Tallest building in Galway?

sh247

It says here that CityPoint (the TK Maxx building) is the tallest building in Galway: www[dot]advertiser[dot]ie/galway/article/17161/open-house-galway-launches-architectural-festival
(It won't let me post the link because I'm a new user, but just replace the [dot] with a .)

First of all, does anyone know if this is true? If it's not the tallest building in Galway, then what is? (Church steeples etc. don't count.)

And, just out of curiosity, does anyone know the height of CityPoint? I'd say about 30 metres but I could be wrong...

Thanks

snubbleste

I doubt it is the tallest building.
Maybe it is the highest building, being located on a hill and all

The Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas is 44.2 metres, some buildings on Merchants Rd, some building on Tuam Rd would be higher but not necessarily taller.

yaledo

Interesting question. I was looking at galway from a distance recently, and I'd say the highest building might be the Eircom building in Merview - though houses in circular road & tonnabrocai might put up a challenge.

Back to the original question though - I can understand why radio towers shouldn't be counted, but I think church steeples ought to be.

sh247

To be honest, I'm just not all that interested in churches' height etc... I'm more curious about modern-ish buildings.

snubbleste

Whoy, whoy?

Mrs OBumble

I think we'd agree that highest = greatest elevation above sea-leve.

But is tallest = highest elevation about ground level? Or most stories?

berrecka

I was in one of the apartments there recently. It definitely towers over the surrounding area around Prospect Hill and Eyre Square. Fabulous views of town on a sunny day from the balcony and glass walls.

Das Kitty

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

But is tallest = highest elevation about ground level? Or most stories?

Charlie Byrne's has that one sewn up. :pac:

flazio

Roches multi storeys car park.

boardzz

berrecka wrote: »

I was in one of the apartments there recently. It definitely towers over the surrounding area around Prospect Hill and Eyre Square. Fabulous views of town on a sunny day from the balcony and glass walls.

I seen that a couple of these apartments are available to rent short term for holidays. Are they available for long term rental?

berrecka

Not to my knowledge. I think the Western Hotel rents them all as short term lets.

ronnie3585

The ESB buildings in Mervure are pretty tall too.

sh247

Well I assume tallest is its height in metres. That's how I see it, anyway.

Mrs OBumble

ronnie3585 wrote: »

The ESB buildings in Mervure are pretty tall too.

Where are they? I cannot think at all ...

Laviski

not ESB

its eircom buildings. behind the opel garage on tuam road.

or beside the old crown facility that's now a crater.

westgolf

Kinda side angle to the topic but at one stage( 1960's and 70's) it was not permitted to go higher than the height of the spire on the cathedral, under a by-law to suit the then bishop of galway.

Westy

Diabhal Beag

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Where are they? I cannot think at all ...

It's out towards the end of the Wellpark road after the turnoff towards Liosbaun. Warehouse Gym is right beside it. Definitely would be near the tallest.

JillyQ

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

It's out towards the end of the Wellpark road after the turnoff towards Liosbaun. Warehouse Gym is right beside it. Definitely would be near the tallest.

Thats the Eircom building on the Monivea Road

Galway isn't a high rise sort of a place.
Huddled together against the rain is how I would describe it.

Visiting cruise ships dwarf most of the buildings.

The tower at Tóin na Brocaí is probably the tallest structure.

westgolf

Tower in tonabrucky is a communications mast on the top of a hill. Is the structure itself that tall ?

Westy

Mrs OBumble

westgolf wrote: »

Tower in tonabrucky is a communications mast on the top of a hill. Is the structure itself that tall ?

Westy

It's high. Probably it's even tall. But is it a building?

GalwayGrrrrrl

Just in case anyone is getting any ideas about these tall buildings, Galway Samaritans is on 091 561222.

Tonabrucky is the highest point in Galway, wouldn't call it a building though.

westgolf

xfactorfan23 wrote: »

Just in case anyone is getting any ideas about these tall buildings, Galway Samaritans is on 091 561222.

Tonabrucky is the highest point in Galway, wouldn't call it a building though.

Its a mast on the top of a hill with a control building at the mast base. Hardly galways tallest building ?

WallyGUFC

When I was in Mary's, I was told by a few teachers that it shares the highest point in the city, give or take, with the top of the dome of the Cathedral. Obviously not the tallest building though.

nuac

WallyGUFC wrote: »

When I was in Mary's, I was told by a few teachers that it shares the highest point in the city, give or take, with the top of the dome of the Cathedral. Obviously not the tallest building though.

I was in Mary's pre building of Cathedral. There were certainly good views from the top story, and also from the top of the "New Building". Could see the Regional Hospital abuilding

nuac

westgolf wrote: »

Kinda side angle to the topic but at one stage( 1960's and 70's) it was not permitted to go higher than the height of the spire on the cathedral, under a by-law to suit the then bishop of galway.

Westy

Any link or verification of that?

To be effective any such requirement would have to be included in the Galway City Development Plan.

Making of such a Development Plan is a reserved function of the councillors, and would have to be circulated to councillors, put on public display, and then voted thru by them. .

Apart from legal problems, there would have been some local comment.

I may have missed it, but this is the first I have heard about this.

A bye-law could not, imho, vary or affect the city development plan

westgolf

If you re-read my original post, it was in the late 60's and early 70's, long before the era of development planning and in the midst of the era of bishops being very vocal and outspoken and demanding.

westy

feargale

westgolf wrote: »

If you re-read my original post, it was in the late 60's and early 70's, long before the era of development planning and in the midst of the era of bishops being very vocal and outspoken and demanding.

westy

Local Government ( Planning and Development ) Act 1963.

nuac

westgolf wrote: »

If you re-read my original post, it was in the late 60's and early 70's, long before the era of development planning and in the midst of the era of bishops being very vocal and outspoken and demanding.

westy

Planning legislation came into force 1.10.1964, so my above remarks apply re putting this provision into City Development Plan.

This may be an urban legend for some, but unless it is in the City Development Plan, it did not happen.

westgolf

nuac wrote: »

Planning legislation came into force 1.10.1964, so my above remarks apply re putting this provision into City Development Plan.

This may be an urban legend for some, but unless it is in the City Development Plan, it did not happen.

I agree that the act did indeed come into effect in 1964, no argument there. My point is that it is only relevantly recently that development planning of the current, detailed nature started to become common. Dont forget that we are talking of the era of section four amendments by councillors to over ride planners etc

westy

nuac

westgolf wrote: »

I agree that the act did indeed come into effect in 1964, no argument there. My point is that it is only relevantly recently that development planning of the current, detailed nature started to become common. Dont forget that we are talking of the era of section four amendments by councillors to over ride planners etc

westy

All Planning Authorities commenced work on their Development Plans on or before the 1.10.64. Most employed planning consultants. While I agree that later reviews of the City Plan would have contained more detail, the height restriction suggested would have been a simple statement and could have been in the first draft..

I imagine the Corporation's Law Agent would have shot it down in flames

Yes there were many Section 4s in Galway. Most of those were in the County. Many were roughly handled by the High Court, and are in the Law Reports as examples to Councillors of how not to do their business.

If the Councillors wanted to put this height restriction in their Development Plan they would imho have had to amend the draft plan rather than going by Section 4.

Unless you can refer me to a particular document, resolution or bye-law, I say this is an urban legend