Gardens International office ‘is a motif for the new Limerick’

IT was a red letter day for the Limerick Twenty Thirty company, as the doors were officially opened on the €18m Gardens International complex.

Former Finance Minister Michael Noonan was on hand to cut the ribbon at the 112,000 square foot development, alongside Mayor James Collins.

It’s anticipated up to 600 staff members will be able to be accommodated in the multi-level complex.

The redevelopment of the office from a shell left abandoned in the midst of the recession kicked off in 2017, and is now seen as a striking example of “old meets new”.

The scheme mixes the architecture of the early 19th century Roches Hanging Gardens, which included roof-top gardens of exotic fruits, the Mercantile Building, the former General Post Office developed there a century later and a gleaming new build to the rear to form a brilliant architectural blend that sets a new standard for the city and region.

The first tenants at the multi-million euro development, the aircraft leasing firm Nordic Aviation Capital are set to move into the state-of-the-art complex shortly.

Mr Noonan, who helped get the project off the ground in his cabinet days, described this Tuesday’s opening as “an important and proud day for Limerick”.

“Today validates the commitment and courage shown by chairman Denis Brosnan, by Limerick City and County Council Chief Executive Conn Murray and others. They not alone had the ambition and the vision to go for this but today shows they deliver also. The first new tenant comes in here, shortly taking up over 50% of the space and I expect that the remainder will be let within the coming months, bringing new jobs and investment to Limerick.”

Mayor Collins, who is also a board member of the Limerick Twenty Thirty company said it represents a statement as to where Limerick is at today.

“It’s a project that is a motif for a new Limerick. We’ve built the very best because we want to attract the best. It’s a build that respectfully and brilliantly merges old and new. It has raised the bar, created a remarkable new structure and standard here in the centre of Limerick. And I want to thank the elected members of Limerick City and County Council who took the leap of faith to originally back the Limerick Twenty Thirty concept to deliver jobs for Limerick through projects such as this development.”

Meanwhile, Mr Murray has revealed that the local authority will this week lodge a planning application for the €180m redevelopment of the Project Opera site in Patrick Street.

“The 46,000 sq metre site will, on top of this magnificent development unveiled today, bring Limerick to a new level, enabling it to compete on an international stage like never before,” he said.