Along Cork city's docklands, an ambitous multi-million euro plan have been announced which would include the re-purposing of the quayside landmark Odlums Mills building, a new rehabilitation hospital, and the construction of a number of multi-storey office and apartment buildings.
Developers O'Callaghan Properties say the €350m South Docks project involving the development of a 4.162 hectares site at Kennedy Quay will be the subject of two separate planning applications to be lodged later this month with Cork City Council.
As RTE News reports, the developers say the project has the potential to create in the region of 5,000 jobs.
Designed by architectural firm Henry J Lyons, it includes plans for a 130-bed rehabilitation hospital, three nine-to-12 storey office and mixed-use buildings, an 11-storey building with 80 "build-to-sell" apartments, and the creation of a new public realm and space onto the river.
At the heart of the project is the proposed restoration and re-purposing of the historic Odlums Mills building to create two seven and nine-storey buildings including 84 one, two- and three-bed apartments, a cinema, food hall, office space and a new 360-degree "rooftop destination".
The developers propose to retain all of the "significant historic fabric to the front, rear and side facades" of the 1933 Chillingworth and Levie-designed building, retain and restore structural elements to the interior, and remove later construction to the south of the building and the extension to the western gable.
"The original Odlums building is not a simple structure but it does, once stripped back and isolated, present a building volume that is open to re-use and extension with little or no impact on the quality of the original structure," a spokesperson for the company said.
The application, however, will see O'Callaghan Properties seeking to demolish the imposing R & H Hall grain silos, a feature on the city quays for over 90 years.
For more click here on this transformative project proposed along the city's historic south quays and more including dockers story.
