Bolton St Proposal

BBM77

http://wouldntwaterfordbebetterif.blogspot.com/


This is the kind of thinking Waterford needs more of. The new street and underground car park are great ideas. Something along those lines on the gas works site would be great to.

Roen

Good find! Will go over later when I have time.

mike65

Well at a glance it looks great. But we can't be doing with that sophisticated continental look here, oh no!

Anyone spot a bit of Paris in that video?

Mike.

mad man

This looks great on the surface of it.However I have gone totally pessimistic around development in Waterford.Especially when it will be interfered with every step of the way by McCann trying to impose his three storey Utopia.

BBM77

mad man wrote:

This looks great on the surface of it.However I have gone totally pessimistic around development in Waterford.Especially when it will be interfered with every step of the way by McCann trying to impose his three storey Utopia.

I know what you mean I get very fed up of all the McCann/planning bulls*?-, but you cannot give these nay sayers the satisfaction of holding back on what needs to be built.

Developers redeveloping derelict areas and creating jobs are seen by some people as the enemy. What did McCann ever do to make Waterford a better place? He got a walkway moved in of the river in railway square, whoop tee do the city will thrive now.

merlante

Looks absolutely excellent. If there is some devil in the detail then it should be sorted and they should move ahead with it ASAP.

It's about time something got built in Waterford!

Hopefully that bastard McCann will be struck down with some temporary affliction that prevents him from ****ing this up!

mike65

I got a PM from the man with the fancy pencil set which I reproduce below

I am waiting for my boards.ie clearance to place a post on the site - in the meantime .........

I am the architect who put together the concept and designs for this 'Bolton Street' redevelopment for Colum Power. I am glad to see mainly positive reaction to it all. I passionately believe in it as a workable long term plan. It gives me great heart to get good responses and constructive criticism too ! I was born here, grew up here and want it to be a better place, hence the name of the blog. I have absolutely no political connections at all.

The blog is a response to the City Councils own Framework document in which they invited comment. I saw a situation like Dublin where ST Stephens green (open space) is joined to Trinity college (old buildings) by a busy street. This street could be a cultural hub / business district with sites for world class architecture ( theaters, galleries, etc) - connectivity and opportunity. think about concerts at the courthouse etc...

The Bolton Street Urban Design Framework Plan is (apparently) being tabled for adoption to the May meeting of Waterford City Council (14th May). The Planning Department are hoping the Plan will be adopted at this meeting, rather than having to go on any further public display periods.

My worry is that this golden opportunity will be sidestepped in the political bureaucracy of it all and Waterford will loose out forever. I have emailed and posted hard copies to all the counsellors, only one response to acknowledge receipt. Please look at page 12 of their pdf (link on the blog) their scheme lacks vision . Its frightening to think that its down to a vote by the (possibly) uninformed

Please make this an issue with election candidates when they come knocking, and pass on the blog address to others, we must not let this super opportunity slip. There are issues with the ESB building, The residents at the end of Beau st, the old stores building but i have quite reasonable proposals for all of these, - hey , we are a city so lets stop thinking like a village, thanks again, kevin

THE VOTE IS ON THE 14th MAY - only 5 days away - next Monday -

Ps, I have lots more BIG ideas about Waterford and how to make it a lot better over the next 50 years .....

Vision thing!

I look forwards to him being able to post proper (clearance? things must have changed since I were a lad), speaking of the evil McCann he has a short spiel in Waterford Today and I'm sure the other rags. He does not mention the built environment curiously enough in his list of 'green things to do'. Maybe he's getting the message though I doubt it.

Mike.

phil.waterford

Hi all

looks like i can now post to this forum, happy days,
i look forward to the banter

kevin mcgrath
architect

fricatus

mike65 wrote:

Anyone spot a bit of Paris in that video?

Yep! The Etoile... but without the crazy traffic!

I like his idea though... there's a man with vision. I particularly agree with the idea of putting the parking underground. I was in Madrid over the weekend and was majorly impressed with the way they manage to put massive car parks out of sight underneath historic old squares in a very discreet manner.

Two obvious candidates for his ideas would be the Quay (once again, get rid of the bloody parking! - put it underground at any rate and plant some trees), and the North Wharf. I wonder what he thinks of my idea that the railway station should be moved down in front of Jury's (or whatever the hell it's called now) and be made part of the North Quays development.

OK, now I have piles of ideas... I'll just start a new thread

fricatus

phil.waterford wrote:

Hi all

looks like i can now post to this forum, happy days,
i look forward to the banter

I think I speak for most people on this forum when I say so do we

Welcome!

phil.waterford

I worked on the competition for the north quays and proposed that the railway station be relocated to the current bus yards behind Frank Cassin Wharf. lots of space there for buildings and parallel sidings (i have the plan somewhere) - also essential is a new bridge at Reginalds Tower, our proposal was for one way traffic on it over to ferrybank towards the Ardree, across the old bridge and then back down the Quay - the one way system of 2 lanes would allow the footpaths on the shopping side of the quay to be widened out to the middle of the existing carriageway - great ! we also proposed 'islands' and footbridges at the clock tower to allow barronstrand street pedestrians to wander across the river to the sunny north wharf side
kevin

phil.waterford

look here for the north quay scheme illustrations
http://wouldntwaterfordbebetterif2.blogspot.com/
my happy days with Fewer McGinley Assoc !

mike65

Will we ever see action on that front? Its only 4 years till the next Tall Ships Race!

Mike.

Fajitas!

Really really nice plans there.

Would look fantastic if it came together. Fingers crossed.

phil.waterford

I will metion that i have other 50 year proposals in progress such as-
A -
I would love to see the cathedral close apartments gradually phased out and demolished in order to create a small city park. the reason is that we have Christ church, the Franciscans, St Olafs, the Bishops Palace and the old church in Lady Lane all visible from there. Build a restaurant on the derelict corner to Henrietta St ! -Imagine the scenario, you could walk thru city square, and see the full elevation of christ church, sit in the park surrounded bu all these wonderful old buildings - WOW !, then stroll further into the Bolton STreet Scheme and onto the park
B -
Redevelop the old Graves lands, now that Brooks has burned down it becomes a step closer, you could have a marvelous marina like the old Brighton pier, what views down the river we would have - recreational area / shopping area rehousing all the existing users but creating an open vista from the park through to the Suir - WOW again

all these things are possible - they are on my fantasy drawing board - Plan ahead i say

phil.waterford

3d Movies here now


http://wouldntwaterfordbebetterif3.blogspot.com/


http://wouldntwaterfordbebetterif5.blogspot.com/

phil.waterford

Hi all, thanks for your continued support, please have a look here
http://wouldntwaterfordbebetterif.blogspot.com/
for better model drawings, cheers, Kevin