The Obel Tower is a mixed use development consisting of a 28 storey tower. The 85m tower provides apartments on all levels whilst the lower elements of the scheme provide 49,000 sq. ft. of office space. The development also provides 12,000 sq. ft. of commercial use on the ground floor and two basement parking levels [267 spaces]. The Obel structure was constructed between June 2008 and Autumn 2010 following the construction of the basement between January 2006 and Spring 2007.

Obel History:
The site at Donegall Quay was subject to a development brief issued by the Laganside Corporation. The consortium of KARL Properties, MAR Properties and Greenfarm Developments were selected following their proposal for the site and a contract was signed between Donegall Quay Ltd and Laganaside Corporation in June 2007.

The original scheme proposed by Donegall Quay Ltd and designed by Broadway Malyan was to include an eight storey 144 bedroom hotel. However upon the success of the first release of apartments the developer cancelled plans for a hotel and added more apartments. All 182 apartments released were booked within 48 hours of their release with prices ranging from £100,000 to £475,000. As well as creating more apartment space by replacing the hotel element of the scheme, the tower was also increased in height from 80m to 85m, creating an extra two floors. Planning permission for the changes to the development usage and tower height were approved in Autumn 2007.

Before the Obel structure was constructed there was a change in the developers behind the scheme as Karl Properties purchased fellow consortium members MAR properties and Greenfarm Developments stakes in Donegall Quay Ltd.

Obel Construction:
Construction began on the two basement levels in January 2006. Charles Brand a division of the Lagan Group carried out the work which was completed in early 2007. Upon completion of the first phase of the Obel construction process [basement works] the site was boarded up for much of 2007.

Construction re-commenced on site in the week commencing 16 June 2008 by the main contractor appointed to the project, O'Hare McGovern Construction. The site was cleared up after being left for one year with no work undertaken. By the end of that week the base of the first smaller tower crane was in place and subsequently fully erected the next week. Then, in the last week of July the 106m specially designed tower crane for the main Obel structure was erected. The crane was the same height as “Samson”, the taller of the two H&W cranes and came into operation on site on 1st August 2008 before being dismantled two years later over the weekend of 12/13th Jun 2010. The 106m high crane [6m below basement] was dismantled by a 350 tonne mobile crane and required 16 flatbed trucks to transport the crane segments offf site. 

Basement Contractor: Charles Brand Ltd
Basement Concrete: Cementaid
Curtain Walling & Glazing: McMullen Architectural Systems
Civil & Structural Engineers: Arup
M & E Contractor: Blackbourne Electrical Company
M & E Engineers: Delap and Waller
Subcontractor: Fernwave Ireland
Cost Management: Bruce Shaw
Safety Nets and Barriers: Combisafe
Agent: Osborne King
Drylining: North West Drylining Ltd
Lift Installation: Northern Lifts & Escalators Ltd