The Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin Nial Ring, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien,Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform Paschal Donohoe, North East Inner City(NEIC) Task Force Chair Jim Gavin, and Executive ManagerDublin City Council Karl Mitchell, marked the commencement of refurbishment at the former Rutland Street School.
Deputy Lord Mayor Nial Ring addressed attendees and said, “It is great to know this iconic building will be brought back to its former glory and, as it did from the early nineteen hundreds, will play an important role in youth, community, cultural and education services. The inclusion of a community cafe, community garden as well as a new Civic Centre for the area will ensure that this building will become a real community hub and prove itself to be an important step in DCC’s ambitious plans for the social and economic regeneration of the North East Inner City. Bainfidh an pobalar fad taibhe as an forbairt iontach seo.”
Minister for Housing, Local Government and HeritageDarragh O’Brien said, “I am delighted to see this North-East inner city community hub project break ground. My Department has backed this project from the beginning through the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) and is providing €21 million in funding for this regeneration and rejuvenation project. This funding will go a long way to deliver more compact and sustainable development and ensure our urban areas are attractive and vibrant places where people and families choose to live, work, and invest. Along with all of the project partners, I look forward to its completion and the building becoming a diverse and vibrant community hub, and catalyst for further development in the area,” he concluded.
Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, Paschal Donohoe said: ‘Today marks a great day as the sod is turned on this magnificent building which will be restored to great benefit for the communities in Dublin’s North East Inner City. This is a building of architectural significance which will soon act as a hub for information, a place to bring people together, a centre of support and a starting point for our future entrepreneurs. The regeneration of this building has been in the offing for many years, with the NIEC Taskforce identifying its importance to the area and the potential its restoration would have on the people who live in the area some years back. It’s wonderful to see the work now commence and I look forward to tracking the progress in the months and years to come’.
North East Inner City (NEIC) Task Force Chair, Jim Gavin said, “Níl tuilleadh dá mhéad nach dtránn – Even the highest tide will turn. The rejuvenation of the disused school on Rutland Street is a priority project of the Kieran Mulveyreport and on completion will be a physical manifestation of the commitment to delivering on promises made to this community to create a brighter future. I congratulate all of those who had the vision and drive to return this landmark building as a central point for generations to come. The tide is turning and, along with this new multi-use Community Hub,the NEIC Project Implementation Board is steadfast in its commitment to make the North East Inner City of Dublin a safe, attractive and vibrant living and working environment for the community and its families with opportunities for all to lead full lives.”
The beginnings of this project can be traced following the establishment of the Government’s North East Inner City Initiative in September 2016 and subsequent publication of the Mulvey Report 2017 “Dublin North East Inner City – Creating a Brighter Future The Social and Economic Regeneration of Dublin’s North East Inner City” which described the proposed refurbishment of the former Rutland Street School as “an essential element of this overall (NEIC) initiative to underpin the State’s commitment and statement of intent to the community,” Dublin City Council submitted an outline proposal under the URDF call for proposals in 2018.
Key Objectives for the Rutland Street School Project are:
The completed redevelopment envisages the establishment ofa vibrant multi-use community hub in this landmark building, which will provide a large range of services and facilities for the surrounding area. These include facilities for community groups, a café and community hall, a crèche, a radio station, Dublin City Council offices and enterprise incubation hubs. The historic building is to be repaired and brought up to modern standards in relation to universal access and energy use.
This project is valued at €30,000,000 and is funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage’sUrban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), the North East Inner City Programme Implementation Board and Dublin City Council.
Karl Mitchell Executive Manager said, “Dublin City Council is very proud of this achievement by works starting on what will be the focus of community development and civic services to the people of Dublin’s North Inner City. This is another positive milestone in the regeneration of this vibrant part of our city”.
ENDS
Notes to the Editor
A scheme design was prepared by the consultant design team MGNÉ Architects and submitted for Part 8 approval in June 2019. Part 8 planning permission was approved on the 7thOctober 2019 at the Monthly Council Meeting. A two-stage restricted tender was initiated in July 2020 for the Refurbishment and Redevelopment of Rutland Street School. The purpose of the project is to redevelop the original Rutland Street School building to become a community hub, and catalyst for further development in the area.
Extensive stakeholder engagement was carried out during the scheme design stage, both with the Community Groups had occupied the building and who will be accommodated in the renovated structure, and also with their relevant funding bodies.