Opera Centre

mart 23 · 23-01-2026 05:29PM

Did the work start today ?

Cookiemunster · 24-01-2026 03:53PM

The commencement date is indicivative only. Work could begin before or after that date.

There will be a lot of setup work before you see anything from outside of the hoardings.

sleepyman · 25-01-2026 10:13AM

I'm guessing the office building is still to let that they finished recently also?

Vanquished · 25-01-2026 09:22PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124178002#Comment_124178002

Not a single tenant as of yet. Not even for the retail/hospitality units. They've been flogging the development online and in the media for at least 18 months at this stage without any success. When it was launched a few months back, one of the executives overseeing the project encouraged guests at the launch event to promote the building to potential occupants they might know of.

No sign of anyone taking on the hotel site. No funding for the new library, no funding for the refurbishment of the Georgian townhouses and no plans or ideas for the former Quin's pub either. Pretty grim really.

sleepyman · 26-01-2026 09:23AM

I'd like to see someone in local politics call this out for the **** show it is.Embarrasing.

breezy1985 · 26-01-2026 09:38AM

The money is there for the library when it's ready to be built. It's already been explained more than once that the government don't just unlock all funding on day 1.

Poxyshamrock · 26-01-2026 12:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124173697#Comment_124173697

Yes and they're erecting the tower crane today.

Cookiemunster · 26-01-2026 03:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124180873#Comment_124180873

That seems a bit OTT. Phase 1 has been built. Phase 2 is underway. Phase 3 ( the library and office building) have had a contractor selected after the tendering process and is now awaiting allocation of funding.

Progress is glacially slow, but it's neither a shìtshow nor embarrassing.

Cookiemunster · 26-01-2026 03:35PM

The official announcement of work commencing and Sisk being the contractor.

https://www.gov.ie/en/office-of-public-works/press-releases/minister-and-mayor-welcome-opw-building-contract-award-and-commencement-at-limericks-opera-square/

It's a 30 month build.

Brennans Row · 26-01-2026 04:42PM

There is a little video clip to be seen at live95fm too.

Brennans Row · 26-01-2026 04:42PM

WATCH: Construction of Limerick's tallest building gets underway - Limerick's Live 95

pigtown · 26-01-2026 04:45PM

How much taller than Riverpoint and the Clayton will it be?

nickytodds · 26-01-2026 04:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124181897#Comment_124181897

I wouldnt call it OTT as phase 1 is sitting empty for at least 5 months now. Whatever about construction taking its time but something needs to be done to attract a tenant.

Cookiemunster · 26-01-2026 05:28PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124182263#Comment_124182263

Riverpoint is 58.5m, the Clayton is 57m and this is due to be 65m.

dave 27 · 26-01-2026 05:51PM

While we know the revenue will be moving in to the tower after completion, nothing has been said with what is proposed for Sarsfield house once this happens?

Cookiemunster · 26-01-2026 08:22PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124182436#Comment_124182436

It'll be transferred to the ownership of the council. But that won't be until 2029.

breezy1985 · 26-01-2026 09:40PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124182436#Comment_124182436

Good chance it gets knocked as part of a wider redevelopment of the area including Arthurs Quay but that's way too far in the future to worry about.

Vanquished · 27-01-2026 12:22AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124180873#Comment_124180873

They simply haven't got the courage. Just take a listen to the sickening self congratulatory spoofage from Pat Daly today and it'll give you an insight into how out of touch these outrageously overpaid and underperforming charlatans are. All you'll get from the likes of Butler and O'Donnell in FG then is sycophantic boot licking. The local media are just as useless.

It bears repeating. Limerick Council has had ownership of the site for 15 years. In that time they, via their wholly owned property development arm have delivered one solitary building, which they have also failed to secure a single tenant for. No funding has been secured for the Library, the most interesting part of the entire scheme. This is despite planning permission being granted 5 years ago. They've also failed to secure an investor and operator for the hotel site. We've been left with gaping holes in the streetscape for years as a result.

