Demolished garage is to be rebuilt

Archer's Garage at Fenian Street, Dublin, which was demolished illegally over the June bank holiday weekend, despite its status as a List 1 building in Dublin Corporation's Development Plan, is to be rebuilt, it was announced yesterday.

The announcement came after a meeting between corporation officials and Mr Noel O'Callaghan, of Sherborough Securities, owner of the site.

It revealed that a legal agreement has been drawn up between the corporation and Sherborough Securities to begin work on the rebuilding on or before September 1st. The rebuilding work is to be completed within one year.

Yesterday's announcement is expected to go some way towards dissolving the anger over the demolition of the building.

The current newsletter of the Architectural Association of Ireland features a photograph of Archer's Garage being demolished. Members were urged to press for it to be rebuilt by writing to the Dublin City Manager as well as to Mr O'Callaghan and Mr O'Callaghan's project architects, Anthony Reddy and Associates.

Anthony Reddy and Associates, which had no advance knowledge of the demolition, yesterday issued a statement welcoming the decision to rebuild the garage. Mr Tony Reddy said: "We are pleased that agreement has been reached to rebuild Archer's Garage and we look forward to the architectural challenges that the project entails."

It is understood that there is no shortage of pictures and drawings available to assist in the rebuilding. Mr Dara O'Connell, an architect who chose the Archer's site as a subject for his thesis, has said that he has detailed floor plans and elevations of the building and has offered to make these available to assist in the rebuilding work.

The maximum fine faced by Sherborough Securities is £1 million, but this has been criticised by architectural bodies as too lenient.

The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland has also written to the City Manager and to the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, pointing out the implications for all listed buildings if enforcement does not occur.