The Spire in O'Connell Street will lose its status as the State's tallest structure if Dublin City Council approves plans for a 32-storey residential building in Kilmainham. Olivia Kelly reports.
Council planners are to announce their decision on the building within two weeks.
The planners are considering proposals for two skyscrapers in the south of the city - a 32-storey tower on Military Road, across the road from Heuston Station, and a 28-storey residential/commercial block on the site of the John Player factory on the South Circular Road.
The buildings, if approved, would reach heights of 140.55 metres and 100.15 metres respectively. These would far surpass the tallest building in Ireland, Windsor House in Belfast at 80 metres; the tallest in the State, Cork City Hall, at 64.3 metres; and the tallest in Dublin, Liberty Hall, at 58 metres.
The 140.55-metre Military Road building, which includes an observation deck and a "decorative" mast, would take the title of highest structure from the 124.8-metre Spire.
The 32-storey building is part of a development proposed by the Office of Public Works at a 3.43-hectare site between Dr Steevens' Hospital and the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.
Plans for the development were announced by the Minister of State at the Office of Public Works, Mr Tom Parlon, last December. However a decision on the application was delayed following requests from the planners for additional information on the skyscraper.
The final application has been with the council since October 5th, and a decision is expected before the end of the month.
The development is part of the "Westgate" scheme of apartments, office blocks and cultural facilities, and is due to be completed within five years.
The proposed skyscraper will have a restaurant on its first three floors with residential units on the remaining 28 and a public observation deck at the top. Other buildings will house a museum, childcare facility, educational facility and a pub.
The site holds two protected structures and three historic buildings which are being retained. A three-storey office, a 19th century single-storey coach house, a mortuary, and recent single-storey prefabricated buildings will be demolished.
An Taisce has lodged an objection to the development based on the height of the block.
"The tower would have implications for the setting of protected structures. The area is architecturally a very sensitive one. Dr Steeven's would be particularly compromised by the tower," said An Taisce spokeswoman Ms Valerin O'Shea.
The South Circular Road development, which includes the proposed 28-storey building, has been under consideration by the planners since Monday. The 6.28-hectares site is bounded by the Coombe Maternity Hospital, Donore Avenue, St Teresa's Gardens and Cork Street.
The National Association of Building Co-operatives (NABCO), which owns the site, proposes to build the biggest co-operative "community benefit" residential and commercial development in the State.