and one of the (large) ground floor retail units has pictures of a book store on its windows, inscribed (in quite small writing) Vibes and Scribes.
So, I’m guessing.. yes. 😉
@Radioactiveman wrote:
Can anyone confirm whether Vibes and Scribes are moving into one of the OCP units at lapps quay?
Lapps? Do you mean Lavitts? If so, it could be a good move – I only recently realised the lane alongside links with the Hugenot quarter, so it might see more foot traffic.
Incidentally, the existing Vibes and Scribes building is actually really attractive, or it would be if all the advertising was torn down.
@lexington wrote:
🙂 John F. Supple Contractors seem to be storming ahead with Phase 2 of the €30m Camden Court project being developed by OSB Group. Phase 1, designed by James Leahy & Associates, which comprised of 44 apartments, was acclaimed for it’s respectful and innovative, limestone & copper clad design. Phase 2 will see the development of over 50 further apartments, extensive roof-gardens, a new home for the Cork Arts Theatre and new Pa Johnson’s Pub premises. Below find images of Phase 1, now completed, and Phase 2, under construction (note the images display a variation on the actual resulting material finish and colouration – which will be limestone, as par Phase 1).
I have to say, it looks great in the photos, but in real life I think it just looks quite drab. I don’t really understand the acclaim.
(Plus, every time I see it, I’m reminded of the comments made about its interior in another thread here! 😉 )
lexington – Thanks for the detailed response regarding the South Docks! You also succeeded in cutting a few of my next questions off at the knees! 😉
The only plans/designs I’ve yet seen for the area is the masterplan pdf, which I’d assume is a rough, aspirational plan rather than the final shape. What really impressed me about it though were “extras” for want of a better word – the boating basin, preserving/restoring the waterways, the numerous parks, the public access to the riverfront walkways etc. Fortunately, it seems that developers are putting increasing effort not just into the quality of their designs, but into the recreational areas and other facilities in the area.
I wondered too how an area this size is going to affect the commuter patterns/levels in the city. Has anyone projected how many people might work in a rejuvenated dockland development? Can you imagine an extra 40 or 50 thousand people commuting every day to the South Docks through Blackrock, Mahon, Douglas? It could be a nightmare – hence I’d guess the hope is that it be reasonably self-sufficient. I.e. a good number of people working in the docklands will live there too.
It’s good to hear about the Nat Ross plans, as it shows it’s not just the riverfront sites which will be cherry-picked for the prestigious projects. Plus, the fact that they’re going for up to 10 stories bodes well for higher buildings closer to the fiver/further from the established residences. (Sorry, but I’m a big fan of tall (but pretty) buildings)
Interesting, if uncertain, times. I just wish they’d get on and start knocking/building something!! At least with Webworks and Eglington St. on the way, they’re moving in the right direction.
It was no surprise either to hear Howard Holdings mentioned, I remember reading Greg Coughlan’s comments around the opening of Lapp’s Quay, and he seems more enthusiastic/ambitious about the docklands than the council or most Corkonians!
Keep up the bean spilling!
@ewankennedy wrote:
But really, do ya think that building at the location seen in the pictures is really that bad? It could make for a nice punctuation of the citys skyline with County hall in the west, that hotel in the city centre, Eglinton street in the east and leading out to highrise in the docklands.
i dont think St. Finbars would be too dirupted by that cos the hotel is stepped to the side of the vista and not actually in its path like that other hotel proposal at Crosses green, yeuck!I actually really like the design – far, far, faaar better than the hotel which has received planning permission at Cross’s Green.
However, I can see why it wouldn’t go ahead. Particularly, the view of St. Finbarr’s from along the South Mall or Lapp’s Quay would be completely obscured.
That said, I personally would still not be opposed to it – Main St (South Main St. in particular) still looks incredibly run down Anything would be an improvement, and it might bring some life to the area.
Anyone know if there is a ‘co-ordinated’ plan for the Kennedy Quay area? Assuming different developers are going to buy it in sections, are the river front boardwalks/pavements going to be developed into one cohesive design, or a collage of differing ones? Am I right in assuming it will be pedestrianised, and thus you’ll be able to walk along the river from the city centre along the quays to the marina, and onwards? Or is it possible some of the quayside won’t be accessible to the public?
Couldn’t sleep the other night, so got off my bum at first light, and went for a walk along the marina, past Blackrock, around Mahon Pt. and back up via the old railroad track – what a wonderful resource that route is, either for pedestrians, cyclists or even “green” commuters. The only pity is you have to suffer the gloomy Centre Park Rd. to get there! Once the South Bank is redeveloped, it’ll connect this area nicely to the city centre.
I’d love to see the quays developed something along the lines of South Bank in Melbourne, though perhaps the casino there is a little overbearing and tacky.
@d_d_dallas wrote:
This touches on a very valid point. The problems are recognised, but there is a very real perception problem with “apartment living” in this country. A drive towards greater densities can only succeed if people are willing to live in such communities. Past apartment developments in our urban areas have certainly not helped people’s perception. An overhaul of D.O.E. guidelines on minimum apartment sizes?
