Limerick improvement projects

dave 27

Is that location beside the back of the garda station, used to be a petrol station years ago? If so then that would be a brilliant development

zulutango

Nick Rabbits has an article about the Bishop's Quay development on the front of today's Limerick Chronicle, complete with an image of the proposed tower.

Two things that spring to mind.

1. Healy Partners appear to be the architects. What kind of experience have they with this kind of high-rise development? They were involved in the original Hanging Gardens project and what they were building there wasn't great. I really hope the client and the architect intend to develop something along the quality of the newer office developments in Cork and Dublin. Another Riverpoint won't cut it.

2. The fact that there will be hundreds of workers in this building is a strong case to build a pedestrian & cycling bridge from here over to O'Callaghan Strand. Many people who are opposed to the footbridge between Arthur's Quay / Merchant's Quay have been saying this. It would make far more sense at the Bishop's Quay location.

Mc Love

As the bridge would be close to the shannon bridge, would it not be better to extend the side of the bridge to include a walk/cycle track?

zulutango

Mc Love wrote: »

As the bridge would be close to the shannon bridge, would it not be better to extend the side of the bridge to include a walk/cycle track?

It's an option worth considering, of course. But given that the Cleeves site is set to be developed, and that there's an appetite to build something 'iconic' (no groaning down the back please), then a bridge from the new tower at Bishop's Quay towards Cleeves seems like the right thing to do. If JP McManus wants to help the city out, then this is a far more worthy project, in my opinion. We could have an international design competition to design it too, and it would really enhance the image of the city rather than damage it (which is what the current footbridge proposal would do!).

Vanquished

zulutango wrote: »

Nick Rabbits has an article about the Bishop's Quay development on the front of today's Limerick Chronicle, complete with an image of the proposed tower.

So this is the proposal.

From @Nick468official

MrJones2013

Vanquished wrote: »

So this is the proposal.

From @Nick468official

Nice, it looks quite 'Blocky' next to the curved Riverpoint building IMO but still nicer than what's there!

zulutango

That pic really shows the good and bad of the riverfront.

Bad
Harvey's Quay (Milano's/Dunnes)
Green railing on Shannon Bridge
Garda station
Limerick City Hotel
Flags and banners on Shannon Bridge
White railings along quay wall
Overhanging section of Spokane Walk

Good
Howley's Quay (Clohessy's)
Riverpoint
Red brick church on Henry Street/Mallow Street corner

Of all of these, Harvey's Quay is probably the worse. Such a good opportunity to develop a prime site wasted.

dave 27

Can someone please post on a link to the papers read up on this? Can't find it online anywhere

black & white

Work is being done on the Condell Road to replace the sandbags that were put in 2 years ago with an earthen mound., will greatly improve the look of that road as the sandbags had gone very tatty looking.

Insect Overlord

black & white wrote: »

Work is being done on the Condell Road to replace the sandbags that were put in 2 years ago with an earthen mound., will greatly improve the look of that road as the sandbags had gone very tatty looking.

I ran by there the other night, and it already looks much better. Good example of pre-emptive work as well instead of having to be reactionary later on.

zulutango

An File wrote: »

I ran by there the other night, and it already looks much better. Good example of pre-emptive work as well instead of having to be reactionary later on.

I ran down there too, but there is still a significant section fenced off. Any idea what the plan is for there?

Insect Overlord

zulutango wrote: »

I ran down there too, but there is still a significant section fenced off. Any idea what the plan is for there?

No idea. I didn't want to stop in the middle of a run. :P I might go for a cycle that way in the next few days and have a closer look.

riverrocked

That makes Limerick look like it wants to be an actual modern city with real high rises. I will probably be drawing my pension before the bulldosers knock the ESB building though.

Cookiemunster

riverrocked wrote: »

That makes Limerick look like it wants to be an actual modern city with real high rises. I will probably be drawing my pension before the bulldosers knock the ESB building though.

Are you near retirement age? This is a private development and the developer said in the Leader that if it passes planning without any issues construction will begin in January.

Vanquished

Looking forward to seeing more plans and photomontages for this. The devil will be in the detail. For instance is that brick or coloured cladding in the CGI? Hopefully it's the former.

That image also only further highlights the necessity to move the divisional Garda headquarters out of Henry Street. That site should be accommodating another large scale office and residential development.

ongarboy

dave 27 wrote: »

Can someone please post on a link to the papers read up on this? Can't find it online anywhere

http://epaper.limerickleader.ie/iconic/books/160830limerickleadertue/#/1/

courtesy of skyscrapercity forum!

MrJones2013

Read the article in the Chronicle earlier, 'Iconic' certainly is the buzz word on any project mentioned these days! Interesting to read that they are hoping to be on site by January too, it'll be great if it goes ahead. Still don't know where the office tenants are going to come from when the existing Riverpoint building isn't full! (I don't intend to sound negative, apologies if I do!)

dave 27

My brother lives in the apartments in riverpoint and said the back of the garda station has had work going on for weeks and work extremely long hours, I wonder if their looking to expand back? It's literally beside the site in question too

Reputable Rog

dave 27 wrote: »

My brother lives in the apartments in riverpoint and said the back of the garda station has had work going on for weeks and work extremely long hours, I wonder if their looking to expand back? It's literally beside the site in question too

New Doughnut store.

Vanquished

dave 27 wrote: »

My brother lives in the apartments in riverpoint and said the back of the garda station has had work going on for weeks and work extremely long hours, I wonder if their looking to expand back? It's literally beside the site in question too

They got funding to carry out some maintenance and modernisation works on the existing facilities so I'd imagine that's what is going on there.

dave 27

I know they were looking to expand into the building next door but theres so much room behind them it's actually a shame it's not better utilised

zulutango

Vanquished wrote: »

Looking forward to seeing more plans and photomontages for this. The devil will be in the detail. For instance is that brick or coloured cladding in the CGI? Hopefully it's the former.

The devil will indeed be in the detail. The developer is a close connection of the original developer of the GPO/Hanging Gardens, so cheap and cheerful might be the order of the day. I really hope not. It will be a real lost opportunity for the city if this block isn't built to the very highest standards.

Vanquished wrote: »

That image also only further highlights the necessity to move the divisional Garda headquarters out of Henry Street. That site should be accommodating another large scale office and residential development.

The Gardaí planned on moving out of Henry Street way back during the 'boom'. The plan was kyboshed when the money dried up there. Maybe it could be resurrected.

Itsdacraic

Will be interesting to see how easy it will be for them to get planning for a development that will be in direct competition with the council owned hanging gardens site.

dominatinMC

Itsdacraic wrote: »

Will be interesting to see how easy it will be for them to get planning for a development that will be in direct competition with the council owned hanging gardens site.

If there is sufficient demand for both units, and if the council want Limerick to develop as a city, I don't see why there should be any conflict. There was a story last week that some financial services company was interested in the Hanging Gardens site and, if realised, would be taking a significant portion of that office space. If that was secured, it would be a big coup for the city centre and one would imagine other financial servies companies (there are enough of them, whatever they all do :rolleyes:) would be attracted to move in.

zulutango

Would have been great if Northern Trust had moved into the city centre.

MrJones2013

zulutango wrote: »

Would have been great if Northern Trust had moved into the city centre.

Should have been enticed in there, it's a pity they have moved to City East as themselves and companies like them are perfect for the city centre.

Treepole

MrJones2013 wrote: »

Should have been enticed in there, it's a pity they have moved to City East as themselves and companies like them are perfect for the city centre.

Where were they going to be "enticed" to?
Where in the city center could have accommodated them?

zulutango

Treepole wrote: »

Where were they going to be "enticed" to?
Where in the city center could have accommodated them?

That's the problem. Bishop's Quay and Hanging Gardens are late coming.

air

Brexit presents a huge opportunity for financial services companies that want to relocate to another EU country.
As an English speaking country Ireland has a further advantage vs France and Germany for example.
If Limerick has high quality office blocks and accommodation it will be well positioned to capitalise on this opportunity over the next 2-5 years.

zulutango

air wrote: »

Brexit presents a huge opportunity for financial services companies that want to relocate to another EU country.
As an English speaking country Ireland has a further advantage vs France and Germany for example.
If Limerick has high quality office blocks and accommodation it will be well positioned to capitalise on this opportunity over the next 2-5 years.

Going by numerous recent threads on this forum, the accommodation shortage is really going to hold the city back. It's not even a case of the rents being high (which in itself is a barrier to investment), there simply isn't anywhere for rent.