The official opening of a 13-home refurbished social-rented development and an administrative hub in Mallow, represents continued housing delivery for Focus Housing Association in county Cork.
Focus Housing Association, the housing arm of Focus Ireland, welcomed Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD, and Cllr. Pat Hayes (delegate for the Mayor of County Cork) on Friday, February 21st, together with members of Cork County Municipal District, to open their West End development of new homes in Mallow town.
The remodelled high quality B1-rated apartments were part of a conversion, redevelopment project of the former offices of the Dairygold Agri division, located in the town. These homes will provide much needed housing for the area and have ensured 16 individuals who were on the Cork County Council housing list now have a home enabling them to achieve their potential and build a future for themselves and their families.
SENSITIVE RESTORATION
The property sits on the Park Road and the West End street adjacent to the junction at the N72 main Mitchelstown and Fermoy Road. The completion of this project highlights the partners’ expertise in urban regeneration and adaptive reuse of older buildings.
The project involved a partial change of use to residential, resulting in the creation of 13 dual-aspect apartment units comprising of two studio apartments, six one-bedroom units, and five two-bedroom units, catering to a variety of living arrangements.
Three internally connected Protected Structures dating back to circa 1850 were sensitively restored in an Architectural Conservation Area. The redevelopment retained the characteristic external appearance of the structures while integrating contemporary interiors with original features, showcasing a commitment to sustainability and modern convenience.
Vehicular access was restored via the shared archway between the buildings, providing private car parking space at the rear of the property, enhancing convenience for residents.
DELIVERY WELCOMED
“At Focus Ireland, we currently provide 1,701 homes and have added 627 properties from 2021 to end of 2024 across Ireland through our housing arm, Focus Housing Association,” said CEO OF Focus Ireland, Pat Dennigan. “We continue to innovate in how we build and manage housing for those most in need. The West End homes represent 49 social housing units provided in the county as part of the total of 207 delivered for Cork city and county.”
Developed by Sayvale Group back in 2021 and built and designed with KDC Construction and Meitheal Architects, of which Focus Housing Association acquired as turnkey property for the purpose of social housing. The homes are provided with the support of Cork County Council and Cork City Council, the Housing Finance Agency, the Housing Agency, and the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage.