The 200 year old Georgian townhouses have been shamefully neglected as well and have been sitting there deteriorating ever since the council took ownership. No sign of them even seeking a funding source for this element of the plan. Then there's Quin's pub which chairman Collins admitted recently is still without an agreed use and funding after all these years. Far from all the backslapping, Council and Limerick 2030 should be mortified of their failure to advance this project in a competent manner.

sleepyman · 27-01-2026 08:52AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124183506#Comment_124183506

Great Post.Watched the video and it's some amount of PR guff and backslapping.It would have made more sense to use the financing on this tower for the library and the Georgian buildings.

breezy1985 · 27-01-2026 09:15AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124183807#Comment_124183807

OPW are paying for the tower because it will be Revenue offices. Why would Revenue pay for Georgian buildings ?

The library will be funded when it gets to that stage. The money is there.

rjoe90 · 27-01-2026 09:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124182257#Comment_124182257

This opera tower full of offices does seem fairly illogical when they haven’t got tenants yet for gardens building. Crazy how some of this building isn’t going to be apartments.

Cookiemunster · 28-01-2026 12:09AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124185928#Comment_124185928

The tower is being built on behalf of the OPW by Limerick 2030. The OPW own the parcel of land it will be built on and will own the building. The occupancy of One Opera Square is irrelevant to this building (The Gardens on Henry St and is fully let).

As to why it has little residential, the decision was made (rightly or wrongly) to build residential elsewhere. Planning has gone to ACP for 230 residential units on the Cleeves site along with accomodation for 270 students. The OPW had recently received planning permission for 300 apartments at the Gas Works site on the Dock Road. In the long run it won't matter that there is so little residential in the Opera development.

Beefcake82 · 28-01-2026 12:14AM

Is BAM building this? If so, expect opening approx 2038 and cost to balloon to 7 times initial cost.

Cookiemunster · 28-01-2026 12:49AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124186208#Comment_124186208

No they are not building it. Sisk have built everything so far and will also be building this.

But if they were building it I would expect it to be on time and budget because the client won't be making tens of thousands of changes to the design after construction starts.

Toffeeboy · 28-01-2026 09:45AM

The Gardens is supposed to be fully let, but how many people actually work in there every day? Anyone know? Great if they are getting rent, but if no one is actually in the office each day, then no money being spent in town.

Also this new tower that's being built, that the Revenue are supposed to be moving into. Do revenue staff go to the office or are they all still working from home since Covid? Last I heard the vast majority don't come into the office. Government wouldn't be strong on forcing staff back into offices. So Revenue might end up with a pretty new premises, but if its empty on a daily basis, not great for restaurants and shops in the city center.

Looks like the only money being spent in town due to the Opera center is the builders on-site. Thankfully they can't WFH.

Cookiemunster · 28-01-2026 10:48AM

If you want to go down those lines, why did Kirkland bother building Bishops Quay? I mean it's fully let out to Verizon, but their staff work hybrid so aren't always in the office. What good are they to the restaurants and shops? 🙄

There is no shortage of business during the day in the city centre. There are a ridiculous amount of delis, coffee shops and cafes.

The same amount of government staff will be using the new building as use their current buildings.

And no government employees fully work from from home. Those who can are on some form of hybrid arrangement and there are plenty who are in 5 days a week.

phog · 28-01-2026 10:53AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124186208#Comment_124186208

BAM have delivered numerous projects on time and within budget.

breezy1985 · 28-01-2026 10:53AM

People are just looking for reasons to be miserable.

rjoe90 · 28-01-2026 12:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124186675#Comment_124186675

I don’t think so, the majority seem to be fairly valid concerns. The project is supposed to be transformative for the city but will having a largely empty 14 story building do that? It makes no sense how there was no residential units as part of the whole opera square. I would love for it to be a raging success and to be fair it will massively help with the aesthetics but still pretty valid concerns at this stage.

breezy1985 · 28-01-2026 01:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124187008#Comment_124187008

I agree about the residential but that argument has been done to death so might as well get over it now. It's done.

The tower will be the same staff currently in Sarsfield House which is being handed over for redevelopment of some sort as yet undecided.

The council can do nothing about work from home which is an international issue and if they could everyone would just cry about increased traffic. They can't win.

As for "transformative" if you are gullable enough to believe corporate PR waffle that's your problem.

Opera Centre

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