City Council moving to Mervue

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

zell12

One of our TDs better be vocal about this up in the Dáil. I look at you Hildegarde

minimary

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120347076#Comment_120347076

Catherine Connolly is the best bet I reckon

ratracer

There is definitely a bad odour around this whole deal!

rustyfrog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120347168#Comment_120347168

I would put money on this deal being featured in a future Prime Time Investigates.

Deadly Delta

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120347455#Comment_120347455

What's with all the suspicion and skepticism around this move? It seems like a good idea to me.

zell12

Tis but a waste of public money

https://twitter.com/ConorDowd7/status/1635439583998406659?s=20

Laviski

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120356106#Comment_120356106

what i gather, the cost along with moving out of city center and against the car park spaces where money should be (in their minds) spent on sustainable transport.

I guess they haven't looked around as property aint cheap and there isn't that many suitable spaces.

kippy

The whole thing stinks to high heaven.

Upwards of €50 million for a move that is - further from the nearest train station, further from the hub of ALL bus routes in the city (both national and local), further from the city centre, without any level of cost benefit analysis or review of other options.

It's just crazy. The speed at which the transaction was completed goes completely against almost every thing Galway City council have ever done.

what_traffic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120357698#Comment_120357698

100% in agreement on this.

"

The speed at which the transaction was completed goes completely against almost every thing Galway City council have ever done.

"

Gremlinertia

Absolutely baffled me too, the speed was just so surprising and i had thought a crowd called Poly had most of the first phase taken over anyway?.