ESB considering knocking Poolbeg chimneys again!

rockbeast

Thomas D wrote: »

They're ****. Knock them down. If they're that badly missed in 10 years we can build them again for f all.

Class. Do you write the lines inside greetings cards?

I'd say keep it up but you'd want to knock it down

subpar

Just being listening to the Head of the ESB speaking on the Pat Kenny Show. He says that the poolbeg chimneys will need millions spent on them to make them safe and an ongong spend on additional money every year to keep them safe.

He further said that from an engineering point of view they were nothing special ,and are common enough around the world representing the design standards of the 1960's and 70's


So in summary they are nothing special and will need a significant amount of money to keep them looking nothing special.

Tabnabs

subpar wrote: »

Just being listening to the Head of the ESB speaking on the Pat Kenny Show. He says that the poolbeg chimneys will need millions spent on them to make them safe and an ongong spend on additional money every year to keep them safe.

He further said that from an engineering point of view they nothing special ,and are common enough around the world representing the design standards of the 1960's and 70's


So in summary they are nothing special and will need a significant amount of money to maintain them.

This is the ESB where in 2013 "ESB has reported a profit after tax for last year of €415m, an increase of 23% on the year before. ". So they're not short of a quid or two...

On the other topic, I'm sorry, but I won't be taking any architectural, engineering or cultural advice from the company that did this:

subpar

Tabnabs wrote: »

This is the ESB where in 2013 "ESB has reported a profit after tax for last year of €415m, an increase of 23% on the year before. ". So they're not short of a quid or two...


The quid or two they are not short off is customers money paid to them for over priced electricity.

Who do you think will be paying the cost to maintain 2 out of date and redundant relics of 1960's engineering.

enda1

More from the IT

A Skybridge is now being proposed. At least something interesting is being proposed and considered by the artistic community.

I can't imagine the two chimneys could be easily couple seeing as how they are not structurally connected. I'd say the relative sway from one to the other in high wind must be quite substantial, however some out of the box thinking is important and good for the public to realise the potential and see the cultural and potential economic benefit of keeping them.

Tabnabs

subpar wrote: »

The quid or two they are not short off is customers money paid to them for over priced electricity.

Who do you think will be paying the cost to maintain 2 out of date and redundant relics of 1960's engineering.

You need to do some research if you think the ESB just sells electricity to Irish customers.

ScottSF

One example of how the decommissioned power station in Johannesburg, South Africa was turned into an even more attractive iconic landmark. Now you can walk across a bridge between the two and rappel down the side as part of a very popular tourist attraction. I'm not saying the Poolbeg towers should be painted - just showing how saving them can be turned to good use with a bit of creative thinking.

Dyr

As someone who grew up in on the top floor of the ballymun flats i can tell you that Dublin has a fairly spectacular vista once you're up high enough. Poolbeg could be and amazing as a viewing tower in a city that totally lacks such views. If they're structurally sound then they should be utilized

loyatemu

loyatemu wrote: »

lift on/in one of them then a glass bridge across to the other for a vertiginous skywalk experience?

enda1 wrote: »

A Skybridge is now being proposed.

F*cker stole my idea! - anyone know a good lawyer?

If they're structurally sound then they should be utilized

I think the ESB's point is that they're not (in the long-term) and the cost of making them sound is far higher than the benefit of converting them into a tourist attraction or whatever.

subpar

Tabnabs wrote: »

You need to do some research if you think the ESB just sells electricity to Irish customers.

Where did I say they just sell electricity.

They certainly dont sell ice cream.

Numerous reports over the last few years indicate the high cost of power to domestic and commercial customers.

The ESB is not cost efficient

Dyr

UOTE=subpar;91268097]Where did I say they just sell electricity.

They certainly dont sell ice cream.

Numerous reports over the last few years indicate the high cost of power to domestic and commercial customers.

The ESB is not cost efficient[/QUOTE]

You mean the increased prices that were put in place by the regulator to make it more attractive for private companies to enter the market?

Yeah thats the ESBs fault that

subpar

ESB staff average salary is inexcess of 90k per annum

They have rolls royce pay , conditionions and pensions

All staff and pensioners get a significant % of free electricity per annum

The unions run the place

Need I go on

You cant blame the energy regulator for that

Sierra Oscar

Tabnabs wrote: »

This is the ESB where in 2013 "ESB has reported a profit after tax for last year of €415m, an increase of 23% on the year before. ". So they're not short of a quid or two...

Indeed - this is all about the ESB trying to extract some more money from the state in the guise of maintaining the structures.

I say keep them and incorporate them into a redeveloped site.

alastair

enda1 wrote: »

More from the IT

A Skybridge is now being proposed. At least something interesting is being proposed and considered by the artistic community.

Design graduate proposal for an urban park development from a couple of years back: http://www.verareshto.com/poolbeg.html

Cienciano

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

Indeed - this is all about the ESB trying to extract some more money from the state in the guise of maintaining the structures.

I say keep them and incorporate them into a redeveloped site.

You can hardly blame them for not wanting to pay for the upkeep of them because some people are sentimental about them.
I like them myself, but wouldn't exactly miss them. It's not exactly the Theatre Royal, or Fitzwilliam Street we're destroying here.

BowWow

Would they have to be de-contaminated in order to do something with them?

If so, I'd imagine the cost of this would not justify anything other than knocking them down.

