CHQ Sold without a Concept contravenes Tender Rules - Surely DDA not engaging in Non-Transparency?

CHQ - the distinctive iron-framed former tobacco warehouse on Dublin's George's Dock, which was sold on Tuesday - is an ideal opportunity to put civic over corporate interest, not that they are mutually exclusive. But Dublin’s Docklands is a soulless, corporate ghetto, devoid of character or anything in the way of cultural heritage. The Jeannie Johnston doesn’t count. CHQ was bought by former chairman and chief executive of the Coca-Cola Company €10m. The agents struggled to achieve the €10m figure and had to repeat the tender process. Like Nice and Lisbon, if you don’t get the right answer first time around, keep going. Ironically, the initial tender brief stressed that the DDA was not obliged to accept the highest figure and that the appropriate concept was a major consideration. What’s strange about the winning bid is there is no concept. Let’s hope the new owner really is ‘thrilled with the opportunity to develop and improve this wonderful, iconic and historic building. We will be evaluating and developing a number of ideas over the coming months and engaging with the relevant local and national public bodies to assist in our objective of establishing a new distinctive destination location for Dublin.’ We know only too well that the word ‘develop’ can mean very different things in Ireland. This landmark building is ideal for a National Marketplace, a permanent trading-post for Irish artisan food and design. Its location on the banks of the Liffey is a perfect showcase for our land and sea produce, with restaurants open night and day. A bid submitted by catering entrepreneur,proposed such a use for the ground floor with art and cultural heritage elements in the vaults. An Bord Bia have expressed support for the proposal, and why wouldn't they, it gives them a shop window to the world. Last year Bord Bia held a showcase of Irish food producers for one week, attracting 500 overseas buyers and netting €33 million euro in sales. Think of the market in Barcelona, the Chelsea Market NYC or dare I say, a bigger, sexier version of the English Market in the southern capital. Other proposals included a Riverdance themed space, a micro-brewery, a pod hotel and though it is not a bid, there is a suggestion that IMMA should be located there. Personally, I think Boland's Mills is the place for our Tate Britain. As it stands there are few tenants remaining in the virtually deserted mall. Meadows and Byrne left as soon as their rent free period expired. Now there's tumbleweed and glass and little left for the DDA to do before it hands over the Docklands to Dublin City Council, except perhaps save face and leave a dignified legacy to the area. The sale of CHQ will yield nowhere near a return on the original DDA investment of €42m euro. In fact, much of the investment will be ripped out if anything edifying is to be made of the interior. But the value and integrity of this building isn't in its financial return, it is simply an attractive piece of nineteenth-century craftsmanship and engineering, a counterpoint to the repetitive corporate low-rise on the quays, a landmark that should be used in the national interest. During the development of the Irish Financial Services Centre the building was incubated until a heritage/museum function could be found and fell under their control of the then DDDA. It has never complied with its heritage remit and the treasure trove of subventions from surrounding tenants has been building up. Where this trove is deposited has yet to be discovered, according to agents, Lisney, the funding has not been collected, so there is a little surprise in store for a few foreign banks in the vicinity.

Back in the hungry Tiger days, the director of property at DDDA,envisaged a grand fashion destination, with the likes of Armani and Ralph Lauren. The global brands saw the writing on the wall long before DDDA opened its eyes. The key to the success of this site is that it must benefit the country and provide a tangible tourism destination, an appropriate venue for family holidaymakers and visiting dignitaries that doesn't involve sipping a pint of the black stuff. In other words, let’s hope next time FLOTUS and her girls or QEII come to visit, there will be a truly remarkable piece of Irish endeavour to show off.