I’d certainly welcome that – I’m a first time buyer looking for an abode and am seeing far too many (new) 2 bedroom apartments under (in some cases, well under) 500 sq. feet. Perhaps it’s worthwhile having such properties if they’re priced such as to be affordable to low-income earners, but they’re not especially cheap and you’d have to wonder about the quality of life living in boxes like those.
@Devin wrote:
Provided they can integrate and co-exist happily…….which is not the case on Lavitt’s Quay in my opinion.
That’s fair enough. Though given the dreadful multi-storey car parks just behind the quayside, I think that area is a prime candidate for some taller buildings to mask them. With those in place, No.21 shouldn’t look so out of place.
I do agree with you on No. 16 wholeheartedly, I don’t care much for it at all.
I was a bit wary of No 21 Lavitt’s Quay, but seeing it now complete, it’s one of my favourite new developments in Cork. That entire quayside has looked dreadful for decades – with the nearby Opera House one of the worst of a bad lot. Any redevelopment of the area would be welcome in my book, and No. 21 is one of the best in Cork.
As for the greater height, bring it on. If it leads to other buildings nearby of a similar height, is that a bad thing? Would buildings such as the Roches Stores, Brown Thomas buildings etc. ever have been built if we had the same attitude towards height then as we do now?
And if the height differs, is that a problem either? I think (provided new developments are top-notch) a contrast in heights between new and old side-by-side can be quite striking. To be honest, I think much of Dublin and Limerick’s riverside developments have been quite dull, with endless adjoining buildings of the same or similar height.
Having said all that, I think the proposals for No. 16 Lavitt’s Quay are very poor; being big is ok, but being big and bland isn’t. IMO.
Any ideas of what’s in store for the old warehouse on Fr. Matthew’s Quay? I presume it’s going to be more or less completely demolished – I can’t see how it could easily be adapted.
I don’t know if this has been mentioned previously, but there seems to be an initiative now running to promote Cork city centre (presumably to counter increased competition from Mahon Point and the like). There are ‘Cork City Centre’ posters in many shop windows, and seem to be linked to the cometocork.com website.
I’m not sure how necessary the move is, the city centre doesn’t appear to be struggling, and the Academy St. and Cornmaket St. developments are only going to improve that, but the website is nicely done. Nice Cork (city centre obviously) map on it too.
Speaking of maps, Google Maps (http://maps.google.co.uk) seems to have decent quality satellite images of Cork city now, handy if you’re trying to visualise a site. I believe there’s also a software download version which works quicker.
@Radioactiveman wrote:
Indeed, take for example if we wished to stage some sort of rally ( i dunno, how about “YES TO HIGHRISES!!” 🙂 ). So, we’ve got a 100 or so demonstrators having a peaceful rally with placards and stuff. If this is a public space then we’d be free to congregate there. However I cant see Clarion being happy with that- whatever the cause. Same with skateboarders, engineers and other so-called “undesirables” 🙂
I believe they currently have “Skateboarders will be prosecuted” signs up on the quay area.
@kite wrote:
I almost missed Lex’s brief comments in posting 1704 where he advises that
‘OCP have plans on Custom House Quay’s PoC warehousing which they
successfully purchased 2 months ago for over 6.75m euros’
Surprising that if all that happened 2 months ago on this site we haven’t
heard a word or seen OCP’s plans, thought the media circus would be in full
swing by now.
Are there any more details or proposed plans available?You’d have to look back a few pages. Should be easy to find – lots of aerial shots of the Custom House Quay!
I think the current proposal was to knock the Bonded Warehouses only (the yellow buildings), and build a 15ish story building at the “tip” of the site. You’re right though, I haven’t seen much mention of it. No doubt it faces a rocky road through planning (as opposed to..?)
Reading from the same site quoted above, this had me in stitches:
“The 2001 Docklands Stategy states:
1.16 ‘The City’s successful bid for the European Cultural Capital 2005 seeks to celebrate the obvious qualities of the city and provides a parallel commitment of the Docklands Plan’
1.21 ‘A clearly defined public realm strategy to instil a distinct new identity to the Docklands area. Critical to this is maintaining a ‘spirit of Cork’ in rebranding the area as a place with the highest quality of architectural and public space design, integrating great buildings, landscape & public art’.
3 years have elapsed since those statements were made.
3 years during which there has been much quoted about the Docklands redevelopment east of Custom House Street, but not one project has been started.
3 years during which the City’s ‘commitment of the Docklands plan’ for urban regeneration apparently includes allowing part of the Bonded Warehouse to deteriorate to such a poor state of repair that it has actually fallen down.
Nowhere in the area can one see this ‘distinct new identity’
Nowhere in the area can one see ‘the highest quality of architectural and public space design, integrating great buildings, landscape & public art’”
So, to paraphrase the site’s message – “Let’s BAN any “high rise” development, and criticise developers where and when possible…and why the hell aren’t there any new developments in the city?”
Jaysus…
I don’t know if anyone else noticed, but Euronews (the ‘magazine style’ repeating Europe-wide news program that shows on several channels) had a lengthy spot about Libeskind and his Eighteen Turns, with several mentions of Cork, the City of Culture celebrations and the upcoming docklands development here. Great publicity for the city.
