Limerick improvement projects

Cookiemunster

zulutango wrote: »

Do you not see a connection between having a high quality public realm and attracting people and companies to the city? Do you think Uber would have set up on Catherine Street if the public realm work hadn't been done there a few years before and made it a physically attractive location? Or had that nothing to do with it. Of course it did. There's a whole chapter on it in the Limerick 2030 report on the importance of high quality public realm for the economic well being of the city. You are simplifying it as an inconsequential issue when it's clearly a very important one.

Yes I do think Uber would have moved in without the public realm works. They chose Limerick because there was a building available that met their needs, they thought the could get the staff here and they got some incentives from the IDA

phog

zulutango wrote: »

Do you not see a connection between having a high quality public realm and attracting people and companies to the city? Do you think Uber would have set up on Catherine Street if the public realm work hadn't been done there a few years before and made it a physically attractive location? Or had that nothing to do with it. Of course it did. There's a whole chapter on it in the Limerick 2030 report on the importance of high quality public realm for the economic well being of the city. You are simplifying it as an inconsequential issue when it's clearly a very important one.

So the LA have in fact improved some streetscapes in the city. Based on the selective photos doing the rounds comparing Limerick and other cities one could be forgiven if they believed that the LA was ignoring the city.

To be fair they've invested in the Boardwalks, Sarsfield St, William St, Thomas St, Catherine St and Bedford Row. They have plans for O'Connell St and it seems clear they didn't want to pump any more money into the current repair of pavements than was completely necessary.

zulutango

Yes, now you get it! Good quality public realm is good for cities. It's not unimportant at all, as claimed earlier. Catherine Street, Thomas Street, O'Callaghan and Clancy Strands, Bishop's Quay are all laudable efforts. Some better than others. We need a lot more of this and less cheap tarmac or concrete paving, less car dominance, etc.

phog

zulutango wrote: »

Yes, now you get it! Good quality public realm is good for cities. It's not unimportant at all, as claimed earlier. Catherine Street, Thomas Street, O'Callaghan and Clancy Strands, Bishop's Quay are all laudable efforts. Some better than others. We need a lot more of this and less cheap tarmac or concrete paving, less car dominance, etc.

I've got it all the time but I really don't see the issue with this "tarmac" being used as a stop gap solution. From the moaning on here and on other social media and the selective imagery being used would have one think there's nothing being done in fact the opposite is the case.

chicorytip

LeoD wrote:

They have been using this stuff for years on O'Connell St. so how long is temporary? On Google street view you can see this stuff (or something similar) was well in use as far back as 2009 between Roches St and Thomas St so it's been temporary for at least 10 years with another 4-5 years of temporary in the pipeline!.

No, this is the first occasion this particular stuff has been used anywhere in the city centre as opposed to pathways in suburban areas.

Vanquished

phog wrote: »

I've got it all the time but I really don't see the issue with this "tarmac" being used as a stop gap solution. From the moaning on here and on other social media and the selective imagery being used would have one think there's nothing being done in fact the opposite is the case.

Far from it actually. The standard of the public realm is Limerick is absolutely dreadful. We are miles behind the likes of Waterford and Cork where the respective city centres have been substantially repaved over the last 10/15 years.

It's 18 years since Limerick City Council announced a city centre improvement plan. What exactly has been achieved over that period? Thomas Street, Bedford Row and Little Catherine Street were reasonable efforts. William Street and Sarsfield Street considerably less so. The quayside upgrades were badly needed also. But apart from that, the rate of progress has been shockingly poor. The vast majority of city centre streets are in a deplorable state and there is no plan whatsoever to upgrade them!

thesimpsons

Vanquished wrote: »

Far from it actually. The standard of the public realm is Limerick is absolutely dreadful. We are miles behind the likes of Waterford and Cork where the respective city centres have been substantially repaved over the last 10/15 years.

