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11 Jan 2026
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11 Jan 2026
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The former fire station in Thomas Street in the city centre
COUNCILLORS have approved plans to demolish an old city centre fire station in favour of new apartments.
At this month’s metropolitan meeting, members gave the green light to a local authority plan to replace the facility with new one-bedroom apartments.
According to the proposals, two ranges of residential apartments would be built around an internal courtyard – one facing onto Thomas Street, and the other facing the rear boundary of the site.
The new apartment complex would tower up five levels, with a retail unit on the ground floor, and eight two-bedroom apartments on the upper floors.
It will also see the creation of a semi-private courtyard between Thomas Street and the rear block for residents. Five new one-bedroom apartments are planned for the neighbouring unit, at 33 Thomas Street, which is a protected Georgian building.
Council senior architect Seamus Hanrahan told members: “The scheme at Thomas Street is the redevelopment of this mid-sized Georgian building and the demolition of the old civil defence fire station building and redevelopment for residential use. It's a mix of refurbishment and re-build.”
He said the project would be geared towards “affordable accommodation.”
Since it’s a housing scheme being delivered on public land by the local authority, councillors had the final say on whether to accept or reject it.
Fine Gael member Sarah Kiely proposed the application be approved, a move seconded by her party colleague, Cllr Daniel McSweeney.
The plans were also welcomed by Social Democrats councillor Elisa O’Donovan and metropolitan leader, Cllr Olivia O’Sullivan.
Mr Hanrahan said he hopes to have builders on site by the end of the year, with an 18-month construction period.
The old fire station building has been out of use since 2019 when a vegan restaurant which bore the same name closed. It was the home of Limerick Fire and Rescue Service up to around 20 years ago.
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