Waterford Crystal to move to City

foxylad

any one hear Waterford crystal visitor centre is to move to old ESB building on the mall - with furnace & cutting facilities!
would be good for the city centre and tourism

seanybiker

didnt hear that. sounds kinda cool alright.

ttm

foxylad wrote: »

any one hear Waterford crystal visitor centre is to move to old ESB building on the mall - with furnace & cutting facilities!
would be good for the city centre and tourism

Thought that building was due to be demolished?

mike65

Presumably they'd knock the site and start fresh, the Showroom on the Cork road could be quite a valueable site in years to come.

JohnC.

I heard WIT were interested in the Crystal site.

ttm

This was a few years back when it was first made empty but wasn't there a sign on the hoardings around the site saying it was ear marked for council offices.

Sully

Its being used, afaik, for the court offices or something. That's what planning was granted for.

AdMMM

foxylad wrote: »

any one hear Waterford crystal visitor centre is to move to old ESB building on the mall - with furnace & cutting facilities!
would be good for the city centre and tourism

You would indeed be right, assuming the interested parties managed to procure the equipment they were after. Not certain of the building that they're intending to use though.

gscully

Great...more buses to clog up the city centre!

Sully

Not sure its really worth it tbh. Most tourists have either stopped travelling here or just bypass what's currently there as its not reviewing very well. This new idea, I just don't see bringing it all back. Plus we have a crystal manufacturer here already, assuming they take the place.

Triona23

Would there be enough space around the old ESB for a decent amount of parking for customers and workers? Im not really familiar with that area, but the carpark at the present Waterford Chrystal site is a fair size.

ttm

Triona23 wrote: »

Would there be enough space around the old ESB for a decent amount of parking for customers and workers? Im not really familiar with that area, but the carpark at the present Waterford Chrystal site is a fair size.

Good point I used to work within 100yds of that building and parking is a total nightmare in that area, I used to park up near Tesco's and walk in from there.

AdMMM

The proposed site isn't by the Mall, not for the manufacturing anyway. Important to note that this wouldn't be "Waterford Crystal" as we know it. It would initially be a very small start-up operation that's trying to utilise and take full advantage of the Waterford Crystal name and reputation. It will be supported by the tourism bodies and governmental bodies but Waterford Crystal themselves won't approve one bit and I envisage lengthy legal issues that will have to be sorted out.

ttm

AdMMM wrote: »

The proposed site isn't by the Mall, not for the manufacturing anyway. Important to note that this wouldn't be "Waterford Crystal" as we know it. It would initially be a very small start-up operation that's trying to utilise and take full advantage of the Waterford Crystal name and reputation. It will be supported by the tourism bodies and governmental bodies but Waterford Crystal themselves won't approve one bit and I envisage lengthy legal issues that will have to be sorted out.

So just what were Waterford Crystal themsleves doing with the name :P

Sully

sunnysoutheast wrote: »

Sully - FWIW our experience is that visitors (both staying with us and in hotels) have been very positive about our city, funnily enough everyone loves the "girl" hiding the manky grain silos!

I wasnt talking about the city - just the Crystal Factor seems to be getting poorer reviews since the change.

sunnysoutheast

Sorry - I misunderstood you. I think the visitor centre is pretty small these days so I'm not surprised.

SSE

mike65

Story in the IT today

The centre, which was a major tourist focus of the previous company’s operation, is moving into the office premises of the ESB building and the venture will be an integral part of the city councils plan for the development of a prestige sector of the city centre, based on the original Viking/Danish triangular city which is over 1,000 years’ old. The customer services, new product development and IT and purchasing departments, located in Cleaboy, will be retained. The site of the new development is temporary.

An iconic building is to be designed for the riverfront to accommodate the new Waterford Crystal plant but, this is three to four years down the road, said Waterford Chamber of Commerce president Paul McDaid.

“It really is a case that if we didn’t do this now there would be absolutely nothing for tourists next season. We had been told by the tour operators that tourists simply would not come to Waterford. Manufacturing won’t be huge; it’s tourism-based. It’s the start of a focus on tourism in Waterford. Also, being in the city centre, it will bring footfall into the city.”

Mr Walsh said the Mall, a sweeping prestige street, was going to be restored to its former glory along with a number of historic buildings. Mr Walsh, with a local committee comprised of local business people, unions and local representatives, has been in negotiations with KPS over several months.

