Grafton St. repaving

Rock of Gibraltar · 10-07-2010 12:39am #1

I saw this the other day;
http://www.herald.ie/national-news/city-news/new-grafton-st-paving-to-take-four-years-2247596.html

Does anyone have any idea what the repaved Grafton will look like? More O'Connell Street style greyscale?

cson · 10-07-2010 11:55am

Tbh they should pave from Grafton all around College Green and up to O'Connell Bridge. It'd add a lot to the city having that all pedestrianised imo. It s a ****ing glorified bus depot at the moment.

murphaph · 10-07-2010 12:00pm

Rock of Gibraltar wrote: »

I saw this the other day;
http://www.herald.ie/national-news/city-news/new-grafton-st-paving-to-take-four-years-2247596.html

Does anyone have any idea what the repaved Grafton will look like? More O'Connell Street style greyscale?

Probably, shame as the grafton st. area is amongst the most pleasant in Dublin. What's wrong with a bit of colour, fcuking grey granite everywhere is depressing IMO.

irishdub14 · 10-07-2010 12:17pm

The repaving of Grafton Street will take up to four years to complete, it has been claimed.

WHAT????

sdanseo · 10-07-2010 2:23pm

They better keep some redbrick, O'Connell St is nice but Grafton St has character that'd be lost if they took all the brick away.

KevR · 10-07-2010 2:30pm

Hope they just replace the red brick rather than changing it to a dull grey brick (which we have far too much of in this country already).

Zoney · 11-07-2010 6:05pm

They used nice yellow stone on the Thomas Street upgrade in Limerick - one particularly nice feature is that it is brighter and *more* cheerful in rain. Let's face it - that's pretty important here in Ireland!

I like the traditional dark-bluish stone that older kerbs etc. are often made from, again this actually gets more colour in the rain.

I agree that the lightish grey used in many recent street projects is very boring looking, only saved at all by a bit of variation in the tone of it with reflective flecks too (I guess it's some form of granite?)

One thing I also don't understand about Dublin is the use of cheap red/yellow stone or rubber for those bumped surfaces at lights - in Limerick and I think in Cork, there are metal studs embedded into the stone used in the streetscape instead - far more elegant.

Alun · 11-07-2010 6:07pm

Zoney wrote: »

One thing I also don't understand about Dublin is the use of cheap red/yellow stone or rubber for those bumped surfaces at lights - in Limerick and I think in Cork, there are metal studs embedded into the stone used in the streetscape instead - far more elegant.

Those metal studs can get very slippery in the wet, and especially as they're there to provide guidance to blind people, that's not really a very good idea.

jack presley · 11-07-2010 6:55pm

If it's not broken, don't fix it! Is there really a need for this? Couldn't the money be spend elsewhere?

Eglinton · 11-07-2010 7:03pm

jack presley wrote: »

If it's not broken, don't fix it! Is there really a need for this? Couldn't the money be spend elsewhere?

Well, DCC could certainly keep the swimming pools opens for a start!

My question is the same. What is wrong with what's there now? It doesn't seem damaged. Looks nice. Where's the issue!

uberwolf · 11-07-2010 7:05pm

Eglinton wrote: »

Well, DCC could certainly keep the swimming pools opens for a start!

My question is the same. What is wrong with what's there now? It doesn't seem damaged. Looks nice. Where's the issue!

they are constantly having to patch it up and the surface is uneven and slippy with pools of water forming when it's wet.

Mr Simpson · 15-07-2010 2:52pm

Alun wrote: »

Those metal studs can get very slippery in the wet, and especially as they're there to provide guidance to blind people, that's not really a very good idea.

Its not only the metal studs, the grey granite also gets very slippy in the rain, becomes absolutely lethal

Pete_Cavan · 15-07-2010 4:37pm

cson wrote: »

Tbh they should pave from Grafton all around College Green and up to O'Connell Bridge. It'd add a lot to the city having that all pedestrianised imo. It s a ****ing glorified bus depot at the moment.

This is exactly what the city needs. A pedrestrian corridor stretching from the top of O'Connell Street to St. Stephens Green would be a great addition to the city and make it so much more attractive. With improved public transport (metro, two Luas lines, Dart Underground) there would be less need for private cars anyway so the whole corridor could be given over to public transport and pedrestrians. With a large open green space at either end (Parnell Square to the north and SSG to the south), a civic plaza at College Green in the middle and a large shopping centre at either end (Dublin Central (eventually) and SSG Shopping Centre) it would once again be the main street of the city, instead of the M50!

df1985 · 22-07-2010 6:39pm

just get rid of the white tiles, lethal when wet!

