ESB Controversial. HQ ” facelift ” begins- 500 jobs will result .!
Construction on the ESB headquarters in Fitzwilliam Street has commenced .
The 150 million euro project is one of the largest office developments ever planned for the city .
When complete the office element of the development will be 50% occupied by the ESB with the remaining 50% capable of accommodating 1,400 office workers .
The ESB headquarters built in the 1960s created controversy as a parade of Georgian houses were cleared out to make way for it which resulted in the encroachment of Dublin’s ” Georgian mile ” and was one of the worst crimes committed against Dublin’s historic core .
This new development was challenged as it did not comply with the Dublin City Development plan which required the Georgian Facades of the 16 buildings demolished in the 1960s to be reinstated .
PJ Hegarty & Sons are the main contractors for the redevelopment which will involve the demolition of the existing buildings ,the retention and refurbishment of a number of protected Georgian structures and the construction of a new seven -story office block.
This project will create 500 new jobs during peak construction over approximately three years .
The good news is that work commenced to remove this eyesore from Fitzwilliam Street and Merrion Square once and for all and this is most welcome .