The new venture is to be promoted at the World Travel Market in London tomorrow and a major onslaught on the US market is to begin shortly. Some 150,000 tourists are expected to visit the new factory and visitor centre next year. The former Waterford Crystal factory probably will be sold as a development site.

ttm

Wel something might be happening as there is a tender document for the building and it looks like they want the work doing fast.

Former ESB Building, The Mall, Waterford - Civil Works Contract:

The works will involve the re-furbishment of the old ESB Building on the Mall, Waterford. The contract will involve the removal and replacement of the existing façade, the construction of a new single storey steel extension over an existing single storey concrete frame extension to the rear and and replacement of existing M&E services. Panels containing asbestos have been found in panel in the façade which will require removal at the commencement of the project. There is a short delivery period on the project (May 2010) and so the ability to meet a tight program and maintain quality is essential. The curtain wall element of the works is being pre-tendered and it is intended to novate this contract into the contract for the Main Contractor.

Gripen

Mr Walsh said the Mall, a sweeping prestige street, was going to be restored to its former glory along with a number of historic buildings. Mr Walsh, with a local committee comprised of local business people, unions and local representatives, has been in negotiations with KPS over several months.

I hope this means restoring it to a Georgian style building like the rest of the street, anyone here know definitively what the story is? That whole side from the tower hotel to the maryland needs to be touched up bigtime.

The proposed site isn't by the Mall, not for the manufacturing anyway. Important to note that this wouldn't be "Waterford Crystal" as we know it. It would initially be a very small start-up operation that's trying to utilise and take full advantage of the Waterford Crystal name and reputation. It will be supported by the tourism bodies and governmental bodies but Waterford Crystal themselves won't approve one bit and I envisage lengthy legal issues that will have to be sorted out.

Who is behind this venture and what will they be calling themselves?

kakak1

If MacCann objects to this one & slows down the project I reckon it's time for the lynch mob to run him out of town & back to his own city, Galway, which is thriving in his absence

hardybuck

Any progress update on the redevelopment of the new facility on Parnell St? Haven't been to Waterford in a few weeks, but work looked well underway.

I heard an estimate of the third week of June, I wonder is this still achievable? Surely they could have worked Sundays or worked more overtime in order to get it ready for the start of the summer though.

One thing for sure is that Parnell St is dying, this might give the place a lift.

Sully

Exterior mostly done (of the buildings) and they seem to be working late enough into the night anyway.

C_Dawg

hardybuck wrote: »

Any progress update on the redevelopment of the new facility on Parnell St?

I was down that way last night about 9.15pm and they were moving machinery about on the main road so they seem to be working on it till late enough. Not much to be seen yet though

hardybuck

Good stuff. The smaller niche market seems to have survived, you've got Kilkenny and Tipp both making stuff just up the road. You'd wonder would they be better off forming some sort of alliance.

robtri

hardybuck wrote: »

Good stuff. The smaller niche market seems to have survived, you've got Kilkenny and Tipp both making stuff just up the road. You'd wonder would they be better off forming some sort of alliance.

yeah would be nice to see them all working together.....

Bards

hardybuck wrote: »

Any progress update on the redevelopment of the new facility on Parnell St? Haven't been to Waterford in a few weeks, but work looked well underway.

I heard an estimate of the third week of June, I wonder is this still achievable? Surely they could have worked Sundays or worked more overtime in order to get it ready for the start of the summer though.

One thing for sure is that Parnell St is dying, this might give the place a lift.

AFAIK June 1st 2010 has been mooted as the opening date

wellbutty

Yeah the 1st of June is still on, interviews held this week and last, a few people have already been allocated their jobs, I think training for some of the staff starts this week.

baronflyguy

wellbutty wrote: »

Yeah the 1st of June is still on, interviews held this week and last, a few people have already been allocated their jobs, I think training for some of the staff starts this week.

Where are the jobs advertised?

savic04

advertised all over the papers in march i think...

Deadline was as far as i know, March 30th.. I could be wrong

http://www.waterfordvisitorcentre.com/Home

Kanoe

robtri wrote: »

yeah would be nice to see them all working together.....

what kind of alliance? The folks up in tip started out by themselves and built what it is from the ground up, its also an economic boost for Tipperary and has nothing to do with Waterford, except for the fact that the some of the guys worked there in the past. The product isn't blown in Tipperary if I'm not mistaken, the glass is imported in blanks and cut there so the content would be different too. My bro and four of his colleagues are setting up a glass blowing facility in Waterford again at their own expense, they're not producing lead crystal and honestly don't think they would like the idea of being lumped together or even associated with Waterford Crystal