Commercial Property

Dublin crane count rises to 78 in May

Work begins on Johnny Ronan-led 66,599sq m scheme next to new Central Bank building

Cranes over Dublin city centre: April’s total is comfortably more than double the 31 recorded on February 1st, 2016, when the crane survey was launched. Photograph: Cyril Byrne

Justin Comiskey
Wed May 9 2018 - 00:15

There were 78 construction cranes visible over the centre of Dublin on May 1st from the seventh floor of The Irish Times building on Tara Street.

This is a rise of seven – or 10 per cent – on last month's total and two less than the 80 recorded on December 1st, 2017 – the highest score yet registered by the Irish Times Crane Count.

This month’s total is comfortably more than double the 31 recorded on February 1st, 2016, when the newspaper’s crane survey was launched.

There were 58 cranes recorded on the southside – a rise of five from April – where construction is ramping up at some larger sites, such as at Boland's Quay and the former An Post sorting office in the south docklands. However, many other sites on this side of the city are starting to wind down as construction nears completion.

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CGI of the Ronan Group's proposed Spencer Place at Dublin's Spencer Dock.

Meanwhile, there were 20 cranes visible on the northside – a rise of two on the previous month. Work has just started on the massive Johnny Ronan-led scheme to be known as Spencer Place where 66,599sq m (717,000sq ft) of offices, retail and 212-bed hotel will be built next to the new Central Bank building.

Ronan, who acquired the site in 2016 for about €43 million, is building a modern scheme around the former British Rail Hotel. This redbrick protected structure at 58-59 North Wall Quay is to be converted into a 2,688sq m office block with restaurant and bar areas at ground and basement levels.

The Irish Times will continue to conduct a crane survey once a month to track construction levels in the city centre.

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