Limerick improvement projects

You might be forgetting about the smaller stores that open onto patrick street. If they are tripling the number they will probably need to take a layer of parking above. I've never seen the parking there massively busy either so that might not be a problem

https://www.arthursquay.ie/retail-stores/

I havent been inside in years (mainly because I've a seriously dislike for shopping), however I cant understand how Arthurs Quay is so dated. Wasn't it only opened in the mid 80s. 1988 at a guess.

You expect a minimum of 50 years out a shopping centre as it wasn't exactly built in the 60s.

How did the designers get it so wrong?

Can anyone remember what kind of shops used to be in there ?

The newsagent and cosmetic/health shop have been there as long as I can remember. Used have a Carphone Warehouse which I think was in the unit that was a Golden Disks or maybe next to it.

I don't remember it being much of a destination for a teen except to use the toilet or to sneak on to the carpark roof.

T shirt printing place and a hair dresser is what I remember

Agreed. Redevelop that whole area and have the shopping centre lead out into a pedestrianised park and function area where Arthur's quay park currently is. Each time they do special events (like the ice skating) there, the park grass gets destroyed, so they should come up with a way to have it easily shift between being a nice, quiet third space for people to go to for lunch and in the evenings and a place where these types of events can be held without ruining the area afterwards. If they got rid of sarsfield house as well it would also enable a very nice pedestrianised zone from the bridge all along the river past the hunt and towards the council office - ideally the entire length of the river should be pedestrianised and set up in a way to host all kinds of pop-up events, and the council should then do all kinds of schemes to encourage individuals and SMEs to bring different events and temporary activities to these areas. You would see a major change in the amount of people enjoying time around this area of the city then.

That side of the shopping centre should also have external facing units for bars, cafés, restaurants etc., I've seen similar to this in other countries and it can bring a good atmosphere to the area in the evenings and nighttime, especially when the weather is nice.

If they plan and execute all of this well, and really engage with genuine talent internationally for coming up with the best ways to utilise such a space, you would see an urban space in Limerick that's nicer than probably anywhere else in Irish city centres.

The original masterplan for the area was to continue the road through the park straight from Liddy St, curving right onto Francis St. The idea was to create a larger footprint for a redevelopment of Arthur's Quay and creating a linear park along the river between Sarsfied Bridge and Thomond Bridge, incorporating Arthur's Quay park, the knocking of Sarsfied house, the area behind the Hunt Museum, the Potato Market and the area behind the civic offices /castle.

Not a hope nowadays that the road would be moved closer to the river. Limerick people actually go outside nowadays and would notice something that stupid.

I'de say knocking buildings is seen as bad optics in the current climate unless they are being rebuilt as an even bigger building.

I know that but I still don't think people want a perfectly good building knocked for a bit of park space.

I stayed in a hotel in one of the nordics that was very similar style to Sarsifleild house architecturally and was pretty cool and funky. I like sarsfield house but have no strong opinions on if it gets knocked or not. the biggest problem in that section is the 3 lane road discecting the park from the city as such and any AQ development, i presume any development would need to keep the orginal georgian fronts on patrick street side ?

That was for another building though not a park.

I'm not against knocking it but I can see why not knocking building would be the politically prudent policy.

Haha - the few Green TDs in Dáil Eireann are to blame now for Sarsfield House? Your madcap Green Party obsession is fogging up your brain.

You seem to get a bit over the top about them alright.

Big Flannery's on Denmark Street is seeking permission to convert most of the place into office space. They will keep the small front bar, the courtyard and the open area upstairs but the big bars to the back (ground floor and first floor) will go.

Building the little bar was the only thing they got right.

Absolutely every aspect of the big bar is a disaster.

Spent ages trying to think of the name on Saturday.

I know it was a "Brazilian" name but took me a while to get it. Must have been one of the first modern style cafe menus in Limerick.

The building is beautiful as you come down Henry St.

I did have a bit of a laugh to myself about us getting notions of being Canary Wharf or something 🤣

Ya I know it will be on the new #2 but that would still mean a transfer for most city people and all country people. It's not the end of the world just a bit of a pity

Would be better if it was the case of "an additional" hospital rather than building one to replace another.

Don't know much about the inside but the outside and location would make for a great boutique hotel.