Castleforbes Square, docklands

D.S.

reallybad wrote:

Hi DS and welcome!
No i personally found that the snags were done VERY efficiently and to a high standard. Just make sure that youre windows are cleaned and are scratch free. The people who put up the balcony damaged ours and the glass had to be replaced. The worst part of my apartment was the paint work, it was of a very low standard, most notibly the mess the painters left behind them so i asked for it to be re-painted and i was very happy with the result.

All in all i have not had a problem.

So far the management company have been average. Hard to contact them but when i finally did they ensure me that there is going to be a person on grounds fulltime for people to contact which i will hope will make a big difference. I would hope to see a dramatic improvement in Block D cleanliness in the common areas when this happens. The entrance is at a much lower standard than the blocks with show apartments

Cheers for that....

geecee

Hi DS
Make sure the waste outlet pipe from your toilet is going down (and not up)
Sounds like a joke... but i had to get mine changed

Also check imersion is working, timer expecially

I have had to have my immersion, bathroom striplight and bathroom heater replaced so far.

My biggest regret when i snagged is that i never noticed all teh "hammerite" specs on my windows...Possibly from when the balconies were primed/painted... they only became apparent after I physically cleaned the windows insdide and out

The only thing is the builders are great and Johnny and Martin are very helpful and genuinely care about making the customer satisfied.

With regard to castleforbes road, I can't understand when they are bothering to re-cobble the road... it may look quaint... but Tarmac is far better (especially if you are on a bike, or for noise absorbtion)

I have yet to hear back from any of the DCC councillors with regard to teh DCC/Eircom ducting issue.

The competition authority have rang me to get more details and they are looking into the whole sky-conway momopoly issue.

Finally there is a planning permission notice gone up on tyhe retail space under the block E "tower".... looking for PP to change from restaurant spcace to retail unit... so we may have to wait a while before we get our spar!

Spar is a complete rip off... but at least it'll be near by... so we won't have to go all the way to the IFSC or Ringsend(without doubt the most expensive in Ireland... €1.20 for a litre of milk) to get ripped off!

Victor

reallybad wrote:

Hi Victor, was there any outcome with this?

Its still ongoing. It will mostly likely happen but Bank or Ireland and Citibroup are really nervous about disruption. Expected work programme is 20 months, but won't start for a few months yet.

More information here: http://www.rpa.ie/luas/railway_orders/line_c1

geecee wrote:

My biggest regret when i snagged is that i never noticed all teh "hammerite" specs on my windows...Possibly from when the balconies were primed/painted... they only became apparent after I physically cleaned the windows insdide and out

Use a flat razor blade. The sharper teh better.

Sponge Bob

geecee wrote:

Could this be the Duct work that we have been waiting for?

I have been told by the wise ones that DCC will not licence ANY duct work in ANY street where the Luas will go .

The Luas contractors will instead design an integrated plan to ensure that all services are relocated to where they can be accessed once the Luas track is in. DCC do not want to be sued for messing this up and causing delays so they have called a dead stop to the issuing of dig permits on those streets.

Thats ESB / Water / Eircom /NTL / Gas relocation in one single plan.

In the meantime NO DIGGING BY EIRCOM THEMSELVES for 2 or 3 years .

You will have to find out who gets the Luas Build Contract and make sure the telco stuff is prioritised somehow.

HTH

R Cogs

Moving in to Block E in a few weeks. Looking forward to it with all the good info / vibe here thus far.

Regarding the snag. Should I get a 'professional' in to do it. Did anyone use one they were particularly happy with whom they could recommend ?

reallybad

R Cogs wrote:

Moving in to Block E in a few weeks. Looking forward to it with all the good info / vibe here thus far.

Regarding the snag. Should I get a 'professional' in to do it. Did anyone use one they were particularly happy with whom they could recommend ?

Geting a professional is purely up to yourself on this one. I myself in my student days worked for 6 years on sites with builders electricians and plumbers so i would reckon i would have a good enough eye on what could be wrong. If you have no experience at all in the filed then maybe ask someone you know or get a professional in. In general from my experience Danninger have them to a pretty good standard.

