The Gentrification Of Charlemont Street P.I

by Nico Thu Mar 27, 2014 17:56

New website for all your latest news and developments on Charlemont Street.
http://savecharlemontstreet.org/

by Nico Tue Mar 25, 2014 19:22

Like Moore Street, Charlemont Street is facing the loss of something of great historical importance, its People!

Many working class districts around Dublin are facing tough decisions these days. Run-down neighbourhoods have impacted on peoples lives, and neoliberal urban policy initiatives have led entire working class districts to becoming completely gentrified. Working Class people are being driven out to the margins of the city, while their homes are destroyed to make way for massive office blocks, and middle-class-filled private apartments. Local indigenous communities are being displaced, confined, and their neighbourhoods completely decimated, by the unscrupulousness activities of big-time crooked private property developers.

Even with all this building going on, no new opportunities ever present themselves in the long run for the local populations, who after a few years of living in newly built houses they received as payment for all their troubles, soon then find themselves back to square one, under an alien social structure, fighting for equal opportunities, and searching once again for decent, adequate housing, as has happened already around the country in the not too distant past.

Social exclusion has had a major impact on the way we govern ourselves too. It has left us voiceless, all the while the major decisions in our lives are made, undemocratically, on our behalf.

So we ask you, will you stand up, and support you local communities?

Inner City Communities of Ireland Unite, You Have Nothing to Lose But Your Chains!

Solidarity,
Save Charlemont Street
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Charlemont-Street/1...37382

by Nico Mon Mar 24, 2014 13:43

This image here clearly exemplifies the ongoing gentrification process in Charlemont Street. While the digger clears up what's left of a one time social housing unit block of flats, the massive private office block on the left, and middle-class-filled private apartments on the right, can now be seen encroaching the entire community.

by Nico Mon Mar 24, 2014 01:51

In recent years, Charlemont Street had become a hub of activity for rich outsiders keen to invest some of their fortunes in prime land, in and around the area. But with all this interest in area zoning came grave concern for many residents, and as consequence, the local indigenous working class communities were made to suffer as soon as the gentrification process took hold, and the rich outsiders started to turn the place on its head.

It wasn't too long before the whole overall schema of things would soon unravel and with it the transformation and destruction of this once proud neighbourhood would begin. The affects of alienation, disillusionment, and vulnerability, would sink in straight away for many, leaving a lasting grim expression for future generations to come.

The gentrification process in Charlemont street can best be observed in the vacant land around it being turned into opportunities that enable profitable investment for rich outsiders, and entrepreneurs. It can be seen in the destruction of already existing working class homes, witch in turn, are then transformed into middle-class-filled-private-apartments, and massive office blocks. The whole social structure of the area is completely changed.

Observing the regeneration plans, one will find the spacial circumference of Tom Kelly Flats, as it sits now, is being directly divided in half; with one half going to middle-class-filled-private apartments, and a massive office block, and the other half giving to the local indigenous community, who subsequently, are then forced further back to the margins of the city; where there they are kept out of sight, and out of mind.

In 1998, we observed how McNamara was giving the green light to regenerate the area. This manifestation of Private Public Partnership deals – (PPP's), had enabled regeneration projects to push through neoliberal urban policies. The PPP's were designed to maximise profits for real estate capitalists, and had hardly anything at all to do with decent housing for the locals. Almost immediately, people were dispersed from their homes, and buildings, one after the other, started to come down around us.

Even the spectacular crash of MacNamaras PPP's wasn't enough to halt such mindless destruction, as Dublin City Council – (DCC) continued to wreak havoc upon the neighbourhood by laying ruin to our homes, and extinguishing all traces of human life from the area. Recently, we witnessed again, when two more structurally sound blocks of flats were raised to the ground, all the while the homelessness list steadily grows.

This meaningless and unethical destruction of structurally sound housing while so many people remain homeless, is state sponsored vandalism; it's a crime against humanity!

In capitalism, there is a theory that presupposes a trickle down effect will somehow help the 'bottom rung' of society. Basically, what they mean by this, is when the rich have exploited all they can from the working class, they can then feed the poor with the scraps from their spoils.

Essentially, this is what Reilly presented in the original plans to the locals as his piecemeal development. The promise of new job growth for the entire area was extolled by the mighty idea of the middle class transforming our backward and underdeveloped little district, into a more attractable place for new businesses, enabling them to flourish and develop, and in return, would see the transformation of the local economy with the population greatly benefiting from the spoils of capital...however, as we have discovered...nothing more could have been further from the truth.

Once built, many of the job vacancies were quickly filled by non-residents, and the new workforce were quickly put to work in their 9-5 jobs, stacking shelves for a minimum wage. The attraction of working a 9-5 for minimum wage was lost on most here, however, all most wanted was a job with a decent living wage. So unless we have jobs with a decent living wage, people will continue to look elsewhere for other means to procure an income, weather it's through available state provisions, or by other means of appropriating it against the wishes of state...either way, when people are hungry, they will always find a way to feed themselves.

Unemployment is as rampant as ever for Charlemonts' residents, and a desperate lack of opportunities and prospects available have left lasting affects on many; demoralising an entire community who are left feeling exasperated at the long lasting affects of gentrification. No new opportunities on any scale of the imagination have ever come to fruition for Charlemont Streets residents. The continued lack of opportunities and prospects available have led to a sever increase in alcohol and drugs-abuse, and anti-social behaviour, and that's about it.

