Opera Site project will be a 'springboard' for Limerick's recovery

Artist's impression of how the Opera Site commercial development in Limerick City  will look.  Picture: Alan Place

Limerick's Project Opera is seeking a design team. That  is another step forward for the landmark site.

Limerick 2030, a special-purpose vehicle created by Limerick City and County Council,  wants to acquire a team for the design, procurement, construction, and delivery of the  14-storey building.

The project will be comprised of a new city library, residential and office accommodation, retail units, bars, and restaurants, and the renovation of the former town hall.

Planning permission was granted in February for the development of the 1.62ha site  in Limerick City, near the Hunt Museum.

The chief executive of Limerick 2030, David Conway, said that the latest developments could not have come at a better time for the region.

“We have the biggest-ever project getting under way in Limerick, at a time when huge economic stimulants, like this, are in short supply,”  Mr Conway said.

“To date, we have gone out to tender for design teams for three phases,” he said.

“One is for the design of the demolition works and temporary support structures to protect the multiple structures of cultural importance within the site.

“We have also gone to tender for a design team for the shared basement, covering the full site and one Opera Square building, a 135,000 sq ft commercial office building over six storeys. This also includes retail and a café, at street level,” Mr Conway said. 

A team is also being sought for the design of the “state-of-the-art” City Library, which Mr Conway says will act as “a living room for Limerick”.

The team will also  design  the adjoining building, which will provide 30,000 sq ft of  office space, the blueprints for the 14-storey landmark building on Bank Place, and the refurbishment of the old Granary Building.

It is hoped that Project Opera will boost the Limerick and Mid-West economy, by employing 3,000 people across  450,000 sq ft of campus accommodation.

The €180m project is fully funded, mainly through the European Investment Bank and the Council of Europe Development Bank.

The Mayor of the City and County of Limerick,  Michael Collins, said that the move to procure design teams is effectively a "green light" for works to begin in the near future.

"We’ve been waiting for the development of the Opera Site for well over a decade and to have it happen when our economy has taken such a hit, because of Covid-19, is impeccable timing," Mr Collins said.

"It will be a springboard for the recovery here in Limerick,” he said.