The Obel Tower is a skyscraper in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Costing £60 million and measuring 85 metres (279 ft) in height, the tower dominates the Belfast skyline. On completion it overtook the previous tallest skyscraper in Ireland, Windsor House (80 m), also in Belfast. Developed by the Karl Group, the Obel Tower is located on Donegall Quay on the River Lagan beside the Lagan Weir.
The tower contains 233 apartments. The first 182 apartments released in March 2005, priced from £100,000 to £475,000 were reserved off plan within 48 hours.
Construction work on phase one of the project, the foundations and 2 storey basement carpark, began in January 2006. In mid-2007 construction work on the site ceased, and all of the construction equipment was removed; construction then recommenced on 17 June 2008.
Planning permission was granted in January 2008 for an extra two floors to be added to the tower to cater for further demand in apartment space. The anticipated completion date was originally summer 2010; however, owing to the construction moratorium the building was not completed until spring 2011. These extra floors will bring the overall height up from 80.5 metres to 85 metres.
In April 2011 it was announced that London law firm Allen & Overy was to rent all of the available office space at the Obel.
In October 2011 local catering firm Mount Charles opened its second 'Fed and Watered' branded cafe in one of the retail units on the ground floor.
On Friday 30th November 2012 administrators were appointed to Obel Ltd, Obel Offices Ltd and Donegall Quay Ltd. The three firms control the residential complex. According to the BBC, the main firm, Donegall Quay, is unable to pay debts to the former Bank of Scotland Ireland (BoSI) —believed to be more than £51m.
Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/landmark-belfast-tower-block-obel-enters-administration-16245637.html#ixzz2E1MJWHr0
Famous quotes containing the word tower:
“It is not their bones or hide or tallow that I love most. It is the living spirit of the tree, not its spirit of turpentine, with which I sympathize, and which heals my cuts. It is as immortal as I am, and perchance will go to as high a heaven, there to tower above me still.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)