Telchak · 01-07-2011 11:31pm

Missed this

From the Herald

PLANS to repave the upmarket shopping mecca of Grafton Street are to be pushed through by the end of this year.

Dublin City Council and the Dublin City Business Association (DCBA) are embarking on an extensive "vision statement" for the Grafton Street quarter.

The last time the street was repaved was over 20 years ago -- when iconic redbrick was laid as part of the Dublin millennium projects with a cost of IR£500,000.

The extensive works are continuing despite a tightened budget in the council.

However, its understood that a number of the projects in the scheme may have to be put on the backburner.

"The vision statement will contain a number of improvement proposals including the repaving of Grafton Street, improved public lighting, street furniture and an improved environment and experience," said a council spokesman.

And this week, Dublin businesses are invited to provide their own thoughts.

"So far approximately 450 views on what people like, don't like or wish to improve have been taken through on-street surveys," the spokesman said.

"In addition the approx 1,500 business owners and residents in the area have been invited to workshops on Thursday and Friday to give their views.

"Departments in Dublin City Council including planning and Development and Roads and Traffic will also give their views. There will be a wider public consultation following publication of the vision statement."

The repaving is expected to be carried out over three to four years to reduce the disturbance along the route.

centenary
DCBA chief executive Tom Coffey said the move could be a significant boost by attracting more tourists to the area.

"There will be pain, but if these kind of projects are completed for the centenary of the 1916 Rising, then we can boost tourism and have a truly modern city," he said.

The repaving of Grafton Street will be included in a complete overhaul of the areas around George's Street and Grafton Street, but the city's most expensive thoroughfare may not be first on the list of streets to be done.

donvito99 · 02-07-2011 11:58am

The paving there at the moment is falling apart, and there are far mopre options than just the grey granite that they used on O'CS. The current paving is dated and ugly IMO.

My choice (if they could get it) would be the original paving stones found outside College Green and around Merrion Sq/Fitzswilliam Sq, it looks great and has lasted really really long! The paving across the city needs to be standardised also, along with other things, maybe bollards, benches etc.

Aard · 02-07-2011 5:39pm

I'm not sure about a standardised paving across the city. I think there needs to be some demarkation of "special" areas, namely shopping districts, or historic areas like Temple Bar. It let's people know in a subtle way that this is somewhere they should come to frequently and stay/shop/meet etc.

OTOH, I agree with a standardised (to a certain extent) urban furniture range. In addition, there's just too many signs around the place. A lot of it could be streamlined or removed entirely. I like the new Docklands style signs I've seen around.

As for Grafton St itself, I like the redbrick, and that the pattern is continued to some of the neighbouring streets. I hope the latter element is kept at least, as it creates a nice flow.

murphaph · 03-07-2011 11:08am

Aard wrote: »

As for Grafton St itself, I like the redbrick, and that the pattern is continued to some of the neighbouring streets. I hope the latter element is kept at least, as it creates a nice flow.

Me too. It's somehow "cosy" compared to (IMO) cold granite ala O'Connell Street.

Aard · 03-07-2011 2:56pm

Now that you mention it, Grafton St and OCS couldn't be more different. Apart from the obvious northside-southside lark, there's the following contrasts:

GS is narrower which really adds to that cosy feeling, while OCS is a broad avenue reminiscent of a soviet plough-through;
GS has a bend in it which reduces sight lines and makes it seem smaller, while OCS is dead-straight like some military Haussmann street;
GS appears softer because of the colour, while OCS has a pointy needle in the middle of it;
GS buildings are small and higgledy-piggledy (in a good way), while OCS has the imposing (though fantastic of course) GPO.

Anyway my point I guess is that there's no doubt that Grafton St is the premier street of the country, and as such should be paved accordingly. Nothing avant-garde, nothing post-contemporary. Classy, understated, and maybe a little bit naive.

spacetweek · 06-07-2011 5:55pm

This project is urgently needed. Only a few wks ago I was pointing this out to the s0. The paving is in really bad shape and they appear to be constantly trying to patch it. Total rebuild needed as soon as possible.

AngryLips · 07-07-2011 1:34pm

Paving on Grafton Street has been in need of attention for some time. The ground beneath has subsided in many places making for an uneven surface with depressions and bumps everywhere.

What they really need to do is to pedestrianise everything between Grafton Street and Georges Street. Those streets get way more footfall than road traffic yet it seems the only reason to keep them open access is to keep the BT and Drury Street car parks in business.

