The long-awaited opening of Bolands Mills looks set to take place later this year, with some 80 per cent of the units at the Dublin docklands scheme now let to a mix of independent businesses within the food and drink, wellness and beauty sectors.
Developed at the site of the former Boland’s Quay, the three landmark buildings which Google acquired in 2018 in a deal worth about €300 million, today the wider Bolands Mills scheme comprises more than 37,000sq m (400,000sq ft) of regenerated mixed-use space, built around the historic 19th century Bolands flour mill.
Quite apart from its 3,700sq m (40,000sq ft) of publicly accessible mixed-use space, with retail, recreation and dining, and dedicated 465sq m (5,000sq ft) of community and cultural space, the development at Grand Canal Dock also houses about 28,000sq m (301,389sq ft) of office space along with 46 apartments which Google intends to offer at reduced rents to key workers in the local area through a not-for-profit housing body before the end of this year.
Inspired by other markets, such as the English Market in Cork city, and Spitalfields in London, the mixed-use space at Bolands Mills is due to open on a phased basis between late 2024 and early 2025. The list of occupiers assembled by the scheme’s letting agent CBRE comprises an eclectic mix of local businesses.
Thibault Peigne and the team of bakers behind Russell Street Bakery and wholesale brand Tartine, will open the 176sq m (1,900sq ft) Bolands Mills Bakery in the heritage building, Pim House, beside The Flour Mills.
Reformation, by Lee Tracey and Annie Kirwan, will open their second Reformer Pilates and Yoga studio, taking 260sq m (2,800sq ft) of space in The Flour Mills.
Shane Clifford, Hugh O’Farrell and Declan Murphy of The Animal Collective, the team behind popular Dublin bars Bonobo, Kodiak, and Caribou, are planning to open their latest concept, a 334sq m (3,600sq ft) bar in The Flour Mills. The same team will also curate a new 557sq m (6,000sq ft) food market hosting a variety of traders on the ground floor of one of the new Bolands buildings.
Simon Moore and Erwin Pollard, the founding owners of Grindstone Speciality Coffee, will be serving coffee and small producers’ products from a 139sq m (1,500sq ft) space on the ground floor of the historic Barge House.
Local hair stylists Andrea Walsh and Anja Geraghty will open the Don’t Kill My Vibe hair salon in a 93sq m (1,000sq ft) space on the ground floor of The Barge House also.
Two units remain available to let at Bolands Mills. The 150-year-old Miller’s Lodge, the former residence of the site’s head miller, which has been restored and modernised, measures 6,000sq ft while Unit 7 extends to 372sq m (4,000sq ft). Both properties are ideally suited to retail, café or restaurant use according to CBRE.
Commenting on the progress at the south docklands scheme to date and its upcoming opening for business, Michael Conaghan, Google’s project director for Bolands Mills said: “We’re excited to be nearing completion of our restoration of the iconic 150-year-old Bolands Mills and its surrounding site. Our goal was to create a welcoming destination that appeals to people of all ages, interests, and abilities. With over 4,645sq m (50,000sq ft) dedicated to the public, a diverse mix of businesses, and Google’s new engineering hub, Bolands Mills is poised to become a thriving part of the Grand Canal area once again.”
Neil Culkin, Google’s real estate director for Bolands Mills, added: “Our goal has always been to curate a lively ecosystem of local traders to rejuvenate Bolands Mills by day and by night, giving people lots of reasons to visit the area and soak up the culture. We’re thrilled to announce that this historic location is now home to a new generation of innovators as we welcome a line-up of exceptional local businesses to Bolands Mills, bringing a true icon of Dublin back to life.”
Bernadine Hogan, CBRE Ireland’s head of retail, said: “We have worked with Google over the last number of years to support the vision for the ground floor spaces at Bolands Mills. It has been a fantastic opportunity to collaborate on a one-of-a-kind development, with a core focus on place-making and culture, pushing us to think differently about how to balance local business, community and history. We are very excited to welcome the first round of occupiers through the doors on competitive and flexible lease terms and look forward to continuing our work with Google at Grand Canal Dock.”
