Contractors to commence vital works at Limerick's Opera Square site

THE FUTURE of Limerick’s transformative Opera Square Site is looking bright as contractors get to grips with vital conservation works.

Contractors will on Monday, July 18, commence a special works programme aimed at securing the most vulnerable of the 16 heritage protected buildings being retained on the Opera Square site.

Limerick Twenty Thirty CEO David Conway said: “Our demolition and enabling programme at Opera Square has been the biggest undertaking in Limerick in recent years and throughout that we have been extremely careful about and focused on preserving the heritage buildings. 

He outlined that 16 Georgian buildings out of 18, in accordance with planning will be retained. 

The works on No. 8 and No. 9 Rutland Street are being carried out by John Sisk & Son, who were engaged by Limerick Twenty Thirty to carry out demolition and enabling works in advance of the site-wide basement contract that will commence in Q3 this year.

The majority of these works are now complete, with 14 of the 16 heritage protected buildings already stabilised. 

The remaining two 18th century Georgian terrace buildings pose the biggest challenge due to complex structural issues, engineers report.

These issues need to be addressed before commencing demolition of the 40-year-old office building adjacent to them, they added.

Together, the restored Georgian Buildings, the heritage protected Town Hall and the new build on the demolished site will form the new City Library.

Structural Engineers and conservational specialists, Punch Consulting, have developed a temporary works design solution to address the structural issues and stabilize the buildings.

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This will include temporary steelwork to secure the front and rear façade and works at the top floor of the building.  The programme will take 8 to 10 weeks to complete and will require one of two lanes on Rutland Street to be closed to traffic.

Tom Cassidy, Limerick City and County Council Conservation Officer said it is one of the most complicated projects he has been involved in, labelling it a “safety first” approach.

“It’s a critical few weeks for these particular buildings and I’m confident, given all the time and planning that has gone into this, that we will arrive at the result we all want,” he said.