The Continual Improvement of Limerick

Amazotheamazing

Rather broad topic I guess but I think it's a good time of the year to reflect on the positive changes in the city over the last 12 months.

We've seen the pedestrianiasation of the city centre continue, Thomas Street and Bedford Row are both hugely improved and with Catherine St and William St next in line, the city centre is changing for the better almost on a month to month basis.

Work has finally started, albeit slowly, on the Opera centre, it seems the yards behind Patrick street are being cleared for building in the New Year. We've seen draft plans produced on the revitalisation of the Arthur's Quay area. Admittedly both projects are long term ones, and neither will be finished in the near future but it's good to see some signs of progress.

The Council have been involved in upgrading the river walkways, Clancy Strand is nearly finished, and O'Callaghan Strand and Cleeves Bank are due to be upgraded in the new year.

The University has continued to grow, with the landmark living bridge completed and a new Medical school, sporting centres and student accommodation. Amazing that 20 years ago we didn't even have a University, now we've one of the best in Ireland.

One of my major criticisms of the city has been the lack of a proper nightlife, but in the past year the Greenhouse and the Underground have opened (or re-opened), and Bakers and Flannery's are more established, imo, we're in a better position with regard to nightlife than we were this time last year.

In sport, Thomond Park is on schedule and may host the All Blacks next year, the Limerick hurlers actually won a Championship game and Andy Lee has continued to be a great ambassador for the city. St. Michaels and Shannon brought the Senior rowing title back to Limerick (after over 70 years iirc), and UL have opened a new Water Sports centre which will see them able to compete with the established rowing colleges. Garryowen brought the AIL home too.

In a more serious note, the regeneration committees have already started knocking Moyross and Southill, and there a huge plans to completely transform the Island field, all in all, the estates are finally being taken into hand. It won't be an easy process, but bit by bit they can and will be rebuilt and improved.

It seems sometimes this board is focussed on the negative side of things in Limerick, buts lets remember the achievements that have been made in the past 12 months, and the lets look to more improvements in the next 12 months.

Limerick Dude

Great post Amazo

ninty9er

I have to say I'm really impressed with the end of Bedford Row at the Marriott since the scaffolding came down...all it needs now is are the windows.

The regeneration of the Island to include private development seems to be getting a hostile response from what I could gauge from the body language of the guy on Q&A who asked a question about is lastnight.

I think mixed development in there would be great...the only problem is people have an aversion to buying expensive property when there's social housing there in the main. It's really have to be 60:40 or 70:30 Private:social for it to work properly.

Phase 1 of Clancy Strand is nearly complete and is looking well, Can't wait to see what they do with O'Callaghan Strand now!

Amazotheamazing

ninty9er wrote: »

I have to say I'm really impressed with the end of Bedford Row at the Marriott since the scaffolding came down...all it needs now is are the windows.

The regeneration of the Island to include private development seems to be getting a hostile response from what I could gauge from the body language of the guy on Q&A who asked a question about is lastnight.

I think mixed development in there would be great...the only problem is people have an aversion to buying expensive property when there's social housing there in the main. It's really have to be 60:40 or 70:30 Private:social for it to work properly.

Phase 1 of Clancy Strand is nearly complete and is looking well, Can't wait to see what they do with O'Callaghan Strand now!

Yep, no denying it, once the voters kicked Fianna Fail off the council, the council started to actually pull it's weight and improve the city. Long may it continue.

Seriously though, can't wait to see action on William st, surely the worst street left in the city centre?

lockman

Amazon, just like to also say what a good post you made (like limerick dude). As you mentioned, we tend to focus on the negative a little too much and forget about the positives in the city. and there are certainly are many positives going on, as your post highlights.

Placid Casual

"but in the past year the Greenhouse and the Underground have opened (or re-opened"


WHERE???

Amazotheamazing

Placid Casual wrote: »

"but in the past year the Greenhouse and the Underground have opened (or re-opened"


WHERE???