If you do decide to do it yourself then my advice would be to make sure that you get a few others to do it with you. Like i did it and also my dad and my brother did their own separate snags then we were able to bring the 3 together in case we missed anything.

reallybad

Guys i had to ring the council again this morning, ye may(or may not have noticed) the rubbish which somebody dumped under the truck trailer(household waste in blue refuse sacks).

this is very worrying that they are easily dumping here with no concern for the people of the area.

geecee

My Clearwire connection is gone to sh1t over the last few days... I guess all the new people in Castleforbes are robbing my Bandwidth!

I was on to Eircom again this morning and there is still no update as to when the phone lines will be installed...

I have being trying to ring Maria Jonsson the Escalations Manager to see if she could shed any more light on the situation...but only getting voicemail this morning...

RB, Have you heard anything new from NTL

JACKSPOCK

Just to let you know I was onto the City Council Cleansing Dept. this morning to complain about the rubbish being left on Castleforbes road.

Got a firm committment that it would be cleaned up today.

Also requested that the Cleaning of Castleforbes road be put onto a regular weekly schedule ( apparently it is not as present). The official I spoke to said he would put this request as a formal proposal to his supervisor. He has just phoned me back to confirm that a refuge cleaning vehicle will include Castleforbes road on weekly schedule from this week onwards.

Regards Jack S.

ryan27

hey,

does anybody know if there are roof gardens on block D & E? I'm a resident of Block D and like other city centre apt blocks it would be interesting to see if we have access to them. Plus if there is any power points attached up there or BBQ equipment.

Could be fun to have a BBQ this summer to welcome all residents and share in our phone, broadband, city council stories... information is power.. and a couple of bottles of vino would sure help

JACKSPOCK

Great idea about a residents BBQ.

Not all blocks have a roof garden. Block E does have one. I was told when purchasing my appartment that all residents of Castleforbes square have full use of all common areas such as courtyards / roof gardens etc.

Why not invite all residents from Blocks C, D and E. to a BBQ

D.S.

Contracts signed on my place in Block E.., will be a few weeks before everything else is closed. Broadband wise, is Clearwire still the only option after SkyConway?? What are general broadband speeds like in Castleforbes?

reallybad

geecee wrote:

My Clearwire connection is gone to sh1t over the last few days... I guess all the new people in Castleforbes are robbing my Bandwidth!

I was on to Eircom again this morning and there is still no update as to when the phone lines will be installed...

I have being trying to ring Maria Jonsson the Escalations Manager to see if she could shed any more light on the situation...but only getting voicemail this morning...

RB, Have you heard anything new from NTL

NTL told me it could be at least weeks but most probably months before they get anything from Danninger so i would not hold my breath

There is a roof garden on block D, (dublin port end of the block).

unfortunatley DS that yes clearwire is the only option for the meantime :-(

jdc78

The middle part of Block E does not have a roof top garden nor access to other rooftop gardens because we have not been given access to the doors. Seen a few people up there and looks like they've been having a good time.

delog

Hi guys,
I'm hoping to close on an apartment in Block C and maybe move in end of the month. Just wondering if anyone has an extra parking space to rent seeing as it seems to be a premium commodity at the moment? Would anyone also know if the developers have laxed the ruling on one beds having parking? Thanks.

geecee

CAr park is mostly empty from what i can see!
No more than 4-5 cars parked under Block D on any night....

Incidentally i motice that Spar 0 Coming Soon signs have gone up Friday Afternoon... Wonder where they will get the phone lines to run their credit Card and ATM machines?

Also i noticed that Brooks timber yard is closing down tomorrow... Anyone an idea whats scheduled to go in there?

Goosey

The pub around the corner on the quays is closing in 2 weeks for good.
Everything is changing quite fast.

JACKSPOCK

The situation with the Brooks Thomas is as follows.

In 2004 Danniger did a deal to purchase the Brooks Thomas sites in the north docklands. There are 3 adjacent but separate sites. A condition of the deal was that Danniger would allow Brooks an 18 month period to vacate the sites. The first of the sites is being vacted this month. Brooks are relocating their operation to Balbriggan. Presume to rest of the operation will follow over the next few months.

I have been on the DDDA to enquire about planning permission applications / grants for these sites. The situation is that Danninger have yet to lodge a planning application. Because the land in the general dockland area is considered to be contaminated the delveloper will have to excavate the surface soil on the 3 Brooks sites down to a depth of approx 2 mts. This soil will have to be trucked out of the area. This work needs to be done before any building work commences.
Based on the above it could be another 1 - 2 years before any development starts.This is the last large plot of land between Spencer Dock and Castleforbes Sq / Point Village so Danninger may want to keep their options open as to what type of development they decide to go with. Hotel / offices may be be more attrative than appartments.

