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Another City Centre, New St., Shopping, Tall Building Thread

  • 10-06-2006 7:33pm
    #1
    Jor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 156 ✭✭


    Well, The City Council have voted to rezone New St. allowing the new shopping centre to envelop most of the block (taking in Stephen and Michael Streets), and presumably even cross over the road to the far side of New Street (where the outdoor/camping shop is).

    We have all talked lately about different aspects of the City centre from Ugly buildings, building high, the need for more shopping and McCann bashing.

    The Mayor was one of several councillors who said that this decision had to be taken to allow the development to get started, a development essential for Waterford to catch up on other cities.

    Now that the decision has been taken, what sort of development should we get to really make a difference to life in the City, (as opposed to just a concrete and glass block to house retailers).

    Even if we are promised such an idea, is that what we will end up with?


Comments

  • #2
    merlante
    Registered Users Posts: 2,272 ✭✭✭merlante


    Personally I'd build a new main street in Waterford. But we can't do that anymore. So what choice do we have but to build a big **** off shopping centre. As big as possible because god knows when we'll get another one. 17 years since City Square!

    Having said that, we all hope and expect that it will look well and the architects will be well paid to ensure that it fits in with the surroundings and so on. One thing is for sure though, no matter what it looks like McCann and his cronies will come down on it like a ton of bricks. As sure as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, the Galway man will be doing his damndest to oppose it.

    Still I'm in an optimistic mood, so I think it will be grand and it will go ahead in the end. Here hoping...


  • #3
    col o
    Closed Accounts Posts: 76 ✭✭col o


    I think the decision to rezone is great news.The fact is there was only one person living on New St. that did not want to sell their property.This is totally at odds with the picture that was painted by the opponents.I know this has all been covered but I believe that the group of people that have rallied against this pose a serious threat to the city.I am glad that the centre politicians on the council did not capitulate for fear of losing votes at the next local elections.I am also glad some labour councillers voted in favour otherwise there would have been the usual accusations of FF/FG pro big business.I believe it took a direct intervention from the City Manager,Conn Murray and the Mayor to get the councillors to see sense.I would also be curious to know if Seamus Ryan would have voted differently if his sister was not involved in the opposition group.The amount of objections by the Green Party member in our city is an ABUSE of the planning system and of democracy.If we all exercised our democratic rights as he does,society would grind to a halt.The result would be that ledislation would inevitably have to be passed to remove some of the individual rights.We have already seen this.

    Getting back to the original question.It is a difficult one to say what would be appropriate.I believe the boulevard concept that was mentioned in the News and Star would be a worthy one.I think the design should have a street internal or otherwise going from Michael St. to the top of Castle St.There is a major plan to develop Mount Sion and the 'Brewery' could effectively link this with the City centre and Railway Saquare.I believe it will also revitalise Barrack St.

    The main problem is there is buildings there that I think will have to be preserved.Also a previous poster wrote about the problem that a lot of people believe that for a building to be aesthetically pleasing it somehow has to emulate something from the past.The most innovative landmark structures tend to create the most contovesy and the Eiffel tower is a perfect example of this.This is why it is guaranteed that when pressure groups like the Waterford Aliance for Sustainable Inner City Development succeeds,the first casualty is innovation and any potential world class structures. A perfect example of this is Dublins docklands.

    Has there been any public comment by Brendan McCann?He must be on a Club Med Holiday:D

    When he gets back I'm sure there will be a reoffensive.


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