"Dublin infrastructure not able to cope"

[Oisin88]

The trouble is we let the builders build the low density sprawl houses all the way to the Shannon while they and their solicitors, accountants etc. keep their corporate HQs in the high density housing we used to know as Georgian Dublin.

I agree with having some high rise buildings, but this should be seen as exactly what it is: the building lobby lining up their future cashflow.

[PaulM]

Originally Posted by Oisin88

The trouble is we let the builders build the low density sprawl houses all the way to the Shannon while they and their solicitors, accountants etc. keep their corporate HQs in the high density housing we used to know as Georgian Dublin.

I agree with having some high rise buildings, but this should be seen as exactly what it is: the building lobby lining up their future cashflow.

Perhaps you are correct but if it does something positive it can't be a bad thing IMO.

[Donal Quinn]

keep their corporate HQs in the high density housing we used to know as Georgian Dublin.

that doesn't really make sense - some of the buildings will be corporate HQs but more will be apartments. the thing is that with proper 'city' density there will be alot more of each and they will all be nicer and more energy efficient

the building lobby will always have some sort of cashflow - it's up to the gov to direct that in the most useful way. an in my little opinion that means knocking georgian dublin AND crappy 1970's bungalow dublin as well

[Oisin88]

Originally Posted by Donalq

that doesn't really make sense - some of the buildings will be corporate HQs but more will be apartments. the thing is that with proper 'city' density there will be alot more of each and they will all be nicer and more energy efficient

What I mean is that if all the office buildings currently in spacious buildings between the green and ballsbridge were homes and the offices were in office buildings we wouldn't have the current problem.

Originally Posted by Donalq

the building lobby will always have some sort of cashflow - it's up to the gov to direct that in the most useful way. an in my little opinion that means knocking georgian dublin AND crappy 1970's bungalow dublin as well

I'm not sure they will always have the cashflow. In fact I think they are getting a bit scared that the good times are coming to a close. I'm also not sure the goverment can direct the building lobbies cashflow unless they get alot better at directing planning, which isn't really any Irish politicians forte. The only thing they can do is more urban grants, which the builders don't deserve.

Before they start knocking Georgian Dublin (and making it the exact same as all the Clone Cities) they should start rebuilding on all the derilict sites. There are a hell of a lot of them, some of which (up near croker) I remember seeing derilict for the last 20 years

[Oisin88]

Also, we should remember that the last time there was government sponsored knocking of georgian dublin we got a lot of really ugly buildings into the bargain. In fact the dismantling of the railways in the 1950s & 60s was part of the "get rid of the victorian legacy, we're moderen ireland now" mentality.

[Donal Quinn]

look, all that has to happen is for the gov to regulate the energy efficiency

the derelict land is derelict for a reason - it's usually in the wrong place!

and the area around croker is a classic example of the probelm. it might have development potential but it's cut off from the city by a swathe of crap (i.e. mountjoy sq etc

as for clone cities - so what? if it means that you can get a million people with a 15 min train ride of the centre then clone away IMO

What I mean is that if all the office buildings currently in spacious buildings between the green and ballsbridge were homes and the offices were in office buildings we wouldn't have the current problem.

well no, because all those buildings weren't designed to be homes for modern families / urdan dwellers. they were designed as grand residences for people with servants outside. they have crap insulation and the make terrible use of the space. We should start with putting 500 modern apartments (minimum 100 sq m with sufficient underground parking) in the area around mountjoy sq. how could that not be better than the decay that is there now

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