Duggan Lynch Ltd. acted as Main Contractors and developed by Reddy Architecture & Urbanism for Kilkenny County Council on this new library which was completed in January 2024 and officially opened on the 24th April 2024. The library, built on the site of the old Mayfair Ballroom, has been transformed into a major public facility with more than 1,800 square metres of community library space available over two floors.
The Mayfair Building itself was originally constructed as a ballroom and first opened its doors on St Stephen’s night, 1943. During the 1950s, 60s and 70s the Mayfair Ballroom was Kilkenny’s social hotspot. It was a very good ballroom and the venue for many important events including the Golf Ball, Rugby Ball and the Kilkenny County Council dance with music by many outstanding bands. It continued as such until 1973 when it closed. Shortly after the building was acquired by the St.Francis Abbey Brewery and was used as office accommodation, staff canteen and locker room until 2013. The building had been extended on several occasions over this period.
Services in the building include community exhibition space, meeting room for workshops, book clubs and other events, study spaces, young adult area, dedicated children’s area, makerspace with 3D printing and a range of other programmes, comfortable spaces to sit and browse, printing, scanning and access to public internet and much more
The library, built on the site of the old Mayfair Ballroom, has been transformed into a major public facility with more than 1,800 square metres of community library space available over two floors.
This project comprised of the renovation and extension of the former Mayfair Ballroom in the Abbey Quarter for library use as the Kilkenny City Library. Works included:
- Demolition of extensions to the north-east gable of the existing building (approx. 102m2), access steps to the building and removal of a boiler house and steps adjoining the City Wall (a National Monument).
- Provision of a new two storey extension to the gable ends of the existing building (approx. 884m2) externally insulated with a render finish.
- Remodelling and extension of the existing 2 storey flat-roofed section on the east façade, externally insulated and clad with a “second-skin” louvred system.
- Existing northern façade externally insulated with a render finish.
- Replacement of the existing roof with a standing seam metal roof.
- Replacement of the existing windows with new double-glazed windows in a powder coated aluminium frame.
- Modifications to the internal layout of the building and provision of a new mezzanine level in the double-height space of the former ballroom.
- Construction of a public urban square and new access to the building on the site of the existing public car park to the south west of the building including hard and soft landscaping works.
- Site works associated with the formation of new connections to existing public foul and surface water drainage and existing utilities as required.
Watch the timelapse video at this link: https://youtu.be/PvhQmGmZ990
