First steps taken to conserve Opera Site buildings
SCAFFOLDING has been erected on a number of buildings on Rutland Street, fuelling speculation that something concrete is afoot to develop the site.
Following a recent survey of the buildings, Limerick City Council succeeded in securing €1million in funding to carry out an immediate programme of conservation and maintenance works.
Cllr Tom Shortt, who has been urging City Hall to implement a programme of remedial works to protect the Opera Centre buildings, said:
“It was clear that action was needed.
“From the street you could see that downpipes were missing and rainwater was streaming down the red brick facades causing weeds to grow, breaking up the brickwork”.
He said that while negotiations continue concerning the appropriate development of the Opera site, “this is a significant conservation step and I expect that any architectural plans drawn up will incorporate the refurbished Georgian architecture, preserving the heritage value of that area in line with other successful redevelopment projects in the city, such as the development of the Hunt Museum, the City Gallery and Mary Immaculate College where historic buildings have been preserved and modern buildings have been added”.
Calling on the University of Limerick to relocate its extensive art collection to the city centre, in the same way that the Hunt Collection, formerly housed in UL, was successfully relocated to the Custom House when it was redesigned as a museum 15 years.
Cllr Shortt claims the city centre’s cultural area (Hunt Museum, St Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick School of Art and Design and the Creative Limerick Arts Space in Ormston House). will boost the tourism and cultural profile.
