When is Bishops Quay and howleys quay road reopening?

Itsdacraic

Vanquished wrote: »

Design wise I think it's actually pretty solid. Especially in comparison to a lot of the rubbish that went up in Limerick throughout that era. The glazing and cladding are quite crisp.

In terms of layout it could be much better. The car park element constrains it in that respect and prevents any units being opened up on the Lower Bedford Row side.

Also the large service yard for Dunnes on the Shannon Street flank accounts for most of that frontage.

That was my only reservation, that should have perhaps incorporated a couple of huts along there, selling coffee etc. It might have drawn workers etc down there during lunch time once the weather picks up.

zulutango

Vanquished wrote: »

Design wise I think it's actually pretty solid. Especially in comparison to a lot of the rubbish that went up in Limerick throughout that era. The glazing and cladding are quite crisp.

In terms of layout it could be much better. The car park element constrains it in that respect and prevents any units being opened up on the Lower Bedford Row side.

Also the large service yard for Dunnes on the Shannon Street flank accounts for most of that frontage.

I really can't agree with you about it's design. It's solid (as in it won't fall down), but ultimately shoddy in design. The glazing has high u-values (bad), insulation levels are very poor. The apartments are spacious but not good quality. All the apartments have storage heaters and this is a sure sign of a poorly designed apartment building (when you see storage heaters in a building, run a mile!). A number of the roofs are already badly leaking too, although admittedly that's more of a construction issue.

Agree on your other point. Practically the whole of the Bedford Row and Shannon Street sides are poorly thought out, and redundant except for deliveries and car park entrance (the car park ramp is the reason for losing Bedford Row). Even the Henry Street side is poorly utilised at ground level. One big glass facade, behind which is the escalator in Dunnes Stores. A lot more could have been done here.

As well as all that, it's an ugly monolith that is well out of scale with surrounding buildings. You can get away with that if you do something truly original like Riverpoint, but Harvey's Quay doesn't cut it at all.

Sadly, we're stuck with it for a few more years at least.

Vanquished

zulutango wrote: »

I really can't agree with you about it's design. It's solid (as in it won't fall down), but ultimately shoddy in design. The glazing has high u-values (bad), insulation levels are very poor. The apartments are spacious but not good quality. All the apartments have storage heaters and this is a sure sign of a poorly designed apartment building (when you see storage heaters in a building, run a mile!). A number of the roofs are already badly leaking too, although admittedly that's more of a construction issue.

Agree on your other point. Practically the whole of the Bedford Row and Shannon Street sides are poorly thought out, and redundant except for deliveries and car park entrance (the car park ramp is the reason for losing Bedford Row). Even the Henry Street side is poorly utilised at ground level. One big glass facade, behind which is the escalator in Dunnes Stores. A lot more could have been done here.

As well as all that, it's an ugly monolith that is well out of scale with surrounding buildings. You can get away with that if you do something truly original like Riverpoint, but Harvey's Quay doesn't cut it at all.

Sadly, we're stuck with it for a few more years at least.

The quality of the majority of apartments in this country is generally pretty dubious. I lived in what were marketed as "contemporary, high end, landmark" apartments in Dublin that were insufferably warm in the summer and absolutely freezing during winter. The complex was only built in 2008. The regulations governing apartment standards here is highly inadequate.

But in all fairness I was referring to the design quality of the exterior of the building; shape, proportions, materials etc. All in all it's pretty well executed.

I honestly can't see any problem with the Henry Street elevation. The full height glazed atrium is striking and inviting and windows run the entire length of the store frontage making it open, expansive and transparent. Would you rather a blank facade?

I don't see how it's out of scale either given that the Savoy complex across the way is a floor taller and the Carlton development and to a lesser extent the Howley's Quay building are also of significant stature.

I think that cluster of buildings on Henry Street actually gives the city an impressive modern, urban character.

This is only going to develop further in the years ahead with the anticipated completion of the GPO/hanging gardens project along with the redevelopment of the Garda HQ and potential movement on the former Smyths and Thomond office interiors buildings.

Poxyshamrock

Have the builders returned to work?