BowWow

My wish would be that the narrow one be demolished and something like the Seattle Needle be crafted from the other one.

http://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fdepts.washington.edu%2Ficmpc11%2Fspaceneedle.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fdepts.washington.edu%2Ficmpc11%2Finterest.html&h=600&w=464&tbnid=E4IfPqf7lJ8-2M%3A&zoom=1&docid=psUcCFAbHC73-M&ei=GF_EU4HDK8nA7AalnYCAAg&tbm=isch&ved=0CCcQMygIMAg&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=274&page=1&start=0&ndsp=16

http://www.spaceneedle.com/home/

Pete_Cavan

I dont think putting any sort of structure on the chimneys is realistic. They are too tall (over 200m)and they were not built to support anything other than themselves. The structural works required to put something on top of them would change them so dramatically that they would no longer be the chimneys people want saved. A stairs isn’t really an option anyway (nobody would actually climb a 200m high stairs) and a lift beside would look ridiculous - in fact you would probably need both a stairs and a lift for fire regulations so at that stage you are building something thicker than the actual chimneys which destroys the iconic image.

Anyway, it is too far away from the city centre and anything else tourists would be interested in to be a tourist attraction. The chimneys are a part of Dublin so they should become something for the people of Dublin.

The chimneys were originally built to spew out the fumes from the power station, in light of all the environmental damage they have caused, I think their next phase of life should now give something back to nature. Cut openings in the side and create compartments for various birds to nest. Also plant trees and plants and have them growing out the sides of them. They could become a spectacular vertical park and an extension of the Irishtown Nature Reserve.

Sierra Oscar

Dublin City Council voted to list the chimneys as protected structures so they can't be demolished now so it seems a new plan will be needed.

Councillors vote to preserve Pigeon House chimneys

Dublin city councillors have voted to preserve the ESB’s Pigeon House chimneys at Poolbeg more than eight years after the same proposal was rejected by the council’s conservation department.

HeidiHeidi

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

Dublin City Council voted to list the chimneys as protected structures so they can't be demolished now so it seems a new plan will be needed.

Councillors vote to preserve Pigeon House chimneys

According to today's Herald they've only started the process to vote them onto the list

http://www.herald.ie/news/council-moves-for-official-protection-of-poolbeg-chimneys-30430946.html

Better than nothing, and I'd hope they can get it through - but not a done deal just yet I don't think.

That username is already in use.

Adding a stairs and bridge will only destroy the look of the simple structure that Dubliners love.

The stacks just need to be repainted and given a new lighting scheme at night.

Perhaps they could tinkle every hour after 9PM like the Eiffel Tower?

http://youtu.be/zRvULOijKD4?t=50s

I wouldn't hold my breath seeing as DCC can't even be bothered to light up the Spire properly as was originally planned.

Duckett

The vast Poolbeg site should be cleaned up along with the towers to form a public amenity for all to enjoy. Its important to retain our heritage - and just like Turlough Hill and Ardnacrusha, Poolbeg is an important civil engineering project that aligns with the entry of Ireland and Dublin in particular into a modern world new world. The Towers are Iconic and should be maintained for future generations to enjoy - Howth and Dun Laoghaire harbour's are available to all today. Obviously the towers can be knocked at little cost but the prize is to to put them to practical use and no doubt some bright city planners can hopefully come up with innovative ideas that will preserve a unique part of modern Dublin for future generations.

Cienciano

Isn't there a stairs already on them, around the outside? It looks like a bitch to climb them though.
Would love a go at climbing them, but as Pete_Cavan said, the location isn't good enough to get any sort of tourist numbers. I went out to the big wheel at the point one saturday and it was empty, and that was a far better location.

enda1

More again from the IT looking suspiciously familiar...again!

Lit up Poolbeg stacks could be 'as beautiful as Eiffel Tower'

This these artists in waiting are boardsies? Or just figments of the ITs mind?

Drayton Close

Instead of demolition, how about re-imagining? An alternative proposal for the Poolbeg chimneys on you tube: youtube.com/watch?v=0E1CewbnE_c

loyatemu

Drayton Close wrote: »

Instead of demolition, how about re-imagining? An alternative proposal for the Poolbeg chimneys on you tube: youtube.com/watch?v=0E1CewbnE_c

that proposal seems to overlook the power station that is still operating behind the chimneys.

Cienciano

Power is still generated in the area at at 2 stations, there's 3 of the biggest substations in the country nearby, a massive sewage treatment plant and loads of big storage tanks.
While I think it's good to think of things to do in the area, I doubt it'll become a recreational area where people sit drinking coffee. It's a heavy industry area and it's well out of the way.
Even if you could go up the chimney, there'll never be enough people heading all the way out there for a look to justify the cost.

entropi

When on a plane back to Dublin yesterday evening, the first thing I tried to glimpse were the towers at the power station. It was part of the reason I chose to sit on that side of the plane when booking tbh. They really are an integral sight for many, many people to let them know they're finally home, or for visitors to see a taste of the older side of Dublin before looking upon the new and developed docklands.

Cienciano

Just listened to Pat Kenny talking to someone from ESB about them (Pat Kenny Show, 25th July 2014).
He pretty much said the same as me, you can't have a recreational area where there's an active power station.
Some interesting facts, chimneys are different widths, the A chimney wall is 2foot 8 inches thick at the base, but only 6 inches thick at the top.
A bridge between them would be hard to make, because they both sway 18 inches independently. Just over 12% of the entire countries electricity is still produced on that site.
You want a walkway build on it? Painting the chimneys alone is a 6 figure sum. First thing they're going to do is cap the chimneys, because there's no hot gas going through them, they're starting to deteriorate already.

De Bhál

Cienciano wrote: »

the A chimney is 2foot 8 inches thick at the base, but only 6 inches thick at the top.

?
no it's not