Northside Shopping Centre

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Coordinates: 53°23′45″N 6°12′49″W / 53.395761°N 6.213612°W / 53.395761; -6.213612
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Northside Shopping Centre
Northside Shopping Centre logo
The shopping centre and carpark, 2007
Map
LocationCoolock, Dublin, Ireland
Coordinates53°23′45″N 6°12′49″W / 53.395761°N 6.213612°W / 53.395761; -6.213612
AddressOscar Traynor Road
Opening date1 October 1970; 53 years ago (1970-10-01)
DeveloperGreen Property Ltd
OwnerAM Alpha
ArchitectSam Stephenson
No. of floors2
Parking600+[1]
Websitenorthsideshoppingcentre.ie

Northside Shopping Centre is a shopping centre located in Coolock, Dublin, Ireland. Opened in 1970, it is the only shopping centre in Ireland with a swimming pool.[2]

History[edit]

Development[edit]

The plans for the shopping centre were first unveiled in May 1967 by John Corcoran, managing director of Green Property Ltd., the developers of the project, to a member of Dublin Corporation and architect Sam Stephenson (of Stephenson Gibney & Associates). It was stated that the shopping centre was intended to include a library and swimming pool. The main frontage of the shopping centre was facing Coolock Lane which was to change its name to Oscar Traynor Road, after Oscar Traynor.[3]

In August 1968, it was stated that work on the centre was to begin in the following two months and the centre would be completed within two years.[4][5] The centre was a joint venture between Green Property Ltd. and Dublin Corporation.[6] By November 1969, the shopping centre was nearing completion of stage one of construction, with an estimated total cost of £1 million (equivalent to £17,510,141 in 2021).[7]

A bus stopped in front of the shopping centre, May 1990

On 20 July 1970, Feargal Quinn, then managing director of Superquinn, announced at the Gresham Hotel that his company was planning to open a 22,000 square feet (2,000 m2) store in the shopping centre in the following months.[8][9] It was announced in September 1970 that the shopping centre was to open the following month and that the total shopping area of the shopping centre was in excess of 80,000 square feet (7,400 m2).

Swimming pool[edit]

On the second floor was a 10,000 square feet (930 m2) swimming pool operated by Dublin Corporation, the first of its kind in Ireland.[10][11] The swimming pool officially opened on 5 May 1971.[12] In March 2023, it was announced that the rooftop swimming pool was to be shut down after more than 50 years.[13]

Opening[edit]

The shopping centre was officially opened on 1 October 1970 by British television interviewer and radio disc jockey, Simon Dee.[14] All 56 shopping units in the centre had been fully let out to tenants by September.[15]

Refurbishment and sale[edit]

Renovations and extension in the 1980s and 2008 have covered most of Sam Stephenson's original open-space concept.[16] In 2013, it was announced that a €5 million further refurbishment was about to commence in the centre.[17] This followed the loss of the anchor non-food store, a Dunnes Stores branch, and saw the arrival of new shops, including Heatons (with Sportsworld), new dining facilities, and a Well Woman Centre.

The refurbishment was completed in late 2016 following a 2-phase modernisation of both interior and exterior.[18] The centre was numbered among the property assets of NAMA; it was subsequently sold to Patron Capital for €49 million in 2015.[19] In 2019, German investor AM Alpha acquired the centre for €50 million.[20]

The old logo, in use from c. 2000 to 2016

Popular media[edit]

The branch of Paddy Power bookmakers in the car park was one of the venues visited in a Channel 4's Undercover Boss episode 3, season 4.[21]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Northside Shopping Centre". Savills Marketing Commercialisation and Research. 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  2. ^ "Northside Shopping Centre rooftop pool to close after more than 50 years". The Irish Times. 18 March 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Shopping centre plan for Dublin suburb: will contain swimming pool, library". Irish Independent. 11 May 1967. p. 4. Retrieved 3 February 2024 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
  4. ^ Doran O'Reilly, J. (1 August 1968). "New centre ʹwill have everythingʹ". Evening Herald. p. 3. Retrieved 2 February 2024 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
  5. ^ "Swim pool for shopping centre". Irish Press. 1 August 1968. p. 5. Retrieved 2 February 2024 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
  6. ^ "£1m. shopping centre". Irish Examiner. 24 October 1969. p. 2. Retrieved 8 August 2023 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
  7. ^ "£500,000 shopping centre". Evening Herald. 10 November 1969. p. 4. Retrieved 2 February 2024 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
  8. ^ "That's THE Mr. Quinn, said Feargal". Evening Herald. 21 July 1970. p. 7. Retrieved 2 February 2024 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
  9. ^ Milton, James (21 July 1970). "Expansion for Superquinn: Shopping centre deal". Irish Press. p. 10. Retrieved 2 February 2024 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
  10. ^ "£1m. centre opening in October". Evening Herald. 8 September 1970. p. 4. Retrieved 2 February 2024 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
  11. ^ "Northside -- The only centre where you can shop and swim". Evening Herald. 27 May 1971. p. 6. Retrieved 2 February 2024 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
  12. ^ "Swimming pool, Northside Shopping Centre". Evening Herald. 27 May 1971. p. 6. Retrieved 2 February 2024 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
  13. ^ "Rooftop pool in Northside Shopping Centre to close". Independent.ie. 18 March 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  14. ^ "Simon Dee opens Northside shopping centre". Evening Herald. 30 September 1970. p. 11. Retrieved 2 February 2024 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
  15. ^ Cairns, Frank (11 September 1970). "Northside will open with shopping units fully let". Irish Independent. p. 23. Retrieved 2 February 2024 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
  16. ^ "1970 – Northside Shopping Centre, Coolock, Dublin". Archiseek. 2015.
  17. ^ "€5m Investment for Northside Shopping Centre". Insider Media. 22 May 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  18. ^ "It's celebration time at Northside Shopping Centre". Dublin People (newspaper). 16 October 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  19. ^ "Nama sales so far and still to come". Project Drive. Irish Independent. 16 May 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  20. ^ "German investor pays €50m for Northside Shopping Centre". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  21. ^ "Series 4 - Episode 3 – William Reeve, Paddy Power". Channel 4. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
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