Ireland – Construction work – Military Road Historic Buildings Complex - Emergency Works

This Emergency Works phase of the project involves specific weathering and security measures to consolidate the remedial stabilisation and decontamination works undertaken to date, for four important historic buildings located adjacent to the Military Road, Dublin 8. These are referred to as the Medical Officer’s House, Infirmary Buildings, Coach House and Laundry Building, all associated with the former Royal Hospital, Kilmainham. It is important to stress that the Medical Officer’s House and Infirmary Building are designated as Recorded Monuments and are Protected Structures of very significant heritage value. In this context, all works should be undertaken within the remit of best conservation practice, through ongoing consultation with the Conservation Architect and the Conservation Officer within the Dublin City Council Planning Section. The site is located adjacent to the new Garda Offices at Walter Scott House, immediately to the south of the Laundry Building. To the north boundary, the Medical Officer’s House is set back from St John’s Road to the north, facing Heuston Station, with a historic stone retaining wall along this edge. Along the Military Road boundary to the east are the site access gates within a secure mesh fence. To the east, the Infirmary building backs directly onto the Revenue Buildings. This is a high security site with national data storage, and will entail highly restricted access arrangements. The Phase 1 Works already complete included emergency structural works to stabilise the buildings, particularly the Medical Officer’s House and Infirmary, where sections of roofs and floors had collapsed. Temporary propping and internal/ external steel strapping/ bracing was put in place throughout, debris was cleared, joinery was salvaged and set aside, and the buildings were secured and temporarily weathered where required. The Laundry Building was re-roofed and completed to the elevations facing Walter Scott House; the north elevation facing the Revenue site remains to be completed, along with the associated windows. A steel framework was installed to suit a future first floor level. The proposed Phase 2 Emergency Works include new surface water drainage network connecting all 4 buildings to soakaway pits on site. All excavations for service ducts across the site, new ground floor formation levels and so on will require the monitoring Archaeologist to be present on site, and the agreement of samples, details and other work stages on site be subject to oversight and agreement by the Conservation Architect. All building fabric on site (fixed, and loose fittings/ fixtures) can be considered to be important and carrying a heritage value, and a documentary record of all internal fittings and joinery/ decorative elements has been prepared by the Conservation Architect. The scope of the works to the buildings is comprised of the following essential remedial works to prevent further water damage, to secure the buildings from intruders and vermin/ bird ingress, all in preparation for future phases of works, with the potential that the buildings will remain vacant for up to 5 years.