Limerick improvement projects

dellas1979

Cookiemunster wrote: »

Have the remodeling plans passed you by completely?

I do not see any results from this. Does that answer your question?

zulutango

damowill wrote: »

Is it feasible to pedestrianise O' Connell street, partially or fully or not at all?

Yes (fully)

damowill wrote: »

And then are Limerick CC brave enough to go through with it.

No

damowill

zulutango wrote: »

Yes (fully)



No

You are probably right.

The LUCROC preferred option is anything but balsy & doesnt please pedestrians (no pedestrianization but wider footpaths) or motorists (1 lane & no parking).

I am not privy to the 'new' preferred option but I think Pedestrianization in some shape (possibly william st to roches st) would only benefit the city so i'm hoping the delay is to iron out the snags to get this onto the next phase.

On a side note I think the bad press received from closing off Patrick street in Cork for a few hours a day, hasnt done #liveablelimerick any help. But with Limericks block system road network, i think we would be in a better place to handle a change to rerouting traffic.

LeoD

damowill wrote: »

Is it feasible to pedestrianise O' Connell street, partially or fully or not at all?

damowill wrote: »

I am not privy to the 'new' preferred option but I think Pedestrianization in some shape (possibly william st to roches st) would only benefit the city so i'm hoping the delay is to iron out the snags to get this onto the next phase.

They could easily come up with a 12 month trial and close O'Connell St to traffic from William St all the way to Mallow St with the exception of the Roches St junction. I think a soft approach like this to eliminating traffic from the city centre would be easier than going for the big bang, high cost, all guns blazing half-assed overhaul they are currently planning. Once they put down all their lovely granite pavers and leave space for buses and cars, they won't be taking them back up anytime soon after.

Silentcorner

There is a huge chasm between the authorities who ultimately run this city and the people of this city that I believe has reemerged over the last number of years.

The politicians are stuck in the middle, with no power really at all.

This chasm is at its most obvious in two very distinct areas, the city centre and all the issues associated with that, and the city's art/culture/creative population, in both everyone involved feel completely detached from the vital decision making process, anyone who has ever tried to organise a festival or event in this city or anyone can attest to that.

This isn't the first time however, the Limerick Civic Trust, which was the first Civic trust in the country, was established for the very same reasons, the authorities were making no effort to preserve the very rich history in this city, so business leader stood up and created an institution that has been replicated all over the country.

Perhaps it is time create something a bit more formal than LiveableLimerick or LACE, a formal body with a remit to fundraise and lobbly city hall, to facilitate a calander of cultural events that reflect the city more than Riverfest for example, or to fund the presence of a street designer.

It is has been a problem for this city since the foundation of this state, since the complete centralisation of power in this country, we as citizens simply do not have access to key decision makers in this city....Conn Murray is unelected and all powerful, as will be his successor as was his predecessor.

panda100

Silentcorner wrote:

Perhaps it is time create something a bit more formal than LiveableLimerick or LACE, a formal body with a remit to fundraise and lobbly city hall, to facilitate a calander of cultural events that reflect the city more than Riverfest for example, or to fund the presence of a street designer.

The last thing Limerick needs is another group. The issue with all the existing groups is that they are mainly talk shops that extend little to no action beyond Twitter. That is why they are easily ignored by local elected reps and council employees.

What limerick requires is individuals/ groups that actually take action on the issues facing our city and collaborate and engage with wider communities outside of the existing city cliques.

Silentcorner

panda100 wrote: »

The last thing Limerick needs is another group. The issue with all the existing groups is that they are mainly talk shops that extend little to no action beyond Twitter. That is why they are easily ignored by local elected reps and council employees.

What limerick requires is individuals/ groups that actually take action on the issues facing our city and collaborate and engage with wider communities outside of the existing city cliques.

Well, that is what the Limerick Civic Trust was before it was established (without the twitter obviously), different collectives of people who watched as the cities historical buildings were left rot or demolished, they now fundraise and complete work project by project and have had a huge positive impact on the city, I'm old enough to remember the Bishops Palace and The Hunt Museum when they were derelict eyesores.

The current collective of groups are impotent and will eventually burn out, the politicians merely exist to create the illusion of local democracy...

