Work on landmark Limerick Opera Square project enters 'critical few weeks'

(Left to right) Limerick Twenty Thirty CEO David Conway; Jessie Castle, Historic Buildings Consultant with JC Architects; Limerick City and County Council Conservation Officer Tom Cassidy on Limerick's Opera Square site. Picture: Brian Arthur

The final key element of enabling works on Limerick's Opera Square site commences next week that will pave the way for full construction to begin before October.

Contractors will begin a special works programme on Monday to secure the most vulnerable of the 16 heritage-protected buildings being retained on the city centre site.

The works on 8 and 9 Rutland Street are being carried out by John Sisk & Son, who were engaged by the development body Limerick Twenty Thirty to carry out demolition and enabling works.

This is in advance of the site-wide basement contract that will commence in the third quarter of this year. The majority of these works are now complete, with 14 of the 16 protected buildings already stabilised.

Once complete, the 3.7-acre redeveloped site will be capable of employing up to 3,000 people across a 550,000 sq ft campus accommodation. The project has secured €170m in funding from the European Investment Bank and the Council of Europe Development Bank loans. 

However, the remaining two 18th-century Georgian terrace buildings on the site pose the biggest challenge due to complex structural issues. These issues need to be addressed before commencing demolition of the 40-year-old office building adjacent to them. 

The restored Georgian Buildings, the Town Hall and the new build on the demolished site will form Limerick's new City Library. Limerick Twenty Thirty CEO David Conway said the demolition and enabling programme has been the biggest undertaking in Limerick in recent years.

“It’s quite a delicate job, one that we are taking every precaution possible on because of the structural condition of the buildings. They have been idle for a long time, just like the other 14 we are retaining, numbers 8 and 9 are in a much more of a fragile state," he said.

"It’s a critical few weeks for these particular buildings.” Picture: Brian Arthur

"Every precaution will be taken to ensure that these specialist works are carried out with the utmost care. The team endeavour to save the buildings but then must keep health and safety as the main priority.”

Limerick City and County Council Conservation Officer Tom Cassidy said: “This is one of the most complicated projects I’ve been involved in and it is really a ‘safety first’ approach. It’s a critical few weeks for these particular buildings.”

Jessie Castle, Historic Buildings Consultant with JC Architects, who has also worked on the project, said: "They require significant structural support not only because we want to retain the buildings themselves, but we cannot proceed to demolish the 1980s building beside them until they can stand independently on their own."