THE HACIENDA BAR NOW STANDS ALONE BEFORE THE HOTELS ARRIVE
I was aware that there were plans to redevelop the area near the Markets but it really surprised to see that the buildings that surrounded to Hacienda Bar have all been demolished.
I live on Henrietta Place [Bolton Street area] and for about twenty years the area has effectively been a massive building site. There was the LUAS tram extension, the Tenement Museum across the street from my bedroom, two Student accommodation complexes on upper Dominick Street, a stalled hotel project on Bolton Street, Grangegorman university campus which now has about 20,000 students.
Now that the projects listed above are complete or close to completion the focus for redevelopment has shifted a short distance to what could be described as the old markets area of Dublin. The new Hilton Hotel is about to open and work on the Fruit & Vegetable Market is ongoing. However there are a number of new hotels underway on Little Mary Street, Little Green Street and East Arran Street.
Below are details of two of the hotel construction sites near the Hacienda.
StayCity, Little Mary Street
340 bed Aparthotel progressing on site currently in the historic Markets Area of Dublin City Centre for Staycity. Ground floor reception and cafe, retail unit and artist studios make for a lively streetscape close to the main Mary Street and Henry Street thoroughfare.
Creekvale Hotel [Arran Street Hotel]
In June 2020 Dublin City Council gave the green light for an eight-storey, 273-bedroom hotel on the site of the existing Begley’s Fruit Market in Dublin’s markets area. According to the developer: “This hotel is located on Arran Street a short walk to Jervis Street Shopping Centre and Henry Street retail areas.
The project involves the construction of a new hotel and basement below ground level. A challenging project on a relatively restricted site and bustling retail environment, with the added complexities of archaeology and engineering challenges. The construction of this seven-storey building and complex façade treatment and landscape on the building will result in a top-class brand hotel.”
BROADSTONE GATE THE SIGNS ARE THERE – BUT WORK IS SUSPENDED
The area where I live has been effectively a building site and I was really hoping that all projects, that impact on me, would be completed by the end of 2020 and then a health crisis arrived. Initially the lockdowns did not shutdown all building projects and the Grangegorman Gate/Plaza project continued but stalled towards the end of 2020. Today, 27 March,2021 there is no indication as to when the project will be completed but I really do hope that it is before the end of this year.
According to the development plan that I received many years ago – The Broadstone Gate will provide a key access to the Grangegorman site once complete and is being developed as part of the Luas Cross City works. It will be finished as a public plaza and the access will provide a major linkage between Grangegorman and Dublin city. The plaza is situated off Constitution Hill on the site of the old royal canal at the former Great Western Railway Station commonly known as Broadstone, and will mark a prominent entrance to the Grangegorman urban quarter.
The Broadstone site, which borders Grangegorman on its east side, was subject to a Part VIII planning process in 2014 in order to facilitate the site development and gate access. Under the Grangegorman Masterplan, the primary urban path through Grangegorman – St Brendan’s Way will link with the Broadstone Gate which when completed will reach as far as Prussia Street. The link with Broadstone can also be seen as an extension to the 18th century historic spine of Dublin City which covered Dublin Castle across Grattan Bridge, along Capel Street/Bolton Street, Henrietta Street [where I live] and King’s Inn.
In May 2016, the boundary wall dividing Broadstone and Grangegorman was removed, creating a historic pathway joining the two sites for the first time. The Luas Cross City works are continuing to progress at Broadstone with a target completion date for the end of 2017. The Broadstone Gate entrance will mark the first access to the Grangegorman site from Constitution Hill.
Note: The Luas tram service is operational for a number of years however the St Brendan’s Way pathway is not fully operational as access to one section is limited to certain times and days. Also the entrance from Henrietta Place and Kings Inns is closed at weekends and bank holidays and at night.
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