City Council moving to Mervue

The City Council have approved a plan to buy an office building in the Crown Square in Mervue and eventually redevelop the current City Hall site for social housing https://galwaybayfm.ie/galway-bay-fm-news-desk/councillors-approve-loan-to-move-city-hall-to-crown-square-in-mervue/

Its going to be odd that the County Council have a very central building but that the City Council will now move to the outskirts.

As usual now its been agreed, some of the Councillors seem to be rolling back their support https://connachttribune.ie/no-procurement-process-for-galway-city-council-move-to-crown-square/

what_traffic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058254617/city-council-moving-to-mervue

Classic CEO response from the City Council CE0.

"

Following questions from Cllr John Connolly (FF), Mr McGrath did not say why it was not put through a public procurement process but indicated there was not a legal requirement to do so.

"

Agree it is a bit odd, but it suits all the City Council employees/executives who drive in from outside the City.

Bonham Quay at the Docks or Ceannt Station would be better location. City Council for sure need a new building.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119341026#Comment_119341026

They seem very cramped on the current site, I've never been in only seen it from the outside. Is the site as big as they're saying, enough for 230-250 social homes? I would expect that big an office building in Bonham Quay or Ceannt Station would have been multiples of what they're paying in Mervue but I agree would have been a better location.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119341026#Comment_119341026

There is very limited allocated parking in that development as I understand it.

Hopefully we won't be paying for additional parking.

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119341114#Comment_119341114

The development is well serviced by two bus routes, don't forget.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119341125#Comment_119341125

Three: Burkes also stop near there.

Galwayguy35

I thought they were talking about joining up both the county and city councils there a few years ago, anyone know if this is still happening?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119341156#Comment_119341156

Hadn't heard anything lately about a merger but the County Council has a major funding shortfall and has lost a good amount of staff in the past few years because of a reduced budget https://www.galwaydaily.com/news/politics/planning-enforcement-virtually-non-existent-due-to-underfunding-of-council/

I doubt the City would want to merge with the County unless they have a proper budget to make it work

what_traffic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119341090#Comment_119341090

City Hall is small, been in a few times about 10yr or more ago now. It has not a great design in the first place. Its a big site, as much space is given over to surface Car parking as to the footprint of the office itself. Good place for housing, am sure they can get close to that no of units, but maybe not that high if they go with a public building on College Road itself like a Library, have a nice green park area at the back of the City Hall site between it and Forster Court so would be able to have that amenity for the residents.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058254617/city-council-moving-to-mervue

Mervue the outskirts? Maybe you need to explore the east side a bit more.

what_traffic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119341511#Comment_119341511

I think your missing the main comparison point that NellyBellyJelly is making regarding locations of City and County Hall. The Proposed City Hall will be closer to the County boundary than County Hall will be and vice-versa. County Hall as it stands is smack bang in the City Centre(Eyre Square).

If the city and county were merged back into a single council, as they were before 1986, I imagine County Hall on Prospect Hill would be the main public office.

They wouldn't need to move at all if they just used the space given over to parking and built on that. There is more land given over to parking than is used by the city council building

The building occupies 2200sq meters of land

The car parks occupy approx 942, 869 & 558 sq meters respectively, for an approx total of 2369sq meters.

It would likely lead to a significant positive change in attitudes to PT, walking & cycling within the city council staff if all parking was removed.

Ah one can dream....

ratracer

Both city and county councils have long term leases on a few office buildings around the town as the city/ county halls aren’t big enough.

City council has finance section in old BOI building in Eyre Square, Co Co lease the Centrepoint building in Liosbaun Estate.

Disquiet already only days after approving to go for the loan as the current site may not be used for housing

https://connachttribune.ie/no-procurement-process-for-galway-city-council-move-to-crown-square/

See attached for presentation from the executive to the councillors on the topic, has loads of info on the toic, drawings, costs, timelines, alternatives etc etc

2(c) City Hall Accommodation Presentation July 2022.pdf

Geuze

Look at slide 9, an aerial photo, start of section 3.

There seem to be a lot of green fields?

There are several behind the Connacht hotel? Are these sports grounds in Mervue?

But there are also further green fields on the very left, behind Mervue church?

Also behind Moneen ETB and Chadwick's?

Also opposite Wellpark SC, at the Brothers/Daughters of Charity?

