Local residents of the inner city’s Dorset Street have just revealed their plans to overhaul the area along with business group Dubhlin.
They’re hoping to return the area to its “former glory” by getting rid of the vacant buildings, adult shops and some takeaways – and Lord Mayor of Dublin Nial Ring has already backed the plans.
Dorset Street used to be a popular shopping district until the removal of the tramline in the 1950s, when the area slowly started to decline.
Tony Kelly of the Lower Dorset Street Community Group said, “Dorset Street is the gateway to the city from the Northside and the gateway to to Georgian Dublin but it’s a gateway that’s looking old and creaky.”
Standing room only at opening by Lord Mayor Cllr Niall Ring of “Dorset Street Together”. A great initiative from residents, businesses and Dublin City Council to re-imagine and regenerate what should be one of Dublin’s premier streets. Pop in and have your say! pic.twitter.com/0lkiWZCYRr
— Mary Fitzpatrick (@votemaryfitz) October 24, 2018
The new plans drawn up by Kelliher Miller Architects would also see the creation of cycle lanes and wider footpaths, as well restoring shopfronts and the vacant floors of their buildings in order to turn it into a “culinary destination”.
But while the proposition has been welcomed by some Dubliners, not everyone agrees with the idea:
You can get falafel, sushi from a Brazilian restaurant, curry, Chinese, chipper and deli sandwiches on Dorset St now, it’s already a culinary hub. Fucking snobbery. https://t.co/hD3cN62jsh
— Cathy (@FathyClynn) October 25, 2018
This has been one of my routes home for most of my life and in that time all attempts to posh it up have failed (Kavanagh’s didn’t last long and it was lovely) so I don’t fancy their chances. https://t.co/4NfvHgfF2u
— Anna Carey (@urchinette) October 25, 2018
Architect Katherine Kelliher said, “A lot of things that people might see as big problems are not hard to fix. Scratch under the surface and there are fantastic opportunities in what we pass every day.”
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