Construction of long-delayed €170m new City Library to begin 'in coming weeks'
Construction on a new City Library at Parnell Square is due to start “in the coming weeks” as part of a €173.2 million regeneration project.
Dublin City Council has announced Purcell Construction Limited as the main contractor for Phase 1 of the Parnell Square Cultural Quarter project . This major urban regeneration initiative centred around the Garden of Remembrance includes the restoration of heritage buildings, the enhancement of the Hugh Lane Gallery and a “state-of-the-art” five-storey library.
Phase 1 of this project has an estimated all-in cost of €173.2 million and the new City Library will replace the existing Central Library at the Ilac Centre. Described as a “modern, accessible and inclusive civic space,” it is intended to reflect Dublin's internationally recognised status as a UNESCO City of Literature.
Lord Mayor Daryl Barron welcomed the announcement as “a defining moment for Dublin and for the future of our city centre”. “This landmark project will deliver a world-class City Library, restore and celebrate some of Dublin’s most important historic buildings , and create a vibrant cultural and civic destination in the heart of our capital,” he said.
“It is an investment in learning, creativity, heritage and community that will benefit Dubliners for generations to come. This project will play a key role in the regeneration of Dublin city centre and the north inner city, bringing new life, activity and investment to the area.
“It strongly complements the work of the Dublin City Taskforce and our wider ambition to create a safer, more vibrant and more attractive city centre where people want to live, work, study, visit and enjoy all that Dublin has to offer."
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne highlighted investment of over €100 million through the Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund. He said this highlights “the Government’s commitment to revitalising this area” and supporting the Dublin City Taskforce.
“As promised in the Programme for Government, the Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund enables local authorities to deliver transformative and impactful projects right across the country. As we will no doubt see here in Dublin's inner city through this project, this fund can help regenerate our towns and cities so they can become more attractive and vibrant places in which people choose to live and work, as well as to visit and invest in,” he stated.
The new City Library aims to be “ much more than a library ” according to City Librarian Mairead Owens who imagines it as a “civic space where everyone feels welcome” to read, learn, create, collaborate and participate in “the cultural life of the city”. “With maker spaces, creative studios, performance facilities, event spaces and modern learning environments, the library will support innovation, imagination and lifelong learning for generations to come,” she said,
The delivery date for Phase 1 of the new cultural quarter has also been subjected to several delays as it was first due to be completed by 2017, then 2020, and now a public opening is set for 2030. The delays were not without reason as a partnership between the council and US real-estate investment company Kennedy Wilson fell apart when it emerged in 2019 they had not secured financial backing.
Construction is expected to take approximately 164 weeks, with handover of the building anticipated in 2029, followed by a fit-out period in advance of the opening of the new City Library in 2030. Phase 2 of the project will include a public plaza and the redesign of the Garden of Remembrance. However, no funding figures or timelines for this have been revealed.
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