Cookiemunster

Well apparently it's officially finished http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/business/business-news/no-more-board-times-on-limerick-s-quays-as-4-8m-upgrade-opens-1-5813685

Vanquished

Cookiemunster wrote: »

Well apparently it's officially finished http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/business/business-news/no-more-board-times-on-limerick-s-quays-as-4-8m-upgrade-opens-1-5813685

Not quite.

Limerick Leader wrote:

City Council says it anticipates any outstanding minor works to be completed within a few weeks.

Looks like a filler story from the Limerick Leader. The boardwalk has of course been open to the public since before Christmas!

Cookiemunster

Vanquished wrote: »

Not quite.

Whoops. Missed that bit.

Brennans Row

Local authority staff have been working to strengthen flood defences across the city, with sandbagging taking place at Condell Road and at Verdant Place, while flood barriers have been erected at Howley’s Quay area, O’Callaghan Strand and Clancy Strand. (Limerick Leader)

The council will now see how the new flood barriers at Howley’s Quay will fare out.

Vanquished

I was down that way at lunch. Barriers are indeed in place. Might head down again over the weekend to see if they're being tested by the expected high tides.

On a side note, paving works have recommenced on the remaining unfinished areas. They seem to be moving along pretty swiftly too.

No sign of the feature wooden mast pole yet. The cavity on the plinth has been covered over for now.

thesimpsons

Brennans Row wrote: »

The council will now see how the new flood barriers at Howley’s Quay will fare out.

the sandbags aren't where the water recently flooded onto the Condel Road though :eek: The water came over further down nearer the pier.

smcgiff

Brennans Row wrote: »

The council will now see how the new flood barriers at Howley’s Quay will fare out.

Mother nature 1 Council Nil

Brennans Row

Just looking at the tide tables for today and the high tide at the docks was to peak at 07:36 this morning at a height of 6.7 metres.

The next high tide is at 20:05 with a height of 6.4 metres.

Pencil in the high winds, heavy rain and river floods they would need to support the flood barriers with sand bags and water pumps.

The extent of the flooding around the city is unbelievable.

pigtown

So the quays have been officially opened by Minister Michael Ring. There's still no sign of the big flag pole, does this mean it's been quietly forgotten about?

I noticed yesterday that an information panel has been erected at the Sarsfield Bridge end of the quays outlining how the bridge used to open for ships. They have also painted the mechanisms and finished them really well. It's quite well done, for those who are into that sort of thing.

vkid

Vanquished wrote: »

I think that cluster of buildings on Henry Street actually gives the city an impressive modern, urban character.

This is only going to develop further in the years ahead with the anticipated completion of the GPO/hanging gardens project along with the redevelopment of the Garda HQ and potential movement on the former Smyths and Thomond office interiors buildings.

agree with that. I think Henry Street looks good, and has serious potential imo

Poxyshamrock

pigtown wrote: »

There's still no sign of the big flag pole, does this mean it's been quietly forgotten about?

I was thinking the same thing! Oh well, I suppose the plans can often differ from the results.

Bedford Row was supposed to have kiosks.
The Milk Market was supposed to have a 120 seater restaurant.
Even the Newtown Pery plan was supposed to have a public square somewhere along O'Connell Street.


Overall, I must say I'm really impressed with the newly redeveloped quays.
The main test is whether they will maintain the area. That's often the city's downfall.

Buckeye

Brennans Row wrote: »

Just looking at the tide tables for today and the high tide at the docks was to peak at 07:36 this morning at a height of 6.7 metres.

The next high tide is at 20:05 with a height of 6.4 metres.

Pencil in the high winds, heavy rain and river floods they would need to support the flood barriers with sand bags and water pumps.

The extent of the flooding around the city is unbelievable.

I have lived in Limerick for less than a decade, but this is the first time I have seen the water this high here.

Is it typical? Have you had flooding like this in past years/decades?

Or is this unusual kick-up from the extreme whether in North America this winter?

Obviously, this is something that will have to be watched going forward, but if climate models hold up, we can expect more extreme weather in the coming decades, along with higher water levels overall, and at some point in the next few decades Limerick is simply going to have to tear down development along the river and build levies. It's not feasible to try to keep a home or run a business on a street that is under three feet of water every other winter...

On the upside, levies make great rollerblade & bike paths...