MICHAEL GERAGHTY
Michael Geraghty of Howard Parking Ltd. talks to
Liam Keilthy
LK How did you first become
involved in the parking
industry?
MG I joined Howard Holdings
plc, based in our Dublin offices,
in 1999, having originally
qualified as an accountant in
KPMG. At that time Howard
was actively involved in the
development of three new taxbased
multi-storey car park
projects:
- 1 Beaumont Hospital, Dublin - 600 spaces
- 2 City Hall Car Park, Cork - 380 spaces
- 3 St Finbarre's Car Park, Cork - 350 spaces
The company decided to manage these directly and set
up Howard Parking Limited. I was the man on the spot
and was landed with the job of running the business.
We opened Beaumont in June and the other two in
September of 1999 - a steep learning curve and hectic
times for somebody with no background in car
parking!
LK Was there a history of car park development in
the company that predated these projects?
MG The principals in Howard Holdings,
Frank Gormley and Greg Coughlan - an
accountant and an engineer respectively -
had undertaken some car park projects
prior to their involvement in Howard
Holdings. The 450-space mscp at Union
Quay in Cork was one of the very first
tax-based car park projects in the country.
The 380-space Grand Parade Car Park,
also in Cork, was developed as part of a
larger mixed scheme on Grand Parade and
involved the redevelopment of the old
Irish Car Parks surface site opposite the
library in Cork. A 780 space mscp in
Croydon had also been completed.
LK The Cork connection seems to be very strong?
MG The Company has offices in Cork - developed as
part of the Union Quay project. We have significant
projects under way there, including the Lapps Quay
development incorporating the Clarion Hotel, and the
Webworks project with Enterprise Ireland. We
recently acquired the Ford Motor Company site on the
docks and have grand plans for its redevelopment as
part of the overall plan for the revitalisation of the
Cork Docklands Area.
In 2001 we developed - and still manage - the 300-
space mscp at New Street in Waterford, and in Cork
we recently opened a 300-space car park in our Lapps
Quay development with 2 floors underground.
We also have offices in Croydon and South Africa, and
have major projects underway in Cape Town and
planned for Poland and Majorca. This year, we have
become involved in three shopping centres, in Leeds
and Croydon in the UK and Wilton in Cork and will
develop their potential, which will no doubt include
parking. Many of our projects are PPPs with Joint
Venture Partners, such as the 30 acre Fingal Bay
Business Park in Balbriggan.
LK Howard is a development company so I expect
that there are more projects in the pipeline?
MG The €185 million Mandela Rhodes Place scheme
in Cape Town is very exciting, and includes a 230
bedroom hotel, 180 apartments, retail, offices and a
350 space car park.We have a 25-storey apartment
block planned for Croydon, and a golf course, hotel
and villas in Majorca - all will involve car parking.
We are a property development company with
expertise and interests in car parking.This is how it is
planned to take the business forward.
LK Howard Parking appears to have a close-knit team?
MG We manage about 1,700 parking spaces, with our
own staff. at Beaumont and Waterford. To date we
have contracted out our staffing in
Cork to a company which has
provided us with an effective service
to date.
LK On the personal side you have a
keen interest in golf and rugby?
MG My wife and I are blessed with
three great children - 2 boys and a girl.
My weekends for many years involved
2 soccer matches and 2 rugby matches
- so I have a keen interest in many
sports!
I enjoy a game of golf and love working
in this business with a great company.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Michael Geraghty
Howard Parking Limited,
Ballintaggart House,
Clonskeagh,
Dublin 14
t: (0)1 277 6200
e: mgeraghty@howardeurocape.com
w: www.howardeurocape.com
