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CORK’S CAPITOL CINEMA has been the site of many dates, blockbuster viewings and back-row smooches, but it has lain derelict for 10 years.
Now a planning application has been lodged that it is hoped will transform not just the cinema but the face of the city itself. It also anticipates it will create jobs for 450 people.
The site was bought by John Cleary Developments (JCD) in January of this year.
Planning application
JCD are to lodge a planning application for a €50 million complex on the Capitol Cinema site on Grand Parade.
It wants to turn the 0.65 acre site into a five-storey retail, office and food innovation centre that it believes “will completely regenerate the western end of the city”.
The new design for the large site is by award-winning Cork architects Wilson Architecture. JCD says it will provide space for 450 people working in large retail outlets and Grade A Gold LEED standard offices.
JCD is enclosing a report with the application from Colliers International, which describes the development of the derelict site as “a catalyst project for Cork City Centre, a game changer”.
It also says it: “reinforces the city as the retail destination of the region, provides the Gold Standard, large floor-plate offices occupiers are demanding” and “enhances the English Market as a major asset for Cork”.
The English Market is just a few doors up from the cinema on the same stretch of Grand Parade.
The application consists of over 48,500 square feet of retail space over three floors and 37,000 sq ft of office space on the top levels of the site.
It would also see the conservation-listed Oyster Tavern being restored to its former glory.
A spokesman for JCD said:
We are delighted to be moving ahead with this exciting project in what is a superb city centre site. We have already had enquiries from major retailers and are hugely encouraged by the level of interest being shown.
We also look forward to creating the required space to deliver a sustainable and exciting innovation and artisan food centre for the region. Site work will start immediately subject to planning permission with over 300 construction jobs and we anticipate completion in time for Christmas 2016.
It expects that the development will be a “great boost” to Cork city centre, particularly given large-scale projects such as Tyco’s office development at One Albert Quay.
“We are looking forward to working with Cork City Council, the English Market and other stakeholders on the project,” said JCD.
A history of film
According to Cork Past and Present, which is run by Cork City Libraries:
Do you have any memories of the Capitol Cinema? Share them in the comments.
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Brilliant news. All that wasted space finally being used.
Looks great!
We need people living in the city centre for balance.
Hope they make big sheltered doorways for the homeless or do they matter or come into the equation?
City centre needs residential as part of the mix with new developments. City centre will die without people living there. Student accommodation only as part of Beamish site proposal and nothing at all in this. Planners are redundant and simply rubber stampers for any badly needed investment. Understandable in one sense but short sighted.
Talking about it being a long time coming! The proposed building looks very tasteful and will fit in nicely on the Grand Parade. I was fearful that it was going to be a glass frontage
Theres been major apartment develolment in the city centre during the boom years, and high quality places like the Elysian are still empty.
What Cork lacks more than anything is proper office space to have a critical mass of people working in the centre in order to encourage more people to the live there.
Not really an inspirational piece of architecture for what is almost a landmark building.
A landmark building? Its ugly, something you would see from the eastern bloc. It will help the street improve but it needs millions more to rejuvenate the area.
It’s very unsympathetic to neighbouring buildings, especially the entrance to the English Market.
Do we really need more office space in the city. They can’t fill the ones that are vacent.
@Dave Barrett
If they build it they will come
Don’t think so. Go to ballincollig and see all the units vacant. To to industrial parks and see the units idle. Look around cork city. How many shop are closed and vacent. The only good development from what I would see beneficial to the city is the beamish and Crawford site. . I might come across a bit negative but it is what it is
Dave, these derelict buildings are a direct consequence of the economy. You will find that the more it improves the more units get occupied once more. It’s the same the world over
@Dave Whats the alternative? Leave these sites derelict and sit back and watch while other cities continue to build and progress? They might have a tough job filling these spaces when it’s built but one thing is for sure, if the infastruture isn’t there in the first place, then no one will come.
There are very few vacant office spaces in Cork City Centre for companies who want a decent number of staff on site. A quick search suggests 3 premises with over 1,000 sqm and only a single property with over 2,000 sqm.
The problem with those other offices is that they are in Ballincollig, which makes them unsuitable for a lot of businesses. It’s grand if you are a small company servicing the citizens of Ballincollig, but if you want to be central to a lot of clients, or if you are going to end up employing a lot of staff who don’t have a car [this is especially true of companies who have a large foreign language requirement and consequently a lot of overseas staff], then Ballincollig isn’t a great option.
Agree with Chris,
There is a huge demand in Cork City for a certain type of office space. Large open plan offices with raised floors are in demand. One Albert Quay across from the Clarion Hotel has been let before it is even built. City gate in Mahon is also full with additional blocks planned.
There is no demand for the older type of office like the South Mall, smaller rooms with no flexibility and poor access. Any office in a poor location is also not desired.
Aye, my CIT days many a movie watched there. Many a shift too.
Good times. Sad in a way to see it turned into something other then a cinema but with the gate multiplex just 5 minutes walk I suppose it does not make much business sense
The people of Cork are getting fierce fancy all together doing their shopping in Brand.
Badly needed this end of the city is looking tired and run down , if it brings jobs and commerce that’s a good days work .
Great cinema. Happy days on the double seats.
Great news for the city centre, and a good design too.
If this goes ahead within a year then that’s a few big projects that will be happening in Cork that when finished will be face changing for the city.
Certainly exciting times for Cork. This along with the new Beamish Venue and the redeveloped Pairc Ui Chaoimh will transform the city.
Remember having to queue up outside next to a pole with the number of the picture u wanted to go see. And sometimes u didn’t get in to what u wanted as it was full so u had to pick another show. Remember ppl sneaking in side door too when the previous show was over. And the double seats in back. I remember watching the lion king, Jurassic park, robin hood, titanic (they had a break half way through) Evita, space jam. Just to name a few in there.
Looks great. Sounds great. It will definitely brighten up that part of town. As a regular visitor to Cork, I always that the city centre area suddenly dies at southern end of Patrick Street. This will extend the city area in a good way, I think…I’m a Dublin, so correct me if I’m wrong…
Damn, I was hoping it was going to be a Sir Henrys.
What a great venue. Bring back Sir Henry’s!!
10 yrs of dereliction. Incredible for a smack central property. It defines the city council have been in a deep sleep to allow such . At least there’s an application in.
This dizzy council have been unable to build the population residing In the city going on for decades now.
If Cork aspires to be a proper city then developments like the Elysian are major developments but not this. This is a major development in a small town but don’t take the p*as calling it such for Cork.
Hope it’s not the case of greedy developer syndrome. Will the banks fund this????. Or will it end up taxpayer again
“Will the banks fund this”
Who do you expect to fund it, the money fairy?
Sorry to the architects, but nothing in this makes me think wow. It looks bland to me. Future generations wouldn’t say in 300 years, wow, what a great building. There are dozens of fantastic buildings all over the city older than 50 years that look fantastic, (a little dirty, and have shop branding on them, but still).
Don’t get me wrong it’s a definite improvement from what’s currently there, just nothing creative that people could say, “that building is in Cork”! This could be in any town, city or village anywhere in the world, as there’s nothing really unique in it..
Cork City Centre needs more green open areas, other than Bishop Lucey Park, there’s nothing in City Centre. I’d rather see that in this space than another boring building.
Was only there once to watch schindlers list .. But it great news to see the city getting another boost .. If only the developers would look at youghal next be nice to see merricks dept store reopened and empty factory sites redeveloped
FYI…
The capitol was the first 6screen cinema in Europe…!
Very nearby? What does that mean?
Many happy memories of the capital from going to see Peter Pan as a child to “watching ” many a movie with my teenage boyfriend in the old couple couches. God we were So innocent. So sad to see the place go to hell and then sit derelict for years.
The first film I ever was taken to was at the capital. Had always wished it would be a cinema again but time to move forward I guess!
Great stuff, good luck to all involved.
Oh goody. More shops, just what everyone needs!!
I personally like the old cinema, I think it looks quite nostalgic and it is a building indigineous to Cork city. I totally understand the need to redevelop it as it is serving little purpose as a derelict building. I really don’t like the proposed design however, I think it would work well in a city like London but I think it’s a bit characterless for an animated city like Cork, I also think it is very overpowering next to the English Market, almost swamping it from recognition. It will be great to see this space be used, but I would like to have seen something more timeless in it’s place
Looks great, extra jobs, extra rates for the council win win for everyone.
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