Office and housing development begun on Kevin Street site
The demolition of Technological University (TU) Dublin’s old Kevin Street campus is under way and the construction of a €475 million redevelopment project on the site has commenced.
The redevelopment will consist of 53,110 sqm of office space in two 11-storey blocks, along with housing.
“We did have concerns about the relatively small number of larger apartments in the development as we do want to see the building of sustainable communities in the area,” Dublin Bay South TD Ivana Bacik told The Liberty.
The plans also involve 299 build-to-rent apartments across three buildings that could reach up to 14 storeys in height, according to RTE.
TU Dublin’s former Kevin Street campus is the centre piece for this state-of-the-art project. Separate buildings at Church Lane South and New Bride Street are set to be demolished as part of the redevelopment, according to The Dublin Inquirer.
“I think that overall, the local community were not opposed to a redevelopment of the site to provide housing. We are all conscious of the housing crisis and the need to ensure construction of new homes”, said Dublin Bay South TD Ivana Bacik.
It’s only recently that movement on the site has caught the attention of passersby as videos circulated on social media of the demolition process in full swing.
Shane Whelan’s’ Westridge Real Estate secured approval from Dublin City Council back in December 2020 for its plans, having acquired the 3.57 acres for €140 million in 2019.
Along with Dublin City Council, Westridge Real Estate also received the go-ahead from An Bord Pleanála as it secured 10 year planning permission for the project.
“Sitting in that huge development, we should really stand out.”
Charlotte fabian, kevin street library manager
“We’re hoping it’ll bring more footfall to the area,” Kevin Street Library manager Charlotte Fabian told the Liberty.
“I think it’ll set us off against the surrounding buildings. At the moment, we’re a little red brick building surrounded by bigger red brick buildings. However, sitting in that huge redevelopment, we should really stand out,” she said.
Right around the corner, TU Dublin’s Aungier Street campus – still a site of teaching and learning for at least a couple of more years – could also be getting a new look before long. The 2.5-acre site hit the market for €110 million in 2020. The campus was removed from the market just a few months later at the request of potential buyers.
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