Plans have been lodged with Dublin City Council to repurpose the currently vacant, high profile AIB bank building at the top of O’Connell Street into a bar, restaurant and 20 studio apartments.
In the plans, Sports Bars Management Ltd has lodged the application for the change of use and extension to the four-storey over basement building at37 and 38 O’Connell Street Upper and 74 Parnell Street, Dublin 1.
A design statement lodged with the scheme by Tyndall Architecture+ Design describes the proposals as “an innovative approach to delivering an active and vibrant, commercially viable ground floor use in tandem with the remodelling of redundant upper floor office space as much needed, high quality housing accommodation for smaller households”.
Conservation architect Paul Tyndall states that the proposal for exclusively studio apartments is in full compliance with the new guidelines and is especially appropriate given the city centre location “and the chronic lack of appropriate and affordable accommodation for the small household demographic”.
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The report states that there is currently a need for long-term residential units in the city centre to accommodate small households of one to two people.
[ Landmark O’Connell Street bank building guiding at €2.75mOpens in new window ]
The L-shaped site lies opposite the Rotunda Hospital and Gate Theatre and Tyndall states that the change of use application was in keeping with the council’s policies concerning “the creation of character areas/quarters and will further reinforce the emerging food and beverage hub that is focused on the north end of O’Connell Street and Parnell Street”.
The building is a protected structure and the Tyndall report states that the plan proposes to retain the existing building structure and facade, preserving the historic streetscape and the established building line on both O’Connell Street Upper and Parnell Street.
“This can only be seen as a positive development for the north inner city of Dublin,” Tyndall said.
Dublin City Council recently granting planning permission to the D1 Collection Ltd for a 44-bedroom aparthotel across four floors at 14-17 O’Connell Street Lower.
In a submission in support of the application Dublin Town chief executive Richard Guiney told the council that “we believe this development will make a clear, positive contribution to O’Connell Street’s renewal and reputation”.
Guiney said the scheme would bring life back to the upper floors with high-quality accommodation and a staffed, well managed operation that adds steady, year-round activity.
