Another milestone reached for Grangegorman campus project

AN IMPORTANT milestone was passed in Grangegorman last week with the ‘topping out’ of the Central Quad for Technological University (TU) Dublin.

Topping out is a builders’ tradition that marks the moment when the last beam of a building is put in place and Minister for Education, Joe McHugh, and Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe where there to witness the ceremony at Grangegorman.

The milestone puts the Central Quad, and its sister building the East Quad, on track to be ready for the arrival of 10,000 students in Grangegorman in September 2020.

The buildings, which span 52,000m2 of development and cost €220 million, are being delivered via a Public Private Partnership.

They will provide academic facilities for ten schools from the College of Sciences & Health, the College of Engineering & Built Environment and the College of Arts & Tourism from TU Dublin.

Minister Donohoe, who is also a local TD for Dublin Central, said the Grangegorman project would have a hugely positive impact not just for TUD but also on this part of the city.

“From the earliest days of the development and planning of Grangegorman, it was always part of a much wider ambition beyond purely higher education – that of creating a new urban quarter in the city,” he said.

“Grangegorman will be a place for study, for primary education, for healthcare, for recreation – a place for living.

“I am sure that the development will not only benefit the students in the TU but also the local residents, and that it will a make a huge contribution to the regeneration of the north inner city.”

Chair of the Grangegorman Development Agency (GDA), Oliver Cussen, said the topping out ceremony was “a great milestone” for the project.

“From the agency’s point of view these two new quads being underway has brought this re-development project on in leaps and bounds,” he said.

“Once they went on site they opened the gates to allow us to move on the development of the new Academic Hub and the West Quad for TU Dublin.

“We will also have the new primary school going on site in January and further design work is now happening on the HSE Residential Care Neighbourhood.”

President of TU Dublin, Professor David FitzPatrick, said the Grangegorman campus would create opportunities.

“To deliver on our mission and to do full justice to the ambitions of our students, it is vital to have facilities that support their learning,” he continued.

“Students who will study here from next September will benefit from working in laboratories, kitchens and lecture spaces with up-to-the-minute facilities and technology.

“They will gain expertise that will ensure they can make a valuable contribution in key areas of the economy – in food science and innovation, pharmaceutical and nutraceuticals, health and environment, tourism and hospitality.”

Donal McCarthy of main contractors Sisk FCC also spoke at the ceremony.

“I want to recognise and thank our supply chain partners who are delivering top quality work across all aspects of this build,” he said.

“I would like to thank MacQuarie Group, the GDA, TU Dublin, our design team partners and the National Development Finance Agency for their positive engagement and support with this important project.”