Galway City Council has appointed Dublin-based Flynn Management and Contractors for a €17 million fit-out of its new headquarters at Crown Square.
The deal – which has come in at a price substantially lower than some observers predicted – will bring the interior of the shell building the council bought for €45m in 2022, up to spec for occupation by council staff early next year.
Galway City Council said it would not disclose the final deal value at this time, but that €15 million had been drawn down to pay for the fit-out, which excludes another €2 million in VAT. It is unclear how much contingency the local authority can access for construction cost inflation.
The price of ancillary costs, such as design fees, specialist technical and engineering consultancy, new water mains, waste water connections, electricity grid connection and industrial grade fibre optics are understood to be separate to the fit-out costs, so a final bill, including taxes and charges, is expected to surpass the €60 million borrowed by City Hall to fund its new headquarters.
“This is tax payers’ money, and in 18 months or so, I’ll have to stand up in front of [councillors] and justify the final account, which I will do – justified in the knowledge we sought the best value for money possible,” said Derek Pender, Galway city council’s project lead for Crown Square.
Sources close to the deal to transform an empty office block into a seat of local government said it covered a “full internal service” ranging from internal structural arrangements, to small details such as audio visual integration and built-in furniture.
The core fit-out programme is scheduled to run for 43 weeks, and the Council expects its first personnel to move into the state-of-the-art building in late 2026, with full occupation planned for early 2027.
Valuations by Avison Young and Power Property show Number 3 Crown Square was worth almost €30 million last June, down from its 2022 (pre-tax ) purchase price of €36 million, leading a number of current councillors to question the wisdom of the previous (2019 to 2024 ) council’s decision to authorise a €60 million loan for its purchase and fit-out.
Consolidation
The development at Crown Square will bring Galway City Council staff together in a single location for the first time. They are currently dispersed in four buildings, two with annual rental bills footed by tax payers. Renovating the 1980s-era City Hall on College Road was projected to cost €69 million, while a further €38 million would be needed for temporary offices during a major refit.
Galway City Council will retain its original, four-acre site at College Road when it moves to Crown Square, off the Monivea Road. The city centre property will be included in a master plan for future mixed-use development, with potential to generate income. A city centre public counter service is likely to be retained.
The new energy-efficient civic offices at Crown Square will meet NZEB standards and LEED Platinum certification, aligning with the council’s climate and sustainability goals.
Galway City Council’s chief executive, Leonard Cleary said beginning the fit-out marks a significant step in the project, and thanked senior staff who are piloting the build and move. The CEO is understood to have received intense questioning from Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Patrick O’Donovan, two weeks ago, regarding the costs of Crown Square, compared to plans for sports infrastructure spending in Galway city.
“Appointing the contractor, following a full procurement process, allows us to move into the final phase of delivering a modern workspace for the organisation. By bringing our staff to one central location, Crown Square will strengthen collaboration, and support better services for the people of Galway city,” said Mr Cleary.
The Council has established three “workstreams” for the move to Mervue, including oversight, the move itself, and organisational change necessary to support councillors and citizens.
Staff orientation visits were facilitated to Crown Square last month, despite several requests last year, understood to have been denied for health and safety reasons.