The Greenhouse is the club run by the owners of the Wicked Chicken, it's above the Bank, entrance on Mallow St.

The underground is the remnants of the Boat Club, it's a small place under Bakers/the Wicked Chicken.

I'm not saying either are going to change the Irish clubbing scene, but both are welcome additions to the city's nightlife.

RonMexico

So tell us a bit more about this greenhouse place? Sounds interesting.

RINO87

yep! if william street ends up looking half as good as thoms st./ bedford row it will be savage.

i love the writing in copper just at the entrance to where mickey martins is (augustinian lane i think), hope that gets looked after. green room is a nice spot, welcome alternative to costelloes (gets dingier each time i'm there, but hey, thats a part of it!)

Fair play to the people running bakers/underground, theres great stuff on there nearly every night of the week, year round. Well done!


I'm not from limerick, started college there a few years ago, in first year i thought the place was a hole, but now, with all the improvements and everything i really dont want to leave!!!

Amazotheamazing

The big thing to keep in mind is there are plenty of improvements coming down the line too, pretty soon we'll have the tunnel to help traffic, and commuter rail to Galway. Little things I know, but each will make Limerick a more pleasant city with a nicer city centre. Afaik, there is also plans for commuter rail in from Nenagh, again, less cars in the city.

There is also plans to completely remodel the bus station, the buses will leave from the far side of the station and the small carpark in front of the station will be turned into a green area. It's a little thing, but should make the place nicer for any tourists entering the city. (lets hope something is done with Parnell street soon).

There are plans to expand the Market into a more all weather English Market type place, again, a good addition to the city, the English Market in Cork is well worth trying to emulate.

Who knows what the Parkway/Groody valley will look like in 5 years, but the new hotel and shopping complex, and the mooted Munster training facility in Singland are additions, provided traffic is properly managed.

I know none of these things on their own is "huge" news, but each thing is a small step towards a nicer city.

1huge1

RINO87 wrote: »

yep! if william street ends up looking half as good as thoms st./ bedford row it will be savage.

i love the writing in copper just at the entrance to where mickey martins is (augustinian lane i think), hope that gets looked after. green room is a nice spot, welcome alternative to costelloes (gets dingier each time i'm there, but hey, thats a part of it!)

Fair play to the people running bakers/underground, theres great stuff on there nearly every night of the week, year round. Well done!


I'm not from limerick, started college there a few years ago, in first year i thought the place was a hole, but now, with all the improvements and everything i really dont want to leave!!!

Ya thats what I was going to say, William St is the next big thing

The city has come on leaps and bounds though. Just two years ago I would of said the city centre has completely lost the fight against all the new suburban developments but now its really giving them a run for their money.

Edit: Amazo wasn't there something recently said about An Bord Planala denying ianrod eireann their plans to change some parts of the station, or have I got that completely mixed up?

Tea Leaf

I know none of these things on their own is "huge" news, but each thing is a small step towards a nicer city.

Actually, it's pretty significant to me. I knew Limerick what, 14 years ago, and it's great to read about the many changes that are happening. I think I've mentioned in the past that I'm worried about the plans for the Island but only because I have family there for sixty years and they won't move...but even when I was there last year I could see that there's a creepy little element down there that needs a good flushing out. Hopefully redevelopment will do this but, ultimately, the people have to back it for it be a success.

You know, it really makes me think of moving back there.

I could open a hip coffeehouse with the best iced coffee and short blacks this side of Italy.... or a beauty parlour specialising in Brazilians....

Thanks for the update, Amazo.

Karmafaerie

Just thought I'd add a little imagery to Amazo's great post.

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

The big thing to keep in mind is there are plenty of improvements coming down the line too, pretty soon we'll have the tunnel to help traffic

This pic is a good few months old, now, but it does show how far along they are.

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

There is also plans to completely remodel the bus station, the buses will leave from the far side of the station and the small carpark in front of the station will be turned into a green area. It's a little thing, but should make the place nicer for any tourists entering the city. (lets hope something is done with Parnell street soon).

