The Central Bank is planning an €8.5 million revamp of its south Dublin currency centre to modernise the complex and boost security.
The Sandyford-based facility was constructed in the late 1970s and was designed to house the printing facility for Irish currency notes.
At the time, architect Sam Stephenson was awarded the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland’s Gold Medal for a building of outstanding merit.
But now the Central Bank is undertaking a so-called Strategic Security Upgrade project to bring the operation in line with “current best practice for installations of this kind”.
That includes building a new security control room and upgrading monitoring operations, as well as constructing new outbuildings, and a toughening of the buildings on the campus.
The full project budget is estimated to be around €8.5m.
The Currency Centre is listed as the second highest security complex in the State, employing around 200 people.
It has a permanent garda and army presence on site.
The Central Bank is looking for an architect-led design team to undertake the refurbishment, but given the high level of security, the members of the team will have to undergo garda vetting before starting the work.
Work will include the construction of a new security control room and the associated installation of a new “state of the art” electronic control and monitoring systems, with video analytics.
A new goods building and maintenance storage facility will also be built, along with a new two-storey reception, office and checkpoint building complete with an x-ray machine, a search room, meeting rooms and rooms for the gardai and army.
The car park and roads will be improved in such a way to make the compound more secure,
For example, new entrances will be developed, along with bollards and high security fences.
The various buildings will also be physically hardened, the Central Bank said. A spokeswoman for the Central Bank said the organisation was “seeking expressions of interest for a range of services to maintain the buildings and infrastructure that supports the operations at the Currency Centre, including traffic management, office premises, and security infrastructure.
“The development is part of the Central Bank’s regular and ongoing programme of maintaining its buildings and infrastructure.”
The Irish Independent reported last week that the Central Bank is to put its current headquarters on Dame Street – which was also designed by Sam Stephenson – and two other premises on Dublin’s College Green on the market in the coming months.
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