East Arran Street

LITTLE STRAND STREET

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Little Strand Street, a little known lane in Dublin, bears witness to a tale of ambition and stalled development. It connects the bustling Capel Street to East Arran Street, but the promise of transformation embodied in two vacant sites lingers unrealised. Here, potential hotels stand as phantoms, their absence casting a long shadow over the street’s history and future.

The larger of the voids was once the location of the Ormond Hotel, a grand establishment that played host to literary luminaries like James Joyce. Time and economic forces took their toll, and the hotel was demolished, leaving only a derelict site where a gleaming new structure should now stand. The reasons for the stalled development are complex. Some cite financial difficulties, while others highlight planning hurdles and disagreements over the project’s scale. This delay leaves a gaping wound in the streetscape, echoing an uncertain future.

On the corner of Capel Street and Little Strand Street, another vacant lot tells a similar story. Once intended for a hotel, this promise has withered, the causes equally shrouded in speculation. Whether the blame lies with economic downturns or unforeseen complications, the vacant plot serves as a stark reminder of ambitions yet to be fulfilled.

The name “Little Strand Street” itself hints at a bygone era. It references the nearby River Liffey, where this lane likely reached the shoreline centuries ago before land reclamation pushed the waters further back. This historical connection lends a bittersweet charm to the street, where the past echoes in the very ground beneath one’s feet.

Yet, the future of Little Strand Street need not be defined by these stalled projects. There’s a palpable sense of potential within its narrow confines. The architectural character, from old Georgian facades to more contemporary additions, hints at a dynamic streetscape waiting to be fully realised. Perhaps a revised vision for the hotel sites, one that better integrates with the existing fabric of the area, could finally break the deadlock.

Little Strand Street may be small, but its current state speaks volumes about the complexities of urban development. While the reasons for the delayed projects remain somewhat opaque, the street itself stands as a microcosm of Dublin, where echoes of the past mingle with unfulfilled aspirations, leaving ample room for a revitalised future to emerge.

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