The desecration of this working class neighbourhood has taking on the form of a gentrified blitzkrieg; hammering down on the cityscape with its deathblows of financial enterprise leaving a devastating trail of deliberate dereliction in its path; displacing entire families who continue to be driven out to the margins of Dublin City.

It wasn't too long ago when the community was able to stand on its own two feet, but the old tried tactic of divide an conquer has taken its toll. The community has been displaced far and wide and left weakened in its state...momentarily only, we hope.

But there is hope..
In Charlemont Street there lives a tree. What's most noticeable about this tree is its size when compared to the other trees around it of the same kind. Standing around four times smaller than its neighbouring siblings, this tree has suffered the worst because of its small size in stature. It's easily climbable, and down through the years many children have effortlessly clambered up its trunk and swung from its branches in the air, pulling at its leaves and knocking off its bright red berries to the ground below.

But unlike all the other trees, this one was a little bit more special. Despite having nearly all of its branches broken, and all of its leaves and berries stripped bare. Despite being the only tree in the vicinity that had to struggle against the odds. Despite all the hardship it suffered...each year without fail...this little tree would act in a way that would signal the start of a new beginning, a time when hardships would come to an end - ushering in a new cycle of life and hope, this little tree, the smallest of them all, was always first to bloom.

So remember too, although at times we appear to be small in size, and up against great odds, and how we too have suffered, like the little tree had suffered, tremendous hardship down through the years at having the very things we cherish stripped bare, right down to the basic essentials.

We too, like the little tree, have our roots running strong and deep, all the way to the centre of the earth, and we will continue to grow strong and build up our own form, to represent ourselves, going on to discard all contradictions that determine how we live by the mouth of strangers.

Spreading out our branches in all directions, we will reach into the four corners of the city, and beyond; connecting with the disaffected and dissenting voices, joining forces to finally topple once and for all the old forms of social injustice and oppression; ushering in a new beginning under a paradigm that unites us all.

To be continued...

by Nico Mon Mar 24, 2014 01:50

Early90's:

Developer Sean Reilly begins work on a large plot on Iveagh Court, Charlemont Street, begins building office blocks, and private apartments.

Many working class people displaced in the process as the area becomes gentrified.

Talks are ongoing between residents and Reilly to see what is in it for them.

Agreements reached, Reilly soon falls back on agreements, and promises made to the residents, such as employment for the area, the upkeep of Tom Kelly Flats, and issues arising from residents health concerns.

No interaction whatsoever on a community based level with residents from new apartments when finally built, despite a numerous amount of attempts from the existing committees to invite them to participate in community organised events.

Mid90's:

Council propose plans for a complete refurbishment of the Tom Kelly Flats, internally, and externally.

1998:

• Discussions begin in Tom Kelly flats on area regeneration.



• Survey carried out revealed 52% of residents indicate damp problems in their homes.



• People opt for regeneration, plans for refurbishment scrapped.



• Under a Public-Private-Paternship Deal – PPP's, Bernad McNamara is selected by the council as the developer to undertake the regeneration of Tom Kelly Flats Complex.


2001:

St Ultans - (Congos) is purchased by the Council from Tom McFeely, and then depopulated and destroyed by the Council.

2008:


• McNamara PPP deal spectacularly collapses. – “The council set up a taskforce which came to the conclusion that trying to establish new PPPs would not work given the state of the property market.”


2011:


• Under another Public-Private-Partnership Deal, Property developer Sean Reilly of Alcove Properties, is giving the go-ahead for the regeneration of Charlemont Street.



• The project will involve the demolition of almost 200 flats on a five-acre site on Charlemont Street and Tom Kelly Road.



• Some 260 apartments will be built, 139 of which will be social housing units, 16 will be offered under the affordable housing scheme and the remaining 105 will be private apartments, and also a significant office space element of about 20,000sq m.



• Shops, restaurants, a sports centre and a multiplex cinema will be included in the scheme.


Since then:


• Another two structurally sound blocks of flats have been destroyed, without even the final contract being signed.



• People have been forced from their homes – due to overcrowded conditions/deliberate dereliction.



• number of families have been displaced.



• Large families forced to move of out of Tom Kelly pleaded with the council for bigger flats, to which they refused.



• The council were asked if they would consider opening up the bottom flats to house some of the already overcrowded residents living there, the request like so many others, was also refused.



• Some flats have been vacant now for well over 5 years or more.



• Dampness remains a serious problem for many residents.



• In total, 3 structurally sound blocks of flats have been completely destroyed.

Developer Sean Reilly:

2009: It emerged Reilly was one of the Anglo Ten who bought shares in Anglo Irish Bank, now being footed by the tax-payer.

Recently: NAMA prepares to sell over €300 million loans linked to property owned by Reilly.

May 2013: Reilly aims to buy back his loans at a €100 million discount.

January 2014: Reilly loses in bid to buy back loan portfolio Code-named Project Holly, a private equity fund, LoneStar, based in Dallas, acquires the loan portfolio of developer Reilly for €220 million or a discount of 41 per cent to par.

Some of the major assets lost include: the 210,000 sq ft Iveagh Court Complex, the five-block business and residential complex at the junction of Harcourt Road and Charlemont Street with current tenants.

by Nico Mon Mar 24, 2014 01:43

The red line indicates the spatial circumference in which Tom Kelly Flats lay situated today. The visible blocks are the proposed plans, and black line in the middle indicates the dividing line in what will inevitably be between private property and the middle class on one side, and the working class on the other.