MULTI- MILLION EURO REDEVELOPMENT OF TOWN CENTRE BUILDING BEGINS
MULTI- MILLION EURO TOWN CENTRE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE OLD ESB BUILDING IS TO START IN COMING DAYS
Sligo town centre is to get a face- lift with a new building project called ‘ Embankment Buildings.’
Developers Damien Tansey and Sons say it is the ‘ largest construction project in Sligo town in a decade.’ Solicitor Damien says: “The work is due to begin within days. The now derelict ESB offices will be completely re- developed, sub- divided and re- branded as the “Embankment Buildings” retail and office complex.”
Spanning almost 35,000 sq ft, the building is a dramatic landmark in Sligo town and stretches from Castle Street down Thomas Street as far as the Garavogue river and includes the distinctive river- side clocktower. Several million euro is being injected into the project by Damien Tansey and his solicitor sons. Damien adds: “By a substantial margin, this represents the largest single construction investment in Sligo town since Celtic Tiger days, and the building will house Damien Tansey Solicitors’ new offices.”
In a coup for local businesses, Sligo architects Vincent Hannon Architects were chosen to run the project, and Sligo construction Company Kilcawley Construction were awarded the building contract. Works are scheduled for completion by the end of 2017. It is anticipated that up to one hundred jobs will be created in the Sligo area during the construction period.
The layout of the building will include a large office suite to house Damien Tansey Solicitors. Assess to this suite will be through the river- side clocktower, where one of three new lifts is being installed. The law firm, currently located on Castle Street above Heatons, has become one of the fastest growing solicitor practices in the country, and has just announced that it is hiring two more solicitors. In 2015, Damien Tansey resigned from Callan Tansey. Mr Tansey and the solicitor members of his family now practice exclusively as Damien Tansey Solicitors.
Another unit will house a dramatic penthouse office suite with floor- to- ceiling glass, and a new private lift off Castle Street. Damien explains: “Once this re- development project has completed, Sligo would be in a position to offer to office and retail space of a kind that typically populate the Dublin docklands.”
The ground floor which was previously the ESB shop floor will house a large- floor retailer and the building’s existing entrance at the corner of Castle Street and Thomas Street is being retained.
A cafe restaurant thought to be a well known chain will front onto Rockwood Parade which, as our designs show, ( right) will benefit from a newly created garden and terrace. Damien says:” This river side cafe, terrace and garden will dramatically re- energise what has become a dilapidated area along the Garavogue river.”
He adds: “Sligo is decoupling itself from other regional centres in the West of Ireland to become a particularly attractive services and tourism hub.”
His son Ciaran Tansey said: “Brexit is already prompting international companies to move to Ireland. Good road access to and around Sligo is vital if projects like Embankment Buildings are to start drawing high- skilled jobs to the town. He called on the government to announce a badly- needed motorway for the North- West, and to fast- track local road projects in Sligo.