Major investment for the Liberties

AS many as 300 short-term jobs will be created by the massive

?¬40 million announced for the Liberties last week.

The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte, revealed details of the new property development at The Digital Hub that will result in the creation of an additional 10,650 square feet of enterprise office space as well as a housing development for 470 students on Bonham Street in Dublin 8.

“The property investment announced today is excellent news, both for The Digital Hub and the wider Liberties,

? the minister said.

“And I look forward to seeing the renewed energy that both young students and digital entrepreneurs will bring to the area.

?

It is expected that the new enterprise office space and student accommodation development secured by the Digital Hub Development Agency (DHDA) will create up to 300 construction jobs in the short-term.

The Digital Hub is an international centre of excellence for growing digital enterprises. It is currently home to 70 scaling digital companies, employing almost 900 people.

Since the project’s inception, 170 companies have progressed through the enterprise cluster at The Digital Hub, including some now well-established names.

Edel Flynn, Chief Executive Officer of the DHDA, said the Digital Hub campus already enjoyed high occupancy.

“So it is great that new office space will be available soon to cater for the ongoing demand we experience from growing digital enterprises,

? Ms Flynn said.

“The refurbishment will preserve the Grainstore building into the future and will provide digital companies with the opportunity to locate their office space in a unique setting.

“We look forward to welcoming more companies into our vibrant cluster of over 70 enterprises.”

Knightsbridge Student Housing Ltd will invest substantially in the development that will result in a new look Grainstore building and high quality student accommodation.

Bob Crompton, the CEO of Knightsbridge, said:

“Although we have a strong presence in four European markets, this development is our first entry into the Irish higher education sector, so it is a really exciting move for us.

“Our aim is to provide high-quality, service-led student accommodation, and we believe Dublin 8 provides a perfect location for that.

?

Mr Crompton added:

“It makes good sense to locate student housing close to a project such as The Digital Hub, where growing enterprises are constantly on the lookout for new talent.

?

Deputy Catherine Byrne (FG) welcomed the announcement.

“This is a very significant announcement from the Digital Hub Development Agency (DHDA) that will not only result in hundreds of local jobs in the short-term, but the extra office space being provided will also help the Hub to attract further investment in the years ahead,

? she said.

“The Digital Hub has cemented its reputation for acting as a superb environment for innovation and enterprise to flourish.

“A number of firms which had their origins in the Hub have gone on to bigger and better things, and this additional office space will allow it to accommodate more growing companies.

?