Aard · 07-07-2011 6:11pm

@AngryLips:
There's a campaign called Dublin2Walk which aims at achieving exactly what you proposed. They keep access for the carparks though.

Imo, the entire area should be pedestrianised, and there could be a tunnel to the various carparks. A pipe-dream maybe, but having the street-level access is really a pain for peds. How many times I've nearly been killed passing the Brown Thomas exit I do not know.

Cathaoirleach · 08-07-2011 8:38am

Aard wrote: »

Imo, the entire area should be pedestrianised, and there could be a tunnel to the various carparks.

Or we could just buy out the car parks. They should never have been given lifetime planning permission in the first place. They should be rezoned for mixed residential and retail use.

I hear the council are going to start repaving Fade Street first so they can test out the materials that will be used on Grafton St.

markpb · 08-07-2011 8:54am

Cathaoirleach wrote: »

Or we could just buy out the car parks. They should never have been given lifetime planning permission in the first place. They should be rezoned for mixed residential and retail use.

I don't think that's very realistic. I can't think of any major city that doesn't have car parks in the city centre. (Here are Paris and London for example.) As long as they're properly managed, there should be no problem with them. I disagree with the retailers who say that no-one would shop if they couldn't park nearby, likewise I disagree with people who think the city centre could survive without car parks.

Also, there's the small problem of cost. How much do you think it would be for the city to buy those car parks?

Aard · 08-07-2011 9:45am

They could be closed down by alternative means, e.g. by putting a price cap on parking-rates so as to make them barely profitable. The owners would be likely to sell or convert them then.

But I think that would be cutting off our nose somewhat. I think multistorey carparks are good in the sense that they take cars that would otherwise be parked on the street. Many European cities have underground parking, or at the very least underground entry. The situation around Wicklow/Exchequer/Sth William is untenable. An example near me is this (http://maps.google.com/?ll=43.7009,7.266635&spn=0.001171,0.002411&z=19&layer=c&cbll=43.700889,7.266589&panoid=xOUpIPAZeY3pNrKfAzjk5A&cbp=12,81.68,,0,5.21): a street that used to intersect with the main thoroughfare has been made into a tunnel with pedestrian space around it. This could be done with the part of Exchequer St between George's and Dame Ct to allow access to Drury St Underground and Brown Thomas.

Tbh, the main problem is the Brown Thomas entry/exit system. Maybe we should just levy them on grounds of Health & Safety! It's not like they wouldn't have the money...

Cathaoirleach · 08-07-2011 12:53pm

It would be a longterm plan, but the council could move the 4 carparks from the Grafton Street area to new plots in and around Aungier St and Bride St under some sort of concession.

The old car parks would then be redeveloped into high desitiy residential / commercial and the car park owners could get a piece of the pie. It would have to be a sweet enough deal for them to budge.

I strongly believe that Wicklow/Exchequer and Clarendon should be fully pedestrianised. They have so much potential but are wasted because of access to these fecking car parks.

224250_221979187827723_221195981239377_914984_7827244_n.jpg

224250_221979187827723_221195981239377_914984_7827244_n.jpg

AngryLips · 08-07-2011 1:49pm

markpb wrote: »

I disagree with the retailers who say that no-one would shop if they couldn't park nearby

Actually, I think retailers in the area are generally in favour of padestrianising the area between Grafton Street and Georges Street ...for a change.

Cathaoirleach · 08-07-2011 2:35pm

markpb wrote: »

I disagree with people who think the city centre could survive without car parks.

It's the short-sighted gombeens like Colm Carroll and his plastic tat shop that don't want the removal of car parks, don't want Luas, don't want Metro, don't want bus gate, don't want anything that will stop them from making a cheap buck. All at the expense of the rest of the city that want to move forward.

superthingy · 08-07-2011 2:51pm

I have a crazy idea! How about they not pave Grafton st., and start fixing roads outside Dublin that are in a disastrous condition. The countrys border doens't end at the Dublin border

markpb · 08-07-2011 3:20pm

superthingy wrote: »

I have a crazy idea! How about they not pave Grafton st., and start fixing roads outside Dublin that are in a disastrous condition. The countrys border doens't end at the Dublin border

Dublin city council can't be expected to repave some other counties roads. Talk to your own local authority.

FreudianSlippers · 08-07-2011 3:25pm

superthingy wrote: »

I have a crazy idea! How about they not pave Grafton st., and start fixing roads outside Dublin that are in a disastrous condition. The countrys border doens't end at the Dublin border

The country has roads outside of Dublin... surely you mean the motorways?

Grafton St. repaving

Comments