Jones Investments, the property development group headed by Chris Jones, will spend €10m building a hi-tech enterprise building on Barrow Street in Dublin, close to the European headquarters of Google. Jones is expected to start work on the centre in June, with building work likely to take about 18 months. The project will involve the demolition of a warehouse at 15 Barrow Street, and replacing it with the “enterprise and innovation building ” aimed at technology, media and telecoms tenants. The industrial-style building will have space for about 250 workers, with shared work areas, meeting rooms and break-out spaces. While it will be similar to flexible office space offered by companies including WeWork and Iconic Offices, it is understood Jones will consider letting the entire building to a single tenant, which would then run it as an enterprise centre. Estate agent Savills has been retained by Jones to find a tenant. Jones bought the low-rise Barrow Street warehouse after it was put on the market for €2m in 2016. The developer initially sought permission for a 3,800 sq m building with five floors over a double basement. After some local objections and consultation with Dublin city council, it reduced the building by one floor and modified some other aspects of the building. Final planning permission was granted by the council in December and the decision was not appealed to An Bord Pleanala. The revised building will be 3,250 sq m in gross floor area. Commercial estate agents have forecast rents for prime office space will reach €700 per sq m this year. The enterprise building, designed by architects Henry J Lyons, will be opposite the Bolands Quay apartment and office development being built by Nama.

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