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Taking rundown Dublin buildings and turning them into homes

A homelessness charity sees vacant or derelict sites as a way of alleviating the homelessness crisis.

Photo_2017-06-16_02-56-16_PM The inside of St agatha's Court, before and after it was renovated. PMV Trust PMV Trust

ELEVEN NEW APARTMENTS were unveiled this week in Dublin’s inner city.

St Agatha’s Court on North William Street will provide permanent homes to be people who have been homeless or have faced serious housing issues for years.

The apartments were developed and will be operated by homelessness charity Peter McVerry Trust, which re-developed an existing derelict building

The St Agatha’s Court site was owned by Dublin City Council and scheduled for demolition when it was taken over by the PMV Trust.

A €1.4 million project saw the site re-developed into the 11 apartments. This approach – the renovating of vacant or derelict buildings and bringing them back to use – has been a central approach of the PMV Trust in its efforts to combat housing shortage and the homelessness crisis.

The 11 apartments of St Agatha’s Court brings to 50 the total number of housing units developed by the charity from old buildings.

Photo_2017-06-16_02-58-21_PM The outside of St Agatha's Court before and after it was renovated. PMV Trust PMV Trust

Vacant dwellings

Figures from the 2016 Census show that there were 183,312 vacant dwellings in Ireland, excluding holiday homes. This figures does not include derelict buildings that are uninhabitable.

In 2014, the PMV Trust began to focus on vacant buildings and derelict sites, looking at how these can be used to increase housing supply.

Instead of focusing solely on new builds, the Trust believes that renovating and reusing existing buildings can be a more cost-effective, quicker and more sustainable way to delivering houses.

It’s first major renovation project was six apartments on Pim Street in Dublin 8, which were originally local authority housing that were declared void.

Before - Rear yard The Pim Street development in dublin before it was renovated. PMV Trust PMV Trust

The charity followed up with subsequent redevelopments in various places around the inner city. The 11 units as St Agatha’s bring their number to 50.

A spokesperson for the Peter McVerry Trust said the charity has “at least” 100 additional units coming on stream in the next three years.

As well as this active use, the Trust also operates the reusingdublin.ie website, which aims to map and track vacant and derelict sites in the capital, as well as raise awareness of the issue.

Part of the government’s housing action plan – Rebuilding Ireland – is focused reusing existing housing stock. This part was due to be put into action in March of this year, but it had been delayed.

Read: ‘I fought to get clean and to get where I am today’: New apartments in Dublin give hope to homeless people

Read: Coveney’s aim for no homeless families in hotels by July? Not a chance says McVerry

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    Mute tmwtbc
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    Jul 10th 2015, 5:01 PM

    I honestly thought that was Graham Dwyer in the lead photo.

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    Mute James Mc Loughlin
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    Jul 10th 2015, 9:28 PM

    this bridge was up graded and now some fool wants to remove it .can you picture the traffic back up with children trying to cross the road.in the first place the road is too wide and would need an island in the middle of this all ready conjested road.leave it alone and keep death off the road.the dublin city counciller who thought up this mad idea should jack in the job

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    Mute Beachmaster
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    Jul 10th 2015, 4:40 PM

    I’d advise people to be very careful about what you comment about this article….wouldn’t want it to be used as an example of how politicians are being given a hard time online.

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    Mute Ray Farrelly
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    Jul 10th 2015, 4:45 PM

    He will looking for a job after the next election.

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    Mute Pharmyco
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    Jul 10th 2015, 4:45 PM

    A hard time? I’m sure the minister can stand up for himself

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    Mute Donal O'Brien
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    Jul 10th 2015, 6:37 PM

    His teaching job will be there waiting for him.

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    Mute Ray Farrelly
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    Jul 10th 2015, 6:44 PM

    I wonder will he be welcome back in the north wall.

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    Mute Éamonn Mac Eochaidh
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    Jul 10th 2015, 4:48 PM

    What next – somebody using Fidelma Healy Eames or Lorraine Higgins’ photos to attract a man on Tinder, or worse?

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    Mute Colin Webber
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    Jul 10th 2015, 6:32 PM

    I think Fidelma Healy Eames is incredibly attractive. Seriously. She’s a very good looking woman.

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    Mute Miriam Kane
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    Jul 10th 2015, 4:48 PM

    Ha ha ha I wonder did he get any takers

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    Mute Conor Power
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    Jul 10th 2015, 4:53 PM

    Who could forget the time hackers attacked Fianna Fail TD Micheal McGrath. They hacked his Facebook page so they could ‘like ‘Milf of the Day’. Those ‘hackers’ eh??

    http://www.dailyedge.ie/michael-mcgrath-milf-facebook-hack-1180951-Nov2013/

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    Mute steve white
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    Jul 10th 2015, 9:20 PM

    because if he was really using Tinder he’d use a Irish Times file photo?

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    Mute Vicko Aguilar
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    Jul 10th 2015, 5:33 PM

    And everyone has to believe the profile is not his!! Lol

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    Mute laura b
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    Jul 10th 2015, 6:48 PM

    Wasted my vote on this clown ..I feel like a right mug

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    Mute Del Bionic
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    Jul 11th 2015, 3:14 AM

    Seems to be the only member of Labour talking sense these days, so why the wasted vote?

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    Mute laura b
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    Jul 11th 2015, 3:34 PM

    Is that you Aodhain ?

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    Mute Rashers Tierney
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    Jul 10th 2015, 5:50 PM

    “The Master is unmarried, and is likely to remain so “.

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    Mute Marc Power
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    Jul 10th 2015, 5:24 PM

    so what, ?…He’s an adult

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    Mute Ignoreland
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    Jul 10th 2015, 7:24 PM

    Polling the electorate…

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