Cork tax office relocation could pave way for regeneration of docklands

A MAJOR office relocation involving up to 600 jobs, planned by the Revenue Commissioners in Cork, could kick-start the city’s Docklands area.

The OPW is to move the Revenue Commissioners offices out of the inadequate Government Buildings on Sullivan’s Quay to a new location.

It represents the single biggest office move ever in the city. If a docklands location were to be chosen, it would be seen as a Government commitment to docklands regeneration in Cork, and spur further development there.

The OPW has told developers and property owners it needs 80,000 sq ft of state-of-the-art offices, and will offer its 100,000 sq ft seven-storey Sullivan’s Quay building in part exchange.

The lure for developers with any suitable accommodation to offer or coming on stream is that having the Revenue Commissioners taking 80,000 sq ft of offices would help underpin an office campus of up to 300,000 sq ft, notes estate agent Peter O’Flynn of DTZ.

Market sources value the current OPW Sullivan’s Quay property at €8-€14 million.

The existing early 1980s office block, in need of major refurbishment, is likely to be demolished and its three-quarter acre site reworked for apartments and/or offices.

The OPW has specified it wants offers of alternative new space (by a deadline of March 24, 2005) to be within a two-mile radius of Kent railway station.

This criterion puts Cork’s north and south docks in the centre of the picture. Closest are locations like Horgan’s Quay/Water Street, Eglinton Street, Albert Quay, Kennedy Quay, the Marina, Centre Park Road, while Blackpool and Mahon may also come within the two-mile limit.

The size of space sought narrows the field considerably. Any accommodation must be in an accessible location, provide access for the disabled, have parking and meet all relevant health and safety standards.

In size contrast, the City Quarter office block under construction on Lapps Quay has just over 60,000 sq ft of office space in all, with an adjoining 200-bed hotel.

Other current users of the Sullivan’s Quay building include employees in FÁS, the Department of the Marine and Coillte.