On a related topic. I also discovered from the DDDA that planning permission has been granted for 200 appartments for the office of public works site off Castleforbes Road ( rear of Tile Style).

Cheers JS

geecee

Got a flyer in from Sly conway this morning....

Sky Conway-Internet with Attitude:
Speed: 1MB/1MB
Contention 48:1
€35.99 Per monthg + €75 install
No download Limits and unlimited usage
More bandwidth only a phone call

Seems like a rip-off to me and another complete screw over on the Monopolised tennants/owners of This disgraceful excuse of a development by Danninger...

I think another call to the competition authority is called for!

geecee

I spoke with Maria from Eircom Escalations this morning:

Contractors are now in place to supply the Eircom ducting to Castleforbes.

The contractors hope to have a licence to Dig before the weekend and they are then waiting on cable, which they expect next week.

It will then take them 10 days to dig and install ducting and a further 2 weeks before Eircom have the lines live.

So a hopeful estimate is that we could have phone lines with 4 weeks...
And I guess another 3-4 weeks before DSL can be installed

Then it'll be Bye-bye to clearwire time!

RB,
Have you had any updates from NTL?

delog

Hi guys,
Does NTL not have a broadband package as well? Once we have a landline, does that mean that we can use companies like Magnet/ SMART which can provide tv/ phone/ broadband together all for 39.99 a month?

Is there a bike room downstairs? Or at best facilities to lock your bikes up to in the underground carpark? Thanks

reallybad

delog wrote:

Hi guys,
Does NTL not have a broadband package as well? Once we have a landline, does that mean that we can use companies like Magnet/ SMART which can provide tv/ phone/ broadband together all for 39.99 a month?

Is there a bike room downstairs? Or at best facilities to lock your bikes up to in the underground carpark? Thanks

NTL do have a broadband package however thier service is not currently available but they are in negotiation with Danninger so watch this space. They are due to contact me when they get a result...... Companies like SMART and especially Magnet will be an option once we get our phoneline in which will be a relief.

There is an area downstairs in the car park to park bikes in.

jdc78

Hear rumour that the pub on the corner of Castleforbes (Vallence &McGraw - I think) is relocating to one of the units at Castleforbes - this was in the planning months ago... so we could have a spar and a pub - all we really need I suppose!

reallybad

jdc78 wrote:

Hear rumour that the pub on the corner of Castleforbes (Vallence &McGraw - I think) is relocating to one of the units at Castleforbes - this was in the planning months ago... so we could have a spar and a pub - all we really need I suppose!

Yeah Heard that pub is closing, you really think they are going to CF? Has anyone been in there. I was in once and at being the risk of sounding bad, i didnt paticularly like the clientele. Would they come with them? Nice traditional pub other than that.

Goosey

The clientele are grand. I was in there for a match and ended up have one to many jars ..joining in the singing of songs. All inner city Dublin locals, just like me

reallybad

Goosey wrote:

The clientele are grand. I was in there for a match and ended up have one to many jars ..joining in the singing of songs. All inner city Dublin locals, just like me

I will have to give it another go, when i walked in first two guys asked me "where i was going" - maybe i am little too sensitive for my own good :-)

Anyone get a date for the Spar opening, anybody know what other services are going to be offered in the remaining units?

Goosey

Yeah ...that's just a friendly feeler to see how you will react.

reallybad

Goosey wrote:

Yeah ...that's just a friendly feeler to see how you will react.

it worked didnt it

jdc78

I've had one or two good nights in their despite feeling quite intimidated initially and not really understanding what they were saying! Also have taken advantage of the weekend breakfasts.

reallybad

anyone been talking to johnny cullen lately and get around to asking him what the story is with the SPAR shop?time line etc?

D.S.

reallybad wrote:

anyone been talking to johnny cullen lately and get around to asking him what the story is with the SPAR shop?time line etc?

I was on to him today. Spar is not due to open until September. The other retail unit under block C is not yet let and he was not aware of any pub or restaurant relocating to CF.

reallybad

D.S. wrote:

I was on to him today. Spar is not due to open until September. The other retail unit under block C is not yet let and he was not aware of any pub or restaurant relocating to CF.

