THE next phase of campus development at DIT Grangegorman that’s set to begin early in 2018 will create 2,500 construction jobs and bring an extra 9,000 students to the area when completed.
Two new academic buildings are to be constructed, funded partly by a major investment of €110 million from the European Investment Bank (EIB).
There are currently 1,000 students and 200 staff already on site and when finished in 2019 the total number on campus will surge to 10,000 students and 600 staff.
The new buildings include the East Quad, which will be home to students of media, music and drama, creative arts and social sciences.
The other Central Quad building will accommodate DIT students studying science and health programmes, electrical and electronic engineering, hospitality management, tourism and culinary arts & food technology.
President of the EIB, Werner Hoyer, toured the Grangegorman campus recently to see for himself how the €110 million investment is to be spent.
He was joined by DIT President, Professor Brian Norton, CEO of the Grangegorman Development Agency (GDA) Mr Gerrard Casey, Minister for Finance and Dublin Central TD, Paschal Donohoe and Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton.
“We are delighted to welcome our distinguished guests to DIT Grangegorman as we start on the next phase of our journey to unify all of DIT in one campus,” said Prof Norton.
“These new academic buildings will be complemented by the development of library and study space, student sports and recreation facilities, and further academic provision that is, of course, bolstered by the launch of Luas Cross City.”
GDA CEO Gerrard Casey emphasised how important the project was not just for DIT, but also for the surrounding community and the wider city.
“Already the Grangegorman project has delivered brand new health facilities for the HSE and education facilities for DIT and the Department of Education and Skills,” he said.
“Also, we have provided huge investment to the area in the form of local employment and a playground and parkland areas, to name but a few.
“The construction of the Central and the East Quads alone are set to create in the region of 2,500 construction jobs, and these will bring great benefits to the area in the form of local employment and spending in local businesses.”
Together with the existing academic, research, industry and incubation spaces, health provision and a primary school in Grangegorman, the additional investment is expected to underpin rejuvenation of the North West quadrant of the city.