Seems to be plenty of space for hundreds of apts?

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119366627#Comment_119366627

The ones behind the Connacht are the old OLBC pitch and Mervue Utd. The ones you think are behind Mervue church are St James. Why would these be built on? They're a well used and much needed recreational facility for the city.

kippy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119366627#Comment_119366627

Yep, all sports grounds or amenities.

More complaints about the lack of oversight into this deal. Apparently it was forced through very quickly so that they could avail of cheaper interest rates.

"The Tribune highlighted two weeks ago that a reply to a Freedom of Information request suggested that senior management at the Council did not meet with representatives of the Crown Square development in the 12 months prior to the proposal being presented to councillors – and if they did meet, then minutes were not kept."

https://connachttribune.ie/no-procurement-process-for-galway-city-council-move-to-crown-square/

rustyfrog

This all sounds very dodgy. Surely this is the type of project that would be planned many years in advance and wouldn't need a rushed vote to purchase private office space...?

Are non public facing city council workers being offered hybrid working options?

The cynic in me feels like it's being moved to give the city senior officials (most of which don't live in Galway City) easy access to the motorway to avoid the commuter traffic that they've failed to address.

Mrs OBumble

If you think Crown Square gives easy motorway access, you're dreaming. The east of the city has the worse traffic congestion, because that's where most jobs are.

rustyfrog

Maybe I should have said easier.

Laviski

there is nothing easy about getting to mervue at 8:30 / 9am in the morning unless you live in mervue/wellpark/tuam rd.

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119728520#Comment_119728520

Well it is better than city center or the west...

To me this is a stupid idea... We are taking the main public administration office out of the centre of the city and moving it further away from town... This just encourages more car journeys..

sasal

They could get the bus.

The 405 and 401 stop nearby. They both start on the Westside.

rustyfrog

"They will fund it by cutting back on other services, by not recruiting more staff, or not investing in useful projects and infrastructure important to the people in communities they are elected to serve.

Is there anyone brave enough to call a halt to this vanity project, before it’s too late?"

https://connachttribune.ie/first-loan-repayment-of-e880k-for-crown-square-to-be-paid-in-2023/

timmyntc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119998683#Comment_119998683

easier for brendan to drive from Roscommon to Mervue

rustyfrog

Brendan is due to retire soon, but his senior colleagues are also commuting in from the east.

ratracer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119998683#Comment_119998683

This move is nuts!! And its true for that journalist, no other media outlet is shining any spotlight on it.

ratracer

Is there something dodgy about the way this move happened out of nowhere??

https://connachttribune.ie/city-hall-crown-move-is-out-of-their-control/

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119999960#Comment_119999960

Why is it nuts? There's no need for local authority offices to be in prime city-fringe locations.

rustyfrog

Well you have the likes of Cllr Cheevers giving out this week that there isn't enough funding for gritting buy also voting in favour of this loan which will cost the city €2m for 30 years. The cost of interest on the loan is around €17m.

Are they intending to sell the old site to pay off the loan early? Or is this already factored in?

Is Mervue the absolute best location for this? Is it best located for the public to access any in-person services? How does it compare to a purpose built building? It all seems very knee-jerk.

This is at a time when many offices are downscaling their office footprint and embracing the change to remote and hybrid work (for non public-facing roles).

The funny thing is, the current site is more than adequate for their needs if they just got rid of the parking or moved it underground.

By utilising the space given over to cars and adding 1-2 stories, they'd have way more space then they need

ratracer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120002817#Comment_120002817

It’s not the location that’s nuts, it’s the cost of it and the fact that it was so out of the blue, even to the councillors and to most of the staff there.

Im almost thinking I’m verging into conspiracy theory here, but something just doesn’t add up!

And of the current site, IIRC, when the vote on the move was put to the elected members, it was fudged with vague promises that College Rd could be used for social housing, and as soon as the vote was passed, the city manager poured cold water over that very idea.

what_traffic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120003115#Comment_120003115

Not using own land? Very rushed decision alright.

What happens to the existing City Hall site may reveal all - that might wipe out the cost of this move?

Its like a decision was made on it knowing that the City and County Council's would be merged some day? Might make sense if that was the case.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120004028#Comment_120004028

I hope that the boards merger of Galway City and County will show them how well we can all get along.

Personally I don't like the move but for purely selfish reasons because the current building is more convenient to me on the rare occassion that I need to use it.

