U2 - Beautiful Day

U2's Bono Embroiled in Hotel Historic Preservation Controversy

Michael Smith, former chair of Irish development watchdog group An Taisce, has strong words for U2's Bono, who is often cited as one of the most progressive, humanitarian and green celebrities in the world.

Smith opposes Bono's plan to renovate Dublin's 177-year-old Clarence Hotel. "The Clarence demolition is an old-fashioned, money-driven, anti-environmental exploit," Smith, told the Los Angeles Times. "Bono is behaving like just another private-jet-addicted property speculator feeding on Ireland's greedy zeitgeist."

Bono's proposed $220-million project would triple the hotel's size and top it with a panoramic glass bar. The rocker had purchased the 49-room hotel in 1993 with U2 guitarist David Evans, better known as the Edge. The renovation reportedly involves tearing down four adjacent Georgian buildings, gutting the hotel and expanding it to 140 rooms.

The plans were done by London-based architect Lord Norman foster, who is well known as a pioneer in green building, having designed the Hearst Tower in New York City and the Swiss Reinsurance Company's home in the British capital. Foster's plans for the Clarence include preserving the exteriors and salvaging the original fireplaces, windows and doors.

But such nods to green building don't go far enough, say critics, especially considering the scale of the project and the fact that other historic structures will be raized.

Boosters claim Bono's hotel plan will be good for Dublin, and will stimulate the local economy. The city has approved the project, despite some rising opposition.

Across town, the rockers are also backing a new 394-foot building dubbed the U2 Tower, to be completed in 2011.





From the album: All That You Can't Leave Behind.
Directed by: Jonas Âkerlund
Shot