Cork historic townhouses restored for €3m social housing

Protected 18-century buildings on Shandon Street now house two one-bed units and four two-bed apartments, with tenants due to move in soon

The protected properties at 5 and 6 Shandon Street which have been restored by Cork City Council as part of a housing regeneration project.

Two historic and protected 18th-century townhouses which had fallen into dereliction on Cork’s historic spine have been restored as part of a €3m social housing project.

The regeneration scheme in the shadow of the city’s landmark Shandon steeple, led by Cork City Council and hailed by An Taisce as a boost for the heritage, wellbeing and economic attractiveness of the city, has breathed new life into an entire inner city block.

Local butcher James Nolan, who runs his business from a similar building, parts of which date to the early 1700s, said everyone involved deserves huge credit.

"The easiest thing would have been to level them and just build apartments but Cork has loads of old buildings and we have to look after them. But that takes time and money," he said.

Historic buildings on Shandon Street, Cork, are to be opened on Thursday as nine sheltered houses after their restoration. Picture: Larry Cummins.

The scheme involved the restoration of the two Dutch-influenced gable-fronted houses at 5 and 6 Shandon Street, both protected structures, with two adjoining similar but smaller houses to the rear, facing John Philpot Curran Street, which are not protected.

Once common in Irish towns and cities, the house-type is now very rare, but Cork has the largest surviving number in Ireland.

The location of the two protected structures among three such gable-fronted houses facing Shandon Street, with another pair of houses on John Philpot Curran Street, was described by the city’s conservation officer Pat Ruane as “unparalleled in this country”.

Nos 5 and 6 Shandon Street before the restoration project.

The exceptional restoration project has created a nine-unit sheltered housing development.

The protected structures now house two one-bed units and four two-bed apartments. The infilled site around the corner has been developed to include three one-bed apartments.

Tenancies are being arranged, with the first residents due to move in soon.

The scheme is one of six housing projects, three of which being delivered on derelict or vacant sites, which will be officially opened by Lord Mayor Joe Kavanagh on Thursday morning.