Something has to change....why not!

mdmix

There are a lot of great things about limerick, at the moment it’s frustratingly close to being a modern city, the council are the problem. Since Irish indipendance, historic buildings in limerick have been knocked and replace with cheaper, often smaller builds while the population of the city moved away from the city and away from the county. As a city and a region we are an exporter of people, even in the boom the population of the city dropped while every other city in Ireland grew. We have never achieved a population growth target so are unlikely to add the 50k proposed under the Ireland 2040 plan. We are a city of 94k people, with nearly 20k students, yet only 30% of limerick city residents hold a degree, less than half the amount of Galway city. 60% of Limerick graduates end up in Dublin.

Limerick council have decided to priorities office developement over everything else. While this is important as there is an office shortage, they are not paying attention to the office construction boom in Ireland and completely ignoring the housing crisis. Even in the bust private developers were continuing to build houses in limerick, biding there time until credit was available again. It’s a slow process, but private developers are building houses on a larger scale outside the city. Quite unbelievable that the council (who promote private development) would interfere with this by competing with such developers by building hundreds of homes in the village of mungret. Meanwhile they actively discourage private developers from building apartments in the city. As a result rents are spiraling out of control. Despite meeting the criteria for rent caps we still have not had any introduced, so landlords can do what they like.

The issue with building apartments is not that they are not wanted, it is that they are difficult to finance. Even if private developer managed to get planning for a large city center apartment block they would have a huge problem getting finance as they cannot build in small amounts and sell In phases (as they do with housing developement) they would have to draw down a huge loan and would not receive payment until the full developement was compete. It’s scandalous that limerick council are building multiple offices and no apartments. If the point of limerick 2030 was to show private developers what is achievable then we can assume that limerick council will be against apartments in. The future too. I’m not sure what it would cost to build 800 apartments in limerick city, but it think it’s safe to assume it would not cost more that it would to build 800 houses in mungret, especially when you factor in the cost of new roads etc which would not be needed with apartments.

Limerick councillors hailed limerick 2030 as the be all and end all, the solution To all our problems. This was supposed to make us leapfrog cork as Ireland’s second city. Private investment in cork will far outstrip the entire limerick 2030 plan by 2020, that’s before the doc lands project starts. Limerick council are quiet on the whole second city subject now. Cork city had its own problems and I don’t think we should try copy or compete, but it’s intersting to see that they are looking at becoming a modern European city and have set population density targets for certain areas, with 30k predicted to work in the docklands are alone and 10k predicted to live there. These population density targets are driving the cork transport plan which may well see them get a tram system. Meanwhile the limerick 2030 plan which is being used in place of a city master plan fails to even mention transport.

It’s good to see lif is returning to limerick at the moment, but as previously said it’s often a case of one step forward and two steps back. Every other city in Ireland, including Waterford have plans (private and public) to build offices and apartments in the city. Limerick are alone in not wanting apartments. There will be an oversupply of offices fairly soon and an undersupply of city Center living space. I think we may well see a scenario in the future where a lot of the opera site lies vacant and without any city living space the city continues to deteorate. If that is the cse we will continue to export people from limerick to Dublin and elsewhere.

Vanquished

I think the fabled 2030 plan is a handy distraction from the inadequacies and incompetence which the Council has displayed in abundance even in it's relatively short existence. The constant regurgitation of PR material on a couple of 'big ticket' projects gives them the opportunity to slap themselves on the back and present the local authority as ambitious, progressive and innovative. When in actual fact the Council is failing miserably in it's core remit. Now I can only speak for the city as it's the area I'm most familiar with but yet again the fundamentals of city management are being ignored. How many times have we lamented the lack of a credible coordinated plan to revitalise the city centre?! Yes jobs have been created in there over the past number of years but where is the promotion and encouragement of city centre living?! We are seeing absolutely zero movement on that front.

The Council in their wisdom are too busy repeating the mistakes of the past by facilitating the development of large scale car dependant semi-detached estates on the fringe of the city. Driving the population further and further from the core. When a rare chink of light appeared and a private developer proposed a large apartment complex on the city quays, the Council told him they weren't in favour of this and to change the plans to an office block. Once this had been done they then announced their own plans for a massive office scheme on the 'opera site' (which incidentally they've made a complete balls of!) The 2030 company has gone in to overdrive in acquiring property around the city with a view to future development. Sadly as we well know, almost every single project proposed in Limerick is a 'long term' one to be completed at some indeterminable point in the future. We are masters of kicking the can down the road and bullsh1tting about our 'game changing ambitions' while the likes of Dublin and Cork get on with the business of making tangible progress and leave us further in the shade.

