WATCH: 'Significant step' for Limerick's Project Opera

THE Opera Site development has taken a "significant step forward" today after the project managers on the €180m scheme were appointed.

Limerick Twenty Thirty has revealed Cogent Associates have been selected for the key role of integrated project management of the massive project, which will see a huge area behind Patrick Street developed into a mixed use scheme featuring three multi-storey buildings, bars, restaurants, apartments and an apart-hotel.

Planning permission for the project was granted by An Bord Pleanála in February of this year following an oral hearing, and it's anticipated that work to clear the site will kick off later this year.

David Conway, the chief executive of Limerick Twenty Thirty, the public company leading the project, hailed the appointment of Cogent as a "significant step" in the programme.

The company has overseen a number of high-profile projects in Ireland including the new Central Bank and Google's European headquarters.

Managing director of Cogent Associates Kevin James said that no other location in the country will have a project of the transformational potential of Opera and commencing on site this year.

The Opera Site, is poised to be the biggest ever city centre “mixed use” development outside the capital and set to be constructed over a six-year phased duration.

It's fully funded thanks to commitments from the European Investment Bank and the Council of Europe Development Bank.

Mr Conway said: "The appointment of Cogent Associates is a key final step in getting this transformational project underway. We’ve gone to the market and procured a leading project and cost management company that will now put a team in place to manage all key areas of the project and report directly into us. They will procure the various contractors and supervise the works to ensure they are completed to the best international standards we have set out for the project.

"If Limerick is going to compete on an international scale, it must deliver world-class projects like Opera that are capable of attracting cutting-edge companies to locate here, whether as their European base or a second-site location. We will not alone have a world-class development but we will have a level of competitiveness and accessibility for investors that no other English speaking city in the EU will offer. It’s been a long wait for Limerick and it’s understandable that some people questioned if the Opera Site would ever go ahead but it will as of this autumn and right when we need it most," he added.

Mr James added: "This is such an exciting project to be involved in as not alone is Opera of huge significance to Limerick but by virtue of what it will do for the regional economy in the Mid-West, it will have national significance. It is a ‘key-note’ development in line with the government’s Rebuilding Ireland 2040 plans. Outside of Dublin, this commercial development is most significant and, with funding already secured, works are commencing on site.

"When completed, this will be a world-class facility and a blueprint for redevelopment in other cities throughout Ireland. Its timing is welcome also given the uncertainty around the economy due to COVID-19, the Opera Site will give Limerick and the wider regional economy a kick-start at the best possible time."

Cogent will oversee a range of project management services including cost management, employer's representative, assigned certifier and PSDP (health & safety), building information modeling under a single appointment, until completion. Cogent’s team also includes iPT3 (Assigned certifier), Garland (PSDP) and ARCDOX (BIM managers).

The firm will be responsible for procuring and managing the various design teams, advisory teams and contractors required to develop the various parcels of the Opera site; delivery of project management and related services for the five-stage programme, including obtaining outstanding statutory consents, procurement of works contractors, works supervision and handover of work stages to deliver the various parcels of the Opera development.