The real stoy behind Temple Bar


The real stoy behind Temple Bar
History:
As early as the 1970s the now defunct CIE began buying property in Temple Bar with a view to building a major transportation centre. Many of them were then leased by CIE at low ents, attracting arts and cratfs outlets, cafes and alternative pubs and restaurants. The trademark Bohemia of Temple Bar was born.

In 1987 local tenants, aided by An Taisce and Charlie Haughey, then opposition leader, successfully petitioned the govt to drop their plans. In 1991, Dublin Corporation and a goup of local business people known as Temple Bar '91, made a triumphant application to the EU for funding to develop Temple bar into a cultural quarter. That year, Albert Reynolds announced a tax incentives package aimed at renewal in the area, and nominated a company called Temple Bar Renewal Ltd to ensure that germane standards were kept. The 1991 Finance Act and Temple Bar Area... Act were passed. The Finance Act allowed tax reliefs for new buildings (50 percent capital allowance) and 100 percent for refurbishments.. The other act created Temple Bar Properties to manage the project and Temple bar renewals - they assess what devlopments would qualify for the reliefs.

Proposals and results

Architectural:1991 saw TBP hold an architectual competition. The winners were a number of firms calling themselves Group '91. They said they would emphasise conservation, street art/furniture, miodern architecture, new public buildings, pedestrianisation, open space and residential development - as many as 5,000 residents by the end of 1996. The tax reliefs attracted a deluge of builders eager to get in on the gold rush, and temple bar became one huge building site. The proposal, Framework '91, superseded previous plans, implemented without consultation.

Temple bar appears to be a mix of nice 18th century buildings with confident modern buildings. But to get the 100% refurbishment allowance, builders need only keep up the facade. In five years, at least 20 buildings, mostly 18th century have been completely or substantially demolished.

Also a number of breaches of height restrictions. They include, the Cobbles, the Cuttlers, the multistorey car park above the Thunder Road Cafe, and the eyesore on top of the Clarence Hotel.

Developers say that the cost of meeting fire and safety regulations make it difficult to conserve old buildings. It's cheaper to build new ones. Many of the buildings are commendable but stick out like a sore thumb in the Temple Bar area. Stand in the centre of Meeting House Square or look down Curve Street from The Ark and the word that comes to mind must be esoteric.

Economic


TBP envisaged a thriving community in Temple Bar by end 1996 - crafts arts, residences and cultural centres.

The TBP has about $200 million spending money (half of which is public money). This money has not been subject to any independent investigation. TBP say that 130 new businessess and 1,100 jobs to be created by MARCH 1996, going to 2,000 by year end. But these figures don't point out that many jobs are in construction and are temporary. Also that there has been displacement of jobs from other parts, especially the north inner city.

There has a been a sharp increase in commercialism. appartment complexes and pubs have mushroomed. To maximise yield on the license, publicans expand premises both upwards and outwards. There are examples on virtually every corner of Temple Bar.

The ambience and charm of the area has been paved over by trendy restaurants, pubs and clubs with gaudy themes and commercially safe retail outlets. The Bohemian counter culture which started the Temple Bar experiment was forced out by higher rents. In 1993, TBP revealed a daring plan to make 40% of retail outlets available free to new businesses for two years. Since that appeared in Business and Finance in 1993, nothing ahs happened. Many of the small businesses have moved to the Ormonde multi Media centre instead.

Although TBP has set up 10 cultural centres, there doesn't seem to be much culture on the streets. There is little sign on the streets of an abundance of culture. A tourist walking through Temple Bar will take in the sites of numerous theme bars and restautants, half a dozen coffee shops, two empty squares, and a number if imposing, modern buildings, many of which have a white elephant look about them.

At the outset in 1991, TBP estimated that in 1997, 5,000 people would be resident in the area. Group '91s and the TBP have reduced that figure to 2,000. December 1995, there were 750 residents. TBP's wish to establish a thriving community in Temple Bar was surely flawed. Appartments cost too much and fall far outside the means of those working there. As a a result, those who make up the community by day move to their cheaper suburbs at night. Those who live in Temple Bar are professionals, and these are the people who make up the community by night,an invasion of the people frequenting the excessive number of pubs and estaurants.

Temple Bar Square, on a saturday night is the sequel to Lord of the Flies. Who is holding the conch in regard to the TBProject: if it is TBP, then can we expect the development to conclude in the same fashion as it was begun and carried out to date? Probably.

There has clearly been a neglect of local interest to date, despite the agenda 21 published by the UN after its conference on environment and development in brazil, 92. This emphasised importance of involving those most affected by the decisions in an effort to avouid mistakes,k to promote a sense of ownership and fortify commitment with the implementation of the decisions. 1997 will undoubtedly be a crucuial year in the devlopment of Temple Bar. We can only hope that it's an improvement on the last five.





Contents
Irish Life LockoutThe real story of Temple BarFighting toxic waste in Clare
Report from Mexico's ZapatistasGreenpeace Ireland is threatened with closure....From CATALYST magazine: Genetic engineering in Ireland
Who we areWhat's new?Press cuttings