Plans to raze former Limerick fire station in favour of apartments

THE FORMER fire station in Thomas Street in the city centre could be be demolished to make way for a new five-storey apartment block.

Plans to come before councillors in the new year include the knocking of the structure - which has been repainted in many different colours in recent years - with city centre living to be the focus of the site.

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.

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If it gets the go-ahead, the development will 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.

This single house’s internal partitions, doors and joinery will be altered, while a non-historic building to its rear would also be knocked.

A council spokesperson said: “The apartment units will cater for modern living needs with a focus on sustainability.”

They added the project will “facilitate the provision of affordable and private residential apartments in the city core.”

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.

It was also the Civil Defence headquarters.

The application will be decided by metropolitan district councillors, as it's a public project.