Sorry, couldn't find a bigger pic!

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

There are plans to expand the Market into a more all weather English Market type place, again, a good addition to the city, the English Market in Cork is well worth trying to emulate.

Could be interesting if done right.

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Who knows what the Parkway/Groody valley will look like in 5 years, but the new hotel and shopping complex, and the mooted Munster training facility in Singland are additions, provided traffic is properly managed.

Love it, or hate it, it is different.



Plus there'll be this across the road.





The other plans that are interesting me at the moment, are those for the old GPO




The corner of Catherine St Thomas St.




And of course, the "Snow Globe"!!!!!;):D

PROPERTY developer Pat O'Sullivan is one of five people whose dramatic proposal for an iconic development in the city has been shortlisted in a major new report, which was launched this Wednesday.
Other plans to build a discovery science centre in the city, and an Irish diaspora centre are currently under wraps, but Mr O'Sullivan has disclosed his €150m plan is to build a towering 14 storey high globe near the River Shannon.

The aim, he said, is to "put Limerick on the map as the world's leading centre for international language and cultural study."

Mr O'Sullivan told the Limerick Leader that the rotating steel and glass globe will form an international centre for language study and will consist of interlinking villages, representing different parts of the world

Once again, great post Amazo.

1huge1

I take it we have a lot of archiseek fans on this board

Limerick Dude

1huge1 wrote: »

I take it we have a lot of archiseek fans on this board

Hehe yup, but im under another alias

RINO87

the parkway/groody shopping thing looks a bit like GMIT, i think, anyone know what shops are going into coonagh cross??

1huge1

Limerick Dude wrote: »

Hehe yup, but im under another alias

I look at it all the time myself but not registered

MonsieurD

I'm guilty of posting the odd negative comment about Limerick City. Here's a positive post. I have to say that our city is vastly improved from the Limerick that I grew up in.

I walk across the river from the Northside of the city everyday. The view of the city from either the Sarsfield or the New Bridge never fails to impress. So much so that I have started taking photographs of the cityscape along the riverfront.

I hope all the future improvements mentioned in earlier posts materialise.

I think that future generations of Limerick people will be proud of what we have done to the city.

While all the new modern architecture is greatly welcomed, we must do everything to maintain the past architecture that adds such splendour to our city streets. The development on Bedford Row incorporating the old church facade is to be greatly commended.

On that point, the Redemptorist church - anyone know what plans there are for it??

There was a story in the papers in recent years that the Franciscan church on Henry St was coming on the market - any more on this anyone???
The old TSB Bank building on Glentworth St is starting to look a bit derelict - are there any plans to maintain this magnificent building??:)

Poxyshamrock

RINO87 wrote: »

anyone know what shops are going into coonagh cross??

Boots, TK Maxx and Halifax are all i know of.

MonsieurD wrote: »

On that point, the Redemptorist church - anyone know what plans there are for it??

The old TSB Bank building on Glentworth St is starting to look a bit derelict - are there any plans to maintain this magnificent building??:)

Redemptorist is still a church..you might be on about the jesuits which is apparently going to be turned into a leisure centre :-S

and the Stonejug has been sold to Sarsfield Credit Union

1huge1

A 2nd TK Maxx for Limerick? good news but suprising as most of the country doesnt even have one.
Limerick really is the 2nd place in Ireland to shop (with Dublin 1st)

ninty9er

1huge1 wrote: »

Limerick really is the 2nd place in Ireland to shop (with Dublin 1st)

The Parkes brothers were rumoured to be attempting to set up Limerick's shopping facilities to make it the shopping capital of Europe with Ryanair providing the cheap flights to Shannon.

It's a pity our roads aren't wide enough for bus lanes in the main, otherwise I think that we'd really be able to give anyone a run for their money with the amount of retail parks and such like that are going up. I know it would be a moneymaking venture for the company, but it's great to see people have that much faith and pride in where they come from and be willing to back it up with investment.