Boland's Quay - What a change!
Ashview Consultants
The leading Risk Management Consultancy in the Construction Industry.
Boland Quay has been a landmark in Dublin for nearly two centuries. Originally built in 1846 by Thomas Pim, it is steeped in history. The Boland family expanded their operation, originally on Capel Street, to the now famous location in 1873. In 1874, the family built the City of Dublin Bakery where the Treasury Building is currently under redevelopment at the far end of Grand Canal Street. Along with other locations around the city, during the 1916 Rising, Boland’s was occupied by the Irish Volunteers under the command of éamon de Valera.
In the late 1970s, Boland’s merged with Jacob's Biscuits and moved much of their production to a new facility in Tallaght. In 1984, Boland’s Mills, in receivership, was sold to developers.
There were many plans over the years to redevelop the site. During the Celtic Tiger, there were plans to develop the mills as a triple tower multi-story hotel, office complex, and public plaza along with a Gary Rhodes restaurant (which, in some connection with Boland’s, ended up being opened on Capel Street). At that time, the Celtic Tiger was at its height, just before the crash.
I was working as a Safety Advisor for G&T Crampton, the main contractor. I was due to start work on the project to begin enabling works and to demolish the silos on the site. It was going to be a landmark development that would rejuvenate the area. But in the end, the works did not go ahead. I was sent to another site, and Boland’s redevelopment didn't proceed. When the Celtic Tiger crashed, the Boland’s site ended up being taken over by NAMA. NAMA developed new plans for the site and demolished the silos before selling the site ready for construction.
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The site was purchased by Google, who built three landmark buildings on the property and redeveloped the existing buildings that dated back to the late 1800s. Extending to over 53 meters in height with some 28,000 square meters of office space, now, working for Ashview Consultants over a decade later, we are near the handover of the Boland’s Quay Development.
There are several other major developments across the city that were stalled due to the crash in 2008, and some that I was due to work on back in the noughties. We are involved in some of these and hope to give updates soon as these move from plans to site work.
Ben Byrne, FIIRSM PgD BTech
Ashview Consultants Director
Senior HSQE Consultant, Trainer and Owner of The Health and Safety Consultancy and Training
9 个月Brilliant article Ben Byrne ??
Leading international HSE/Risk Professional supporting risk management, HSE, strategy and leadership development ensuring sustainable people and business solutions.
9 个月In our work and as the focus on sustainability increases, I have and continue to respect the past and the impact industrial development and growth has brought us to modern and future thinking. Thank you Ben for this invaluable sharing and truly enjoyed this insight. I often think that buildings, especially landmarks of all sizes and irrespective of location - could tell us so many tales more than people can. The history shared is but a bite of the bigger bigger picture. Love these kind of shares as it encourages everyone who reads them to reflect on their own valued "Bolands Key". All the best and look forward to more such shares!
CEO-Ashview Consultants |MIIRSM|IMaPS The Leading Risk Management Consultancy In The Irish And UK Construction Industry | Building Safely Together | TLICN & BITA Member
9 个月I think I was meant to go onto this job aswell back in the GTC days ??....great to see it finally get constructed, well done Ben Byrne, FIIRSM