Work to start in August on Ireland’s future tallest tower

Construction on the long-anticipated apartment development on Parkgate Street in Dublin is set to get underway in August, with work beginning first on its signature 30-storey tower. The project is being led by developer Joe O’Reilly’s Chartered Lands and will rise on the former site of Hickey’s Wholesale Fabrics, directly across the river from Heuston Station.

The main structure, referred to as Block A, will reach a height of 102 metres, making it the tallest building in Ireland. Initial groundwork for this tower is scheduled to start on August 13, with full construction expected to commence in September and continue for about two and a half years. Before that, demolition of the existing warehouse is due to begin on April 22 and should be completed within a month.

The entire development, which includes three blocks, is planned for completion by April 2029. These timelines come from construction schedule documents reviewed by the Irish Independent, offering a clearer picture of the project’s progress after several years of revisions and uncertainty.

The scheme received approval from Dublin City Council last year and will deliver 562 apartments, along with shared residential amenities and retail and community spaces at ground level. Of the 198 apartments in Block A, most (145) will be designated for build-to-rent, while the remaining units in Block A and all apartments in Blocks B and C will be available for purchase. Blocks B and C will range in height from eight to 13 storeys.

Most of the homes will be one- and two-bedroom apartments, accounting for 297 and 237 units respectively. Plans also include 27 studio apartments and a single three-bedroom unit. The development will feature a public riverside walkway and plaza as well.

The former Hickey’s site is one of a small number of locations identified in the Dublin City Development Plan as suitable for a landmark building—structures that stand significantly taller than their surroundings and noticeably alter the skyline, typically exceeding 50 metres in height. Such developments are generally encouraged in areas with strong public transport links or those undergoing major regeneration.

Projects of this scale are expected to meet high standards in design, sustainability, and public space improvements. In their design statement, Reddy Architecture highlighted the site’s excellent transport connections—including the Luas, frequent bus services, and a Dublin Bikes station—as justification for the building’s height. They argued that the scale is appropriate for a town-centre location and noted that any shadowing would mainly affect nearby roads and an adjacent office building to the southwest.

However, the proposal has faced criticism from the Montpelier Hill Residents’ Association, which described the height of the buildings as excessive and unlike anything previously seen in the area for apartment developments. While acknowledging that the site is intended for high-density use, they argued that the plans represent overdevelopment, particularly given its proximity to an Architectural Conservation Area.