Harry Crosbie Explained

Honorific Prefix:OBE
Occupation:Property developer
Birth Date:[1]
Birth Place:Dublin, Ireland[2]

Harry Crosbie, OBE (born 1945 or 1946) is an Irish property developer and entrepreneur from the Dublin suburb of Drumcondra.[3] [4] [5] He is known for his work in redeveloping the Dublin Docklands, and his association with arts and events venues in Dublin city, including the Convention Centre, Vicar Street, The Point Depot/3Arena and the Grand Canal Theatre,[6] [7] [8] [9] as well as the Point Village,[10] [11] and the Wheel of Dublin ferris wheel.[12]

Early life

Crosbie grew up on Clonliffe Road in Drumcondra. His father came from East Wall in the Dublin Docklands, where he later ran a haulage business. He attended school at Rockwell College.[13]

Developments

The Point Theatre and O2

Crosbie bought the closed CIE Points Works in Dublin's Docklands depot for 750,000 Irish pounds in 1988, and redeveloped it into the Point Theatre, later expanded as the Point Depot, and then the O2, now known as the 3Arena, Ireland's biggest music and event venue.[14]

Kittiwake

In 2007,[15] Crosbie purchased from the Commissioners of Irish Lights the Kittiwake, a 1950s 40-metre light ship, built by Philip and Son in Dartmouth, Devon.[16] It was the second-last lightship to serve in Irish waters, ending service in 2005.[17] He had plans to lift it from the Liffey onto the quayside but was unable to reach agreement on a dry land location with the local authority. He had work done on the ship anyway, removing engines and asbestos, with a view to opening a cafe inside it, and stated that over half a million euro had been spent on the project.[18] The port authority, the Dublin Port Company, said that they had purchased the boat from the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) in 2012, and lifted it from the Alexandra Basin West, in December 2022, for future display in a heritage area on the Alexandra Road. Crosbie disputed both the purported sale and the move, and threatened legal action.[19] [20]

Bord Gáis Energy Theatre

Crosbie built a large theatre on the Grand Canal Docks south of the Point, commissioning Daniel Libeskind to design it. Later known as the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, it was put up for sale from 20 million euro by NAMA in 2014.

The Point Village and later developments

Crosbie planned a multi-element development north of the Point Theatre, to include a hotel (now the Gibson), a shopping centre, apartments, office space, the 39-storey "Watchtower" which was to be the tallest building in Ireland, a "U2 Experience", a ferris wheel and a sculpture. At one point, he had budgetary plans for investment of about 850 million euro in this.

In 2017, Crosbie sold the Gibson Hotel in the Point Village to Deka Immobilien,[21] and in 2023, he announced plans for a larger music venue close to Vicar Street.[22]

Recognition

In 2012, Crosbie was awarded an honorary OBE, being invested by the British Ambassador to Ireland in Glencairn House, in recognition of services to Anglo-Irish cultural relations and for organising an event during the state visit by Elizabeth II to Ireland in 2011.[23] [24]

Personal life

Crosbie is married for the second time, his first wife, with whom he had three children, having died. He has at least six grandchildren. He moved from a large house on Shrewsbury Road to a converted warehouse on Hanover Quay in the Docklands. He published a book of short stories in 2021.

Publications

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: McGreevy . Ronan . 9 March 2021 . Harry Crosbie: 'My book is an attempt at capturing a world which is now gone' . 17 October 2023 . Irish Times.
  2. Web site: 12 November 2006 . Harry Crosbie The CV . 17 October 2023 . independent.ie.
  3. Web site: Carty . Pat . 3 December 2021 . Book Review: Harry Crosbie - Undernose Farm Revisited . Hotpress.
  4. Web site: O'Toole . Fintan . Fintan O'Toole . 19 July 2014 . Bord Gáis theatre sale 'barbarous', says Harry Crosbie . subscription . The Irish Times.
  5. Web site: Quinlan . Ronald . 25 May 2014 . Harry Crosbie in court challenge to Nama over seizure of theatre . Irish Independent.
  6. Web site: Fagan . Jack . 9 July 2014 . Harry Crosbie's Bord Gáis theatre for sale at €20m . subscription . The Irish Times.
  7. Web site: Carbery . Genevieve . 19 March 2010 . Grand Unveiling: New Theatre Opens Its Doors With 'Swan Lake' . subscription . The Irish Times.
  8. Web site: 19 April 2013 . Receivers appointed to companies behind former Grand Canal Theatre and Point Village . TheJournal.ie.
  9. Web site: Lyons . Tom . 16 May 2014 . Docklands king's downfall – why Nama pursued Harry Crosbie . subscription . The Irish Times.
  10. News: Keena . Colm . Quinlan . Ronald . 18 August 2023 . Dunnes Stores begins work on fit-out of Point Village anchor unit in Dublin . subscription . The Irish Times.
  11. Web site: Dunnes settle Point row with Crosbie . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110614074418/http://www.businessworld.ie/livenews.htm?a=2630170%3Bs%3Drollingnews.htm . 14 June 2011 . 15 July 2010 . BusinessWorld.ie . WayBack Machine.
  12. Web site: Gartland . Fiona . 27 July 2010 . Giant Dublin wheel gives bird's-eye view . subscription . 24 April 2021 . The Irish Times.
  13. News: McCann . Fionn . 26 June 2010 . 'I can't imagine how tough it is for ordinary people out there' (The Saturday Interview: Harry Crosbie) . . subscription.
  14. News: Meagher . John . 20 July 2014 . Harry Crosbie: The man who dreamed too big . .
  15. Web site: Ashmore . Jehan . Crosbie's Café Lightship Plan Rejected . afloat.ie . 28 November 2023 . 4 August 2011 . en-gb.
  16. 481-tonne ship lifted out of Dublin port will be restored and put on public display . 29 December 2022 . Betson . Alan . video . The Irish Times.
  17. Web site: Old Lightship - The Kittiwake . Dublin Street Images.
  18. News: Collins . Liam . 2 May 2021 . Docklands developer Harry Crosbie seeks the return of 'Kittiwake' lightship . . https://archive.today/20231120015554/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/docklands-developer-harry-crosbie-seeks-the-return-of-kittiwake-lightship/40378302.html . 20 November 2023.
  19. Web site: Ashmore . Jehan . Dublin 'Docklands' Developer Harry Crosbie Seeks Return of former Lightship 'Kittiwake' . afloat.ie . 3 May 2021.
  20. News: Kelly . Olivia . 29 December 2022 . Harry Crosbie threatens legal action against Dublin Port Company over ship ownership . subscription . The Irish Times.
  21. Rey . Alexandre . Castells . Magalí . Szabo . Peter . 3 July 2018 . 2017 EUROPEAN HOTEL TRANSACTIONS . pdf . HVS Global Hospitality Report . Chart 14 . .
  22. News: McGreevy . Ronan . 28 September 2023 . Plans for Dublin to get new 2,000-seater music and arts venue . subscription . The Irish Times.
  23. Web site: Heffernan . Breda . 20 October 2012 . The name's Crosbie, Harry Crosbie -- family man gets OBE . Independent.ie.
  24. News: O'Halloran . Marie . 19 October 2012 . Harry Crosbie receives honorary OBE . subscription . The Irish Times.

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