Construction has started on an €800 million development adjoining the Point on North Wall Quay, in Dublin's Docklands area, including an office tower that will be as tall as the Spire on O'Connell Street.
Planning approval for the "Point Village" was granted by the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) after developer Harry Crosbie and his architects, Scott Tallon Walker, agreed to amend the scheme.
The authority had been unhappy about the bland design originally proposed for the 120m building, to be known as "The Watchtower".
The building is intended to complement the proposed U2 tower on the south side of the River Liffey. Together they would form a "maritime gateway" to the city.
Mr Crosbie said his tower would include offices, luxury apartments and a rooftop bar and restaurant with panoramic views over Dublin, serviced by exterior glass-sided lifts.
The scheme also includes a 23,000sq m shopping centre, 250-bedroom hotel, underground car park and 12-screen cinema complex. It is expected that it will create 2,000 permanent jobs, with no State funding or grants.
"Already we are in negotiation with anchor tenants as well as a number of hotel chains. We are planning to start signing contracts with a host of retail chains over the coming months," said Mr Crosbie, who heads Point Village Ltd.
"It has always been envisaged that the Point Village would provide key retail services to the entire Docklands area," DDDA chief executive Paul Maloney said. "It will also draw significant numbers of visitors to the area."
Access for shoppers and tourists will be opened up by the Luas extension to Docklands from Connolly Station, as well as six bus corridors and the long-delayed Macken Street bridge, designed by Santiago Calatrava.
The Point is also to be expanded to accommodate 15,000 people. It will be in the style of a Roman amphitheatre, and the developers believe it will attract up to two million patrons a year.