It's 18 years since Limerick City Council announced a city centre improvement plan. What exactly has been achieved over that period? Thomas Street, Bedford Row and Little Catherine Street were reasonable efforts. William Street and Sarsfield Street considerably less so. The quayside upgrades were badly needed also. But apart from that, the rate of progress has been shockingly poor. The vast majority of city centre streets are in a deplorable state and there is no plan whatsoever to upgrade them!

a bit of regular street cleaning wouldn't go a miss, not just the guys picking up rubbish but regular footpath washing, removal of weeds growing out of most paths, deep cleaning of the rubbish bins, making building owners clean upper stories of buildings (rate incentives to keep buildings clean), banning the constant placement of posters on poles (election, referendums, concerts & meetings posters, etc). The Shannon Bridge badly needs to be cleaned up inside that horrendous railing they put up. All these smaller and easier measures would go a long way to showing a bit of thought is going into the city. I love Limerick city but hate the way its being left to go dirty.

Jose Maria

We were promised a new bike off Santa and we got new tyres for our old bike instead, sure it'll last you another year or two wont it sure it's grand

niceview

The paths were in bad nick, contrary to some of what has been said previously. Of course a dodgy surface will lead to more claims! This should reduce the payouts and as an interim measure makes perfect sense.

lockman

thesimpsons wrote: »

a bit of regular street cleaning wouldn't go a miss, not just the guys picking up rubbish but regular footpath washing, removal of weeds growing out of most paths, deep cleaning of the rubbish bins, making building owners clean upper stories of buildings (rate incentives to keep buildings clean), banning the constant placement of posters on poles (election, referendums, concerts & meetings posters, etc). The Shannon Bridge badly needs to be cleaned up inside that horrendous railing they put up. All these smaller and easier measures would go a long way to showing a bit of thought is going into the city. I love Limerick city but hate the way its being left to go dirty.

In addition to litter picking, the Limerick City Tidy Town Group do some of the above i.e., weeding, encouraging and helping building owners to clean up and a bit more besides. The group are always looking for volunteers to help. If interested, they meet as follows:
Wed 6pm Whitehouse (from Spring to Autumn)
Sun 11am Thomas Street (all year round)
http://limericktidytown.com/

zulutango

They do stellar work. I regularly see them out.

Brennans Row

Limerick's Rugby Experience goes on international display at Venice Biennale (Limerick Leader)

It’s not even been constructed yet, but already architectural designs of the International Rugby Experience are to go on display at a world-famous festival.

Design of what is hoped will become an iconic attraction in the heart of O’Connell Street, are to be showcased at the Venice Biennale exhibition later this month.

Founded in 1885, the Venice Biennale hosts pavilions from across the world, and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year who feast their eyes on some of the world’s most groundbreaking modern design.



I wonder do the good people involved in An Taisce ever get to visit such event exhibitions?

Vladimir Poontang

Brennans Row wrote: »

Limerick's Rugby Experience goes on international display at Venice Biennale (Limerick Leader)

It’s not even been constructed yet, but already architectural designs of the International Rugby Experience are to go on display at a world-famous festival.

Design of what is hoped will become an iconic attraction in the heart of O’Connell Street, are to be showcased at the Venice Biennale exhibition later this month.

Founded in 1885, the Venice Biennale hosts pavilions from across the world, and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year who feast their eyes on some of the world’s most groundbreaking modern design.



I wonder do the good people involved in An Taisce ever get to visit such event exhibitions?

It reminds me of Tony Montana's vulgar house

Brennans Row

I had to google Tony Montana's vulgar house to get an idea of what you are comparing or trolling it with.

MrLaurel

Vladimir Poontang wrote: »

It reminds me of Tony Montana's vulgar house

You do know the proposed Rugby Museum is the tall model and not the rest of the small models.

lazyman

https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/317394/housing-to-fore-as-major-changes-to-limerick-s-170m-project-opera-are-revealed.html

Looks like changes to the plans for the Opera centre.....with accommodation.

Brennans Row

mdmix wrote: »

does anyone have an idea about what they are doing with the entrance? they saved part of the old structure but didn't fix it up or anything, surely they will do something with it?

Jose Maria wrote: »

Ya I thought the same, I thought they'd stick a few windows in it, it looks a bit unfinished

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

Yeah, I agree. They just filled it in with a rough finished concrete. Surely if they are just blocking it up, they could have used some nice bricks or old stone?

