Local Fianna Fáil councillor Aengus O’Rourke has welcomed the allocation of substantial funding towards the repurposing of the Old Tech Building on Northgate Street in the heart of Athlone.
“As the person who proposed that the Old Tech building should be repurposed as an innovation and co-working facility I am extremely grateful to receive confirmation from the Government that €1m has been allocated for this very purpose,” Cllr O’Rourke said.
“While the detail in terms of next steps are not entirely clear, the most important thing is that we are now firmly on a path to refurbishing this beautiful old building and putting it to good use.
“The building is under the control of TUS, they hold the lease until 2027. However, TUS and Westmeath County Council have been working very closely for the past year or so on a joint proposal to put the building back into active, productive use.
“I have met with TUS President Vincent Cunnane to progress this idea and I want to thank him for his commitment to the project. I also want to thank Barry Kehoe, A/CEO of Westmeath County Council for his active role. Athlone Chamber of Commerce also conducted important scoping work in the early days of this process.
“The Old Tech building is located adjacent to the new cycleway and not far from the motorway. Realistically, it is the perfect location for a centre of learning/enterprise support and remote working incubation for new businesses.
“The building also has huge value from a heritage and cultural stand point. I will ensure that what ever we do, it is done in a sensitive and restorative way. We must do everything in our power to protect and make available to the public the amazing history associated with this site,” Cllr O’Rourke concluded
