Plans have been unveiled to construct a new concert venue on Thomas Street which will be twice as big as the neighbouring Vicar Street venue, as well as a more intimate 250-seat venue nearby.

Vicar Street owner, Harry Crosbie, initially intended to establish a new concert venue on the Docks. However, now his newest endeavour is set to be built directly next to the pre-existing Vicar Street venue. The plans also include a 250 seated-only venue in place of the old famine school in Vicar Street.

Unused land behind Meath Street church is set to be developed much like the entrepreneur’s other projects like the 3Arena, Vicar Street and the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. The land currently also hosts a basketball court which will be repurposed into a social area.

The artist’s rendition proposed alongside the plan sees Thomas Street converted into a musical and cultural quarter in the city. Planning permission is yet to be given by Dublin City Council, with expectations of a verdict in coming months.

The move comes as there’s a scarcity of venues to meet the needs of artists. Spaces like the Academy and 3Olympia have a capacity of around 1000 people, while the 3Arena has a capacity of around 13,000. There’s few spaces that can cater for acts that pull crowds that fall between those numbers. The hope is the new 2,000 seater venue would play a part in filling that void.

The three venues will be partnered with Aiken promotions, continuing the current relationship that Crosbie and the event organisers have.

The venue announcement is another ambitious plan laid out in the past few months, adding to projects such as Dublin City Council’s plan to revolutionise the town centre’s commuting infrastructure.

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