Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
NAMA IS CONSIDERING proposals to convert the unfinished Anglo headquarters on Dublin’s North Wall Quay into a ‘vertical park’.
Architect Paschal Mahoney of Mahoney Architecture told TheJournal.ie today that he was invited to meet with two portfolio managers at Nama to outline plans he is driving to convert the multi-storey shell into a series of leafy terraces linked by public walkways.
The plans also include an outdoor venue for public meetings.
The architect said that part of the Trees on the Quays plan involves outlining how the new project would sustain itself in the future:
It would be self-generating, it would have its own income but also be significant in terms of tourism input and so on. We’ll be showing how the project will be cost-effective.
A spokesperson for the state agency told TheJournal.ie that “Nama is interested in all proposals being made for properties linked to the agency – including this building.”
“It should be noted that the agency has received a number of expressions of interest in this property from various parties,” the spokesperson added.
Mahoney believes the infamy of the site is part of its selling point and that development of this building would increase the value of other buildings in the area which are also now controlled by Nama:
The obstacles are the fact that it’s in receivership. We would be of the view that a firesale of the site would be a flawed approach. The sale of that site, because of its symbolic value, has to be considered differently to other more anonymous sites. There’s a broader value that can be realised.
“The advice we’ve been given was that we’re entitled to submit an expression of interest which we intend to do. We will be submitting something to Nama in the near future,” Mahoney said.
Mahoney is seeking support for the vertical park project from the public as well as from politicians, and says his team has met with a senior member of government and is seeking meetings across different levels of government to discuss the proposals.
“We hope that we’d get a chance to meet Mr [Enda] Kenny on it. It creates a reality for a lot of the visions, for a lot of the rhetoric that’s coming out of government,” he said.
Nama CEO Brendan McDonagh recently told the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee that the agency is anxious to finish the half-completed Anglo building because of the effect it is having on how Ireland is viewed abroad.
“Unfortunately, it is becoming a landscape photo for Ireland internationally,” McDonagh said.
He also said that the situation was complicated because four banks and receivers were involved before Nama took over the loans.
Nama’s spokesperson told TheJournal.ie that in considering the options for the future of Anglo HQ, “both the receiver and Nama must have regard to the commercial mandate that they operate under. ”
“They can’t simply ignore the fact that the building is security against a loan now held by NAMA,” he added, saying that they have to “try to realise the ability of that asset to pay down all or part of the relevant loan”.
- Additional reporting by Michael Freeman
It would be nice to see it developed into nice amphitheatre like in olde roman times when the gladiators would fight to the death!!!! The first gladiator style fight should be between Those unpatriotic Fu**ers Fitzpatrick and Drumm! The winner fights Cowen or Aherne. So on and so forth! Feel free to add to the list of Bas***ds to line up.
I’m sure we could all do great things with a free multi-storey building in the heart of the Dublin Docklands but at the end of the day it’s a piece of property which is worth a lot of money and should be sold off at the highest value in order to repay a loan and minimize losses incurred by the IBRC and the Irish taxpayer.
Is it not enough that the state wastes taxpayers money on vanity projects?
Does NAMA really need vanity projects of it’s own?
How about a giant game of Monopoly?
”It would be self-generating, it would have its own income but also be significant in terms of tourism input and so on. We’ll be showing how the project will be cost-effective.”
Not only would we own it as tax payers but they want us to pay admittance to it too ! Am I missing something here?
Maybe they could grow some money trees in Anglo park of dreams….
Would someone tell NAMA to feck off with their stupid PR stunts. Please
They should try to get some Chinese or Indian company like Baidu to make it their European headquarters.
What planet are we on? Vanity projects? We are broke. Sell the bloody place.
Quite obviously, Mahoney Architects have never seen the site. The entire site is excavated approximately 2 stories below street level. It also floods during heavy rain and high tides. I know this because I worked beside it.
This is great publicity for this firm of architects but not a practical proposition.
While I’m all in green spaces in the city, this is not the place for it. We’ve just spent a fortune putting in infrastructure into the area so the area needs people an bustle.
However, it’s not the strangest idea for this area. There was a plan to make that part of North Wall Quay an Island. The quay would be extended into the river with a new canal running behind the area into the North Lotts. Loads of moorings for all those yachts. Those Celtic Tiger days!
You can see the plan here: http://www.powerboat.ie/forums/index.php?/topic/2479-liffey-island/
a park would bring more bustle than anything Brian
Hey Brian, so it floods during heavy rain. There’s going to be plants and shrubs and a few trees. Maybe have a water pump at the lowest part thats most susceptible to flooding and have the water pumped to whatever reservoir they are going to have, maybe a pond in the outside ground section. Of cousre there will be an overflow pumped to the liffey.
As part of the plans I would imagine they would harvest rain water in order to water the plants indoors and have an intelligent system.
I’d say this could be done. Its not entirely practical but it would be an interesting story for tourists coming to Ireland to see it.
@itchy brain I think you would need to view the site to understand how ridiculous this Mahoney suggestion is. All they have done is got a box of crayons out. They have no indications of cost (I would say millions) and what the operating cost is. Would people pay in??
The site currently resembles a mini open cast mine that floods substantially. It’s not a matter of a few trailers of top soil and a few shrubs.
The idea of it becoming an island has some merit.Michael D could declare it an off-shore heritage site and give it duty free status etc. Access would be by Hobblers running from Raytown to this fantastic island where Luke Flanagan TD could take over the cultivation of the vegetation,giving day-trips a whole new meaning and each evening as the boats returned to Raytown we would hear the lilting air of the Mingolé boat-song………………… ;-)
An Monto Nua ?
I couldn’t care less what is done with it… just as long as :
a) We are not going to foot the bill for the project
and
b) It is sold off to the highest bidder to try and make some money!
have your say