Cork to reclaim tallest building title after 10-day concrete pour

Cork is set to reclaim the title of Ireland’s tallest residential building as the central core of the 25-storey Railyard development on the former Sextant site was completed on Saturday.

The 85.5m-high tower and adjacent buildings will deliver 217 homes when complete. The Railyard Apartment Scheme is the result of a collaborative partnership between Cork City Council, Clúid, and JCD Group.

Specialist contractor Slipform Engineering commenced pouring the lift and stair core on Wednesday, March 18. More than 1,700 cubic meters of concrete were poured continuously and tied to over 225 tonnes of reinforcing steel. The team worked on a 24/7 basis over 10 days to reach full height.

The contractor averaged two-and-a-half floors per day with a crew of 30 specialist workers on each 12-hour shift.

Dan Sheehan, contracts manager with main contractor PJ Hegarty, said this important phase of the project was completed safely and on schedule and was the result of months of planning and collaboration. 

"Cores 2 and 3 shall now commence, which are a more traditional precast concrete design, and we expect to complete them by the end of April," he said.

With the arrival of the lift and stair core of the tower on Cork’s skyline, the public has a sense of the scale and ambition of the project. The Railyard also involves the renovation of the two listed buildings, namely Carey House and the former railway terminus building.

When fully constructed, the Railyard will be the tallest residential building in Ireland. The development was designed by award-winning architects Henry J Lyons with input from specialist tall building architect Richard Coleman of London-based City Designer.

Alongside the slender 25-storey tower, Railyard will step down to 13-storey and then nine-storey blocks. The Railyard is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.

The nearby Elysian development, completed in 2008, held the title as Ireland's tallest residential building for 20 years until Capital Dock in Dublin was completed in 2018 with College Square in Dublin, at 82m, finishing last year. 

It is unclear how long the completed Railyard development will hold the title. Permission was granted last month for a 30-storey Parkgate apartment development in Dublin but construction has not yet commenced.

Railyard is one of a number of major residential property developments taking place in the city. Work is nearing completion of more than 300 apartments at Horgan's Quay in a partnership between the Land Development Agency, Clarendon Properties, BAM, Cork City Council and CIÉ.

Glenveagh Properties is on course to complete more than 330 homes on the former Marquee site in a partnership with the LDA on a site that will ultimately deliver more than 1,178 apartments.

Work is also under way at the former CMP site on the Kinsale Road, where Cairn Homes is delivering more than 600 apartments with housing agency Respond.