Thanks for that, will be happy if there is one before Sept, no walking to shop in IFSC in wet and cold!

Thanks!!!

MHJB

Hi All
Just wanted to post a little note to the forum here saying that my g/friend and I are closing tomorrow, and will be moving into castleforbes within a month or two. I also wanted to thank everyone who posted threads with helpful info and tips, it really helped. cheers.

ryan27

folks,

Has anyone noticed that trucks are starting to arrive at 6-6.30am some mornings. The sound of them reversing is like an alarm clock. Is there anything we can do? Or what time is work supposed to commence on the site? Thats 2 mornings this week I've been waken up by engines left running and trucks reversing. :mad:

On the bright side SPAR opening in Sept will be convient & hopefully the other retail unit is snapped up quick.

Regards

ryan27

Just a quick one..

I thought we had access to ALL roof gardens in ALL the blocks. I'm in Block D and I can't access the door for Block E and i'm sure thats vice versa. The roof garden when I was viewing apartments in Block E looks much nicer than the small one in Block D. Is there anything we can do?

Regards

MHJB

ryan27 wrote:

Just a quick one..

I thought we had access to ALL roof gardens in ALL the blocks. I'm in Block D and I can't access the door for Block E and i'm sure thats vice versa. The roof garden when I was viewing apartments in Block E looks much nicer than the small one in Block D. Is there anything we can do?

Regards

I talked to somebody...I think it was johnny Cullen, and he told me that the only people that have access to roof gardens are the people in the blocks that have a garden. Ie. I'm moving into block 'C', which, to my knowledge, has no roof garden, therefore I don't have access to any roof gardens.

D.S.

Just to update you all on the Luas c1 line to the point depot. The latest is that the Inspectors Report on C1 should be going to the Minister for Transport within the next month or so and the Ministers' approval should come back within a month or two of receiving that.

The RPA are saying that the earliest start date would be June of next year but this is dependant on legislation being passed by the end of this year. Duration of construction works is 18-20 months.

reallybad

D.S. wrote:

Just to update you all on the Luas c1 line to the point depot. The latest is that the Inspectors Report on C1 should be going to the Minister for Transport within the next month or so and the Ministers' approval should come back within a month or two of receiving that.

The RPA are saying that the earliest start date would be June of next year but this is dependant on legislation being passed by the end of this year. Duration of construction works is 18-20 months.

we are talking at least 3 years so i guess.......

delog

What news on the telephone lines or lack thereof? Anyone has any updates from Eircom themselves?

So many negative things...
1) Not allowed to get parking
2) No phone line
3) No decent tv
4) No access to roof gardens
5) No broadband
6) Noise

Wow...
Anyone any nice uplifting stories about these apartments?

reallybad

delog wrote:

What news on the telephone lines or lack thereof? Anyone has any updates from Eircom themselves?

So many negative things...
1) Not allowed to get parking
2) No phone line
3) No decent tv
4) No access to roof gardens
5) No broadband
6) Noise

Wow...
Anyone any nice uplifting stories about these apartments?

Hi delog,

the reason this forum was setup was to discuss problems people may be having. There are plenty of things great about these apartments but thats not the pupose here....

As for the phone lines, There is digging going on the streets at the moment. I spotted that one of the hole was marked "TE" which is TE services who handle EIRCOMS line laying so looks like phone line will be available very shortly

Parking is available to anyone who is willing to pay for it, same as for any apartment block you buy in the market at the moment

TV is a problem yes

Roof Gradens - this was pretty much up to the persons involved whne picing their apartments. I currently bought making sure we had a roof garden

I have clearwire and i find is satisfactory

Noise - again like with the roof garden i picked an apartment away from the noise aspect.



The main point to note here is that Castleforbes Road one year was nothing but a through road with a bulding site on one end. Its a very up and coming area and i think everybody who bought down there took this into consideration. there is a lot of thing that we are going to have to be patient, but i personally feel that this is going to be very much a saught after area with a huge community within the next five years once the infrastructure is built up


I wouldnt swap my apartment for anything.....

ptolo

Hi Guys,

Me and my wife also moved in a few days ago to block D :-). The place looks really nice! Have to check out the roof gardens, though .

I've browsed all your threads about a broadband connection and it seems that Clearwire is the only option now. Could you advise as to which package you chose? They all seem a rip-off after 6 months and I assume there's no way to resign from their services in half a year without paying a huge fee...

