CITY LIMITS – Inventive Uses for Urban Spaces

Free Open-Invitation Event

18.00 -20.00pm Thursday February 13th 2014

Wood Quay Venue, Dublin City Council Civic Offices, Dublin 8.

Over 300 prime sites and a wealth of historic buildings within our nation’s capital are currently vacant or disused.

These neglected places undermine Dublin’s competitiveness and quality of life; becoming hotbeds of anti-social behaviour, detracting from the city’s aesthetic, and artificially inflating the cost of housing. With public and political pressure to use mounting, a government taskforce has been charged with examining the introduction of a levy on vacant lands, intended to prompt action from site owners. As these spaces come in to circulation once more, the challenge becomes how to match the best ideas in urban development with the most suitable spaces.

The Lord Mayor of Dublin Oisín Quinn will open an evening of discussion on potential solutions for vacant city spaces “City Limits – Inventive Uses for Urban Spaces” at Wood Quay Venue at 18.00 on Thursday February 13th.

According to the Lord Mayor, ‘taking a positive approach to vacant spaces in our capital city is as much a matter of national pride as it is about delivering quality of life and economic vibrancy.  The purpose of a vacant sites levy is to encourage owners to develop their sites or to improve the appearance through temporary uses or other measures. The scheme would be a success if this was the outcome and no revenue was generated for the City Council.’

This event is being organised by Cathal O’ Sullivan in association with Dublin City Council. Cathal O’ Sullivan is part of the team promoting the Allotment Homes project. Other initiatives to be discussed on the night will  include the proposed vacant sites levy,  DCC Arts Office creative spaces programme, Dublin House, Granby Park,  the Rediscovery Centre and Makers & Brothers pop up shops. If you have a project you’d like to discuss or are just interested in this area, please come along.

This free, open-invitation event will be followed by networking and drinks. Hope to see you there!