Ireland’s tallest building is set to rise beside Heuston Station as part of a major development containing 562 new cost-rental homes.
Construction is due to begin within weeks at the Parkgate Street site formerly occupied by the Hickey’s Wholesale Fabrics warehouse, with the homes expected to be completed in late 2029.
The Land Development Agency (LDA) has entered a partnership with homebuilder Castlethorn to deliver the development, which will comprise four interconnected apartment blocks.
Its centrepiece, Parkgate Pointe, will rise to 30 storeys and contain 198 apartments. The remaining homes will be spread across three blocks ranging from ten to 13 storeys.
The development, located across the River Liffey from Heuston Station and close to the Phoenix Park, was granted planning permission by Dublin City Council last year.
All 562 apartments will be owned by the LDA and made available through the Government’s cost-rental scheme.
The project is being delivered through the agency’s Project Tosaigh initiative, under which the LDA partners with private developers and provides the finance required to support the construction and completion of new homes.
It is the second major housing development being delivered jointly by the LDA and Castlethorn. Construction is already under way on 328 cost-rental apartments at Woodbrook in Shankill.
The Parkgate Street scheme will also contain retail space, roof terraces and a landscaped communal courtyard. All the apartments will have an A Building Energy Rating.
John Paul Construction has been appointed to build the development, which will retain elements of the site’s historic fabric, including its river wall and entrance arch.
Housing Minister James Browne said the project would provide badly needed affordable homes in the heart of the city.
“The LDA’s Project Tosaigh initiative has unlocked this significant home-building project and they will be made available under the Government’s cost-rental scheme, providing secure and affordable homes at scale,” he said.
LDA chief executive John Coleman said the scheme demonstrated how State funding could be used to activate underutilised sites and address housing need.
“The LDA’s involvement will ensure the delivery of hundreds of new homes,” he said.
“We are already working on a number of projects in central Dublin and it’s fantastic to be adding such a well-designed and soon-to-be landmark project to our development pipeline.”
Castlethorn chief executive Joe O’Reilly said the development would transform a prominent, underutilised site into a well-connected residential community.
“Our partnership with the LDA will enable the delivery of 562 high-quality, energy-efficient homes in a location exceptionally well served by public transport, employment and amenities,” he said.
The development is also intended to be the first major step in the wider regeneration of the Heuston Station area.
The LDA and Córas Iompair Éireann are working on the phased delivery of a mixed-use masterplan for the Heuston Quarter.
CIÉ group chief executive Stephen Kent said the Parkgate Street development would help to kick-start the wider masterplan, which is expected to include homes, retail and office space and new public amenities on both sides of the Liffey.
The proposals also include a new boardwalk and cycle bridge connecting Heuston Station with Conyngham Road and the Phoenix Park.