Any help will be appreciated.

Regards

reallybad

ptolo wrote:

Hi Guys,

Me and my wife also moved in a few days ago to block D :-). The place looks really nice! Have to check out the roof gardens, though .

I've browsed all your threads about a broadband connection and it seems that Clearwire is the only option now. Could you advise as to which package you chose? They all seem a rip-off after 6 months and I assume there's no way to resign from their services in half a year without paying a huge fee...

Any help will be appreciated.

Regards

if you can wait a few weeks i would recomend waiting for Eircom to finish their dig and that way you will have your choice of providers ie smart,eircom magnet etc.....

Clearwire is fine for browsing but thats about it, hold out if you can. I have it two months and slightly gutted that i didnt wait. The signal is rubbish between 8.30 and 9.30 most nights

reallybad

Hi all

on a different note, for the past few weeks i have noticed in the evening a rather disgusting smell in and around the castleforbes apartment blocks. The smell is like bad sewage or possibly coming from the sea, can anyone shed a little light on this ?? Or anyone else notice it? We have to keep windows closed when at its worst (often on hotter evenings)

geecee

Hi RB
I spoke to some of the guys digging the street last week and they informed me they were digging a gas line :mad:
Hopefully Eircom are also digging... but i didn't see them.

With regard to clearwire... i have their 2MB package for the moment... there is a 12 month contract, but i have a feeling that (once my Eircom line is in and i have ported to Smart telecom) my signal is going to suddenly get really bad and i will have to break contract. I guess all the building work around here would be affecting my signal :cool:

Has anyone tried the Sky Conway broadband package?

I have not noticed the smells, but i have to say the construction noises are getting quite annoying... i was once again woken up by a truck backing into the site next to Block E (Block F?)

I also find the noise from the common corridors to be very loud... i'm thinking of installing some extra seals on my door to dampen the noise...

As for the road... thats another story... it seems to be getting in worse and worse condition every day

geecee

I spoke to the guys digging the road again this morning...
They confirmed that they are installing a gas main (for phase 2 of Castleforbes?) and that the other dig was a water main.

They said they havn't seen any Eircom digs going on... But that isn't gospel!

Has anyone been in contact with Maria Johnson of Eircom recently for an update?

Goosey

reallybad wrote:

Hi all

on a different note, for the past few weeks i have noticed in the evening a rather disgusting smell in and around the castleforbes apartment blocks. The smell is like bad sewage or possibly coming from the sea, can anyone shed a little light on this ?? Or anyone else notice it? We have to keep windows closed when at its worst (often on hotter evenings)

I had put this down to the Ringsend sewage treatment plant. Change of wind and or a flush out of the plant with the wind and tide being in the wrong combination.

I could be talking ****e though

reallybad

Goosey wrote:

I had put this down to the Ringsend sewage treatment plant. Change of wind and or a flush out of the plant with the wind and tide being in the wrong combination.

I could be talking ****e though

you could be right there......

ptolo

reallybad wrote:

if you can wait a few weeks i would recomend waiting for Eircom to finish their dig and that way you will have your choice of providers ie smart,eircom magnet etc.....

Clearwire is fine for browsing but thats about it, hold out if you can. I have it two months and slightly gutted that i didnt wait. The signal is rubbish between 8.30 and 9.30 most nights

Thanks for the info. I also spoke to a friend of mine working at Digiweb. He says the coverage in our area should be v. good as they recently spent some money in D1 on new signal stations. The terms and conditions look pretty decent - no fixed contract (installation - 90€), fine contention ratio and speeds, and still cheaper than Clearwire... I might give it a try....The installation theoretically takes only 2 weeks but he says it might be longer now due to higher demand in some areas....

Regards

Goosey

reallybad wrote:

you could be right there......

What part? The talking s4ite or the Ringsend sewage treatment plant

reallybad

ptolo wrote:

Thanks for the info. I also spoke to a friend of mine working at Digiweb. He says the coverage in our area should be v. good as they recently spent some money in D1 on new signal stations. The terms and conditions look pretty decent - no fixed contract (installation - 90€), fine contention ratio and speeds, and still cheaper than Clearwire... I might give it a try....The installation theoretically takes only 2 weeks but he says it might be longer now due to higher demand in some areas....

Regards

No can do, we are not permitted to put up the transmission box on the outside walls :-(