Integrating the old artillery barracks gate as the main entrance to the new court building has not worked out well.

It has the proportions of a small side entrance, which is fine.

But such a big representative state building on a prominent site merited a larger entrance (see aerial image).

James Bond Junior

Street party on Catherine st as I speak. Small but nice to go in to.

thesimpsons

Brennans Row wrote: »

Integrating the old artillery barracks gate as the main entrance to the new court building has not worked out well.

this has to be one of the most ugly buildings in Limerick at the moment. There was great potential to have a lovely building utilising those magnificent stone arches and this is what they came up with! I kept hoping that it was just a temporary fill in of the arches and that we were going to have a fantastic looking courthouse but sadly, not the case.

apc

lazyman wrote: »

https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/317394/housing-to-fore-as-major-changes-to-limerick-s-170m-project-opera-are-revealed.html

Looks like changes to the plans for the Opera centre.....with accommodation.

https://twitter.com/DanielButlerFG/status/1004997611047317504

Accommodation at the Opera Centre will possibly just be a hotel

Tefral

apc wrote: »

https://twitter.com/DanielButlerFG/status/1004997611047317504

Accommodation at the Opera Centre will possibly just be a hotel

Im all for accomodation in the Opera Centre, but it simply cannot be social housing of any description. It should be well put together apartments where workers can live near their work.

The last thing we need is some big multinational executives doing a deal and in the middle of it seeing Jacinta in her Pajamas strolling by their nice new glass windows with her 2.5 kids hanging off her as she is on the way to get fags and a naggin from the shop.

martyc5674

Tefral wrote: »

Im all for accomodation in the Opera Centre, but it simply cannot be social housing of any description. It should be well put together apartments where workers can live near their work.

The last thing we need is some big multinational executives doing a deal and in the middle of it seeing Jacinta in her Pajamas strolling by their nice new glass windows with her 2.5 kids hanging off her as she is on the way to get fags and a naggin from the shop.

Personally I don’t care what multinational execs have to see, they are usually the first ones to turn their backs when crisis hits... I’d prefer Irish/indigenous/local business to occupy any new city center office space. Let the multinationals off to soulless corners like Raheen and Shannon.

Of course whatever accommodation goes in there should be high quality, regardless of who occupies it, it will go some way to relieve the current housing crisis.

Cookiemunster

The extension of the Savoy into the mill next door has been granted permission by ABP. https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/319096/jobs-boost-as-limericks-savoy-hotel-gets-go-ahead-for-8m-development.html#.Wyent-yTav0.twitter

zulutango

Cookiemunster wrote: »

The extension of the Savoy into the mill next door has been granted permission by ABP. https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/319096/jobs-boost-as-limericks-savoy-hotel-gets-go-ahead-for-8m-development.html#.Wyent-yTav0.twitter

Should that really go in the 'improvement projects' thread?

Maybe there should be a thread titled "Destruction of Limerick's built heritage".

Mc Love

Pretty disappointing for the current tenants, both residents and business there.

mart 23

Cookiemunster wrote: »

The extension of the Savoy into the mill next door has been granted permission by ABP. https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/319096/jobs-boost-as-limericks-savoy-hotel-gets-go-ahead-for-8m-development.html#.Wyent-yTav0.twitter

With the help of ABP Limerick will hopefully move into the modern world and not be always kept back .

sioda

Another on the longlist of shocking decisions allowed in this city.

That new development adds nothing to the areas removes some of the most unique apartments in the city

Glenomra

mart 23 wrote: »

With the help of ABP Limerick will hopefully move into the modern world and not be always kept back .

Fully agree. The relentless opposition to all and every development in Limerick City amazes me. this has the potential to be a very positive development in and for the city.

pigtown

Cookiemunster wrote: »

The extension of the Savoy into the mill next door has been granted permission by ABP. https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/319096/jobs-boost-as-limericks-savoy-hotel-gets-go-ahead-for-8m-development.html#.Wyent-yTav0.twitter

It's disappointing that they'll have to reduce the height from 7 to 6 stories. Surely Henry Street is the best bet for non-riverside higher density buildings.

zulutango

Is all and every development in Limerick City positive?