Unfortunately the activities of Limerick 2030 has also contributed in no small part to the supression of private sector interest in investing in the city. One need only look to Cork and the vast amount of projects that have either been proposed or are under construction in the centre of the city. All privately financed. Limerick on the other hand is suffering from an embarrassing lack of activity just at the time where we should be taking advantage of the improved economic climate to improve and grow the city.

dreading_dire

Well for starters, they & the HSE can stop contributing to the decline of middle class Limerick for one.

Way too many generations of families have full reliance on tax payers money with complete disregard for tax payers.

Shn99

What have they done to O connell st near pennys ?!?!? looks like my driveway

chicorytip

mdmix wrote:

It’s good to see lif is returning to limerick at the moment, but as previously said it’s often a case of one step forward and two steps back. Every other city in Ireland, including Waterford have plans (private and public) to build offices and apartments in the city. Limerick are alone in not wanting apartments. There will be an oversupply of offices fairly soon and an undersupply of city Center living space. I think we may well see a scenario in the future where a lot of the opera site lies vacant and without any city living space the city continues to deteorate. If that is the cse we will continue to export people from limerick to Dublin and elsewhere.

There is a lack of suitable sites or physical space in Limerick City for any more large scale apartment developments. Many of those that have been constructed over the past thirty years - mainly along the Dock Road - were bought by young, single people with no intention of settling in the area. The typical Irish homeowner still aspires to comfortable suburban living and is unlikely ever to be converted.

Vladimir Poontang

The state of O'Connell Street footpaths after that recent tarmac rush job.

Looks like a knackers yard. Disgraceful

Mutant z

Vladimir Poontang wrote: »

The state of O'Connell Street footpaths after that recent tarmac rush job.

Looks like a knackers yard. Disgraceful

Agreed it looks awful.

Shn99

Was canvassing today and i couldnt help but hear the people talking about it, anyone get a weird smell off it?

zulutango

chicorytip wrote:

The typical Irish homeowner still aspires to comfortable suburban living and is unlikely ever to be converted.

Suburban living. The worst of both worlds. There's nothing comfortable about having to drive everywhere. Build decent quality apartments with good amenities in the city centre and Irish people will happily live in them. Build modern day tenements and they won't.

Vladimir Poontang

When they can't even get something as basic as a footpath right in this city I have zero faith in any of their pie in the sky projects like 2030 and the ridiculous opera debacle.

Our city is being ruined by jackasses

colm_mcm

Vladimir Poontang wrote: »

The state of O'Connell Street footpaths after that recent tarmac rush job.

Looks like a knackers yard. Disgraceful

Is it a temporary thing? It’s like something you’d see on Rogue Traders

Vanquished

chicorytip wrote: »

There is a lack of suitable sites or physical space in Limerick City for any more large scale apartment developments. Many of those that have been constructed over the past thirty years - mainly along the Dock Road - were bought by young, single people with no intention of settling in the area. The typical Irish homeowner still aspires to comfortable suburban living and is unlikely ever to be converted.

Ah now. That's so far off the mark it's ridiculous! Off the top of my head there's the Bord Gais site on the Dock Road, the docklands themselves which Shannon Foynes Port Company intends to redevelop, the Redemptorist lands where a large scale apartment scheme received permission in 2008. Henry Street Garda Station, the adjacent site (which could yet see a change of use to residential), the eir car park on Roches Street, the vacant/underused portion of Thomas Street from Roche's Row to Wickham Street, the surface car park on Ellen Street, the 'opera' site, the maternity hospital site when it relocates to Dooradoyle, the derelict block on Catherine Street between Glentworth Street and Mallow Street, the old Guinness site off Roxboro Road and the large landmark between the canal bank and Pa Healy road. To name just a few. There are many others with potential also.

Arrival

That tarmac footpath extends the whole way down along past Arthur's quay, it's genuinely disgusting to look at. Like something you'd see in a poor Eastern European city. Hopefully someone can find out it's temporary, but I doubt it

Vanquished wrote: »

Ah now. That's so far off the mark it's ridiculous! Off the top of my head there's the Bord Gais site on the Dock Road, the docklands themselves which Shannon Foynes Port Company intends to redevelop, the Redemptorist lands where a large scale apartment scheme received permission in 2008. Henry Street Garda Station, the adjacent site (which could yet see a change of use to residential), the eir car park on Roches Street, the vacant/underused portion of Thomas Street from Roche's Row to Wickham Street, the surface car park on Ellen Street, the 'opera' site, the maternity hospital site when it relocates to Dooradoyle, the derelict block on Catherine Street between Glentworth Street and Mallow Street, the old Guinness site off Roxboro Road and the large landmark between the canal bank and Pa Healy road. To name just a few. There are many others with potential also.

