€35m spent on new city library for Cork

Olivia Kelleher

A historic Counting House complex on South Main Street in Cork is set to be reborn as the new city library.

The €35 million plus VAT acquisition by Cork City Council at the former Beamish and Crawford site will replace the existing library in Grand Parade, which opened in 1930.

The Counting House complex extends to just over 83,600 sq ft and is more than three times the size of the current city library.

The reimagined complex will feature 300 study spaces, a shop and cafe, lecture, performance and exhibition spaces, a new entrance and concourse and expanded sections for children, teenagers and young adults.

The music library will also be extended.

The plaza to the front will be animated to host concerts and public performances.

The Counting House complex was identified as the preferred location for the new city library following a lengthy process which involved national and international library, architectural and engineering experts.

The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Fergal Dennehy, welcomed the announcement.

“The purchase of this historic building marks an exciting new chapter not just for our library service, but for our city.

“Transforming such a landmark into a vibrant public library beautifully honours its past while giving it a meaningful future in the heart of the city centre.”

The Chief Executive of Cork City Council, Valerie O’Sullivan, said the Counting House complex is fronted by a prominent heritage building, the historic character of which makes it a natural home for a flagship cultural institution.

“Its reuse reflects international best practice, where cities such as Helsinki, Aarhus, London and Montreal have transformed historic, industrial or commercial buildings into vibrant, modern libraries that become major civic attractions.

James Browne, TD, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, said that this purchase marks the final element of just under €47 million of Government investment in the Grand Parade Quarter, which was promised under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund.

“The Grand Parade Quarter development as a whole is transformative and will combine with other complementary developments in the area to create a vibrant quarter where culture and learning acts as a catalyst for business and tourism.”

The purchase has been completed with the support of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Government’s Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund.

The site had been owned by JPDC Ltd, part of the BAM Contractors Limited Group in Ireland.

Meanwhile, in March of this year, library users and former library staff marched at City Hall. They called on the local authority to commit to delivering a new purpose-built library for Leeside.

Members of the Cork Library Action Group said that a new library could become one of the most attractive buildings in Cork city.

A public consultation and planning process will now take place before redevelopment begins.