I wish that there was some foresight if they do need to move and they could build somewhere beautiful in the city or redo the current building with less parking so that they could have more space. I wonder as well if an assessment has been done taking into account people working from home and like a hot desk system instead

fergiesfolly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120005743#Comment_120005743

Galway City council.... assessment... you're joking, right?

It appears to be a crazy amount of money to spend when you consider the location, the new location was a derilict site for years where there was no appetite to develop now they are able to charge premium prices.

The current site is very central and you think for the money spent they could redevelop where they are. I'd say time stuck in traffic by the decision makers played a big part. The push to get people out of cars in cites probably isn't helping either I'm sure the expenses would be a lot lower if they are relying on the bus to get to work.

GalwayGaillimh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120008203#Comment_120008203

They are going to be making a balls of college road making it bus and taxi only so unless the decision makers had a helicopter they wouldnt be able to drive to work there without taking a massive detour and then it will take them a week to get home from work once the traffic flow on college road changes direction...unless they want to cycle...you see there is method in there madness...

rustyfrog

GBFM finally giving this some coverage. They didn't mention how much this is costing us.

https://galwaybayfm.ie/galway-bay-fm-news-desk/galway-city-council-acquires-new-building-in-mervue-that-will-serve-as-the-new-civic-headquarters/

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120008506#Comment_120008506

It will be great for them all not having to work in the city centre that they are basically hobbling.

GalwayGaillimh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120008898#Comment_120008898

Exactly a mess going to be made of College road traffic system and they are vacating city hall before they have to endure it themselves...

https://connachttribune.ie/cllrs-about-turn-on-crown-after-being-hoodwinked/

Presumably now the contracts have been signed if they do pull out like Councillor Byrne is suggesting then there will be some sort of penalty or money lost. An absolute shambles and the Council should have had the cop on to question the plan at the time it was originally proposed.

rustyfrog

"hoodwinked" - lol

The councillors need to start doing their job and not blindly following every instruction from Brendan McGrath. They should be scrutinising any proposals coming from exec and clarifying what they're voting on before they vote.

Even when they do have their own motions they get letters from the chief exec just before votes, steering them on what to vote.

Tail wagging the dog yet again.

what_traffic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120008506#Comment_120008506

You might be on the money here alright,its a small town mentality; mid 20th Century thinking that a lot of our City executive have still. They want to drive in and out of work, but the bus gate would not affect that many employees as it is on the City side of County Hall.

The NTA basically told them the Collage Road bus gate had to happen. Plenty of big private investors will continue to pour money into City Centre Development's, the likes of a Bonham Quay Development . They want to be close to core transport hub of trains and buses.

Connacht Tribune has done some interesting FOI's on this

https://connachttribune.ie/galway-city-councils-speed-to-close-crown-square-deal/

thebackbar

This move absolutely stinks ! Especially how it was presented as the office only being a mile from the city center. The new building is a thirty minute walk from Eyre square. Most multi nationals that are setting up in Galway are looking to be based in the city centre, yet our Council are moving out of the city center !! The city council isn't able to recruit enough staff and this move will hardly help the situation. The city councillors really dropped the ball allowing this through.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120237568#Comment_120237568

Eh? Most multinationals set up in business parks around the city, because of perceived better transport links.

Yes, there are a few office based ones have come into the centre recently, but they are most at risk of leaving as the rise of remote working has its effects.

fergiesfolly

I don't know why they couldn't have leased space in those buildings ( or others ) and kept City Hall for front of house business, like dealing with public enquiries and civic receptions.

Office building on the outskirts of town as a city hall hardly invokes civic pride.

https://connachttribune.ie/galway-city-councils-e3-5m-bill-for-crown-square-car-parking/

"Galway City Council doubled the number of car parking spaces it purchased at the new Crown Square development based on “feedback” from city councillors, it has emerged.

In the Council’s loan application sanction, released to the Galway City Tribune under Freedom of Information (FOI), the Council said it was buying the building “. . . along with 100 underground car spaces”. However, it has now emerged that the Council has bought 200 car parking spaces.

In a new report to elected members, the City Council said that it “agreed to purchase 200 exclusive underground car parking spaces at €3,087,500 exclusive of VAT”. VAT would add around €400,000 to the overall cost of parking spaces."

I thought we were all supposed to be going car free