The old ESB building down next to Riverpoint really needs to be utilised, if anything less than a 10 storey block of apartments gets built there then it's an absolute waste. There should really be a large high rise block of apartments built there that would go with the Riverpoint aesthetic but it should be all accommodation in order to create a further dense population of people in that area and on the street there should be some retail units for shops/pubs/restaurants. That area of Limerick is lovely, especially on Sunny days, and we should really be aiming to get it as populated as possible because the city seemed to turn its back on the city for the longest time. Honestly, the whole area is actually a failure compared to how it should be so it's basically just trying to minimise the damage at this point

There'll be a five storey block of apartments built there now ffs

Vladimir Poontang

The tarmac sludge trail on O'Connell Street is not temporary.

Vladimir Poontang

https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/313693/traders-criticism-after-limerick-s-main-streets-tarmacked.html

lazyman

Vladimir Poontang wrote: »

The tarmac sludge trail on O'Connell Street is not temporary.

https://www.live95fm.ie/news/limerick-councillor-says-repairing-city-s-footpath/

Temporary.....for a few years

Arrival

That's just embarrassing like. If they're going to be refurbishing it anyway then why not just get it over with now


This is possible yet our council properly sorting out some footpaths isn't? The apathy here is ****ing ridiculous

https://youtu.be/PNv13fY_3jY

Mc Love

Oh ffs what a joke

mdmix

chicorytip wrote: »

The typical Irish homeowner still aspires to comfortable suburban living and is unlikely ever to be converted.

What makes you say that? There is a trend nationally and internationally of young people wanting to live in cities. Several Irish recruitment companies have highlighted how they are unable to attract skilled workers from abroad due to a lack of city living space. Saying that, it still is the case that in most large cities the ultimate aim is to own a home outside the city, so both city center apartments and suburban houses are important.

The average age of a first time buyer in Ireland is now 34, young people should not be forced to Rent a room in a 4 or 5 bed house where they are also forced to buy and maintain cars at an extra expense. If that is the case most youn people will move to cork, Galway or Dublin or elsewhere as we will be the only backward city still doing this.

chicorytip

zulutango wrote:

Suburban living. The worst of both worlds. There's nothing comfortable about having to drive everywhere. Build decent quality apartments with good amenities in the city centre and Irish people will happily live in them. Build modern day tenements and they won't.

I think the issue is how to make city centre living attractive to families and not just single people. Most major suburbs exist almost as seperate entities with every possible amenity available within walking distance.

Arrival

mdmix wrote: »

What makes you say that? There is a trend nationally and internationally of young people wanting to live in cities. Several Irish recruitment companies have highlighted how they are unable to attract skilled workers from abroad due to a lack of city living space. Saying that, it still is the case that in most large cities the ultimate aim is to own a home outside the city, so both city center apartments and suburban houses are important.

The average age of a first time buyer in Ireland is now 34, young people should not be forced to Rent a room in a 4 or 5 bed house where they are also forced to buy and maintain cars at an extra expense. If that is the case most youn people will move to cork, Galway or Dublin or elsewhere as we will be the only backward city still doing this.

Can confirm, living in the city centre and being able to walk everywhere and actually have a social life is fantastic. More of an effort needs to be made to allow this to be a widely available option for anyone that wants it. All over Europe people raise families in apartments and enjoy a healthy life, public parks are meant to be used as a replacement for a private garden, especially as their apartments are actually built to a high standard for generations to live in them and not just slapped together by dodgy contractors to maximise profit. The majority of apartments in the city centres in Ireland should not exist in the standard that they do, it's pitiful.

dominatinMC

Vladimir Poontang wrote: »

When they can't even get something as basic as a footpath right in this city I have zero faith in any of their pie in the sky projects like 2030 and the ridiculous opera debacle.

Our city is being ruined by jackasses

I'd be the last one to defend the council, but didn't they effectively hand-over power to "Limerick 2030" so that they could oversee and develop the Opera site, Cleeves, Hanging Gardens, etc? It was almost like an admittance that the council themselves are incapable of managing such large-scale projects. In any case, I have more faith in people such as Denis Brosnan, rather than anyone in the council

Jose Maria

That's the problem Councillors like Frankie Daly(Who's a decent bloke) are elected on social issues and are then tasked with making decisions on how the city center should look, it's crazy, is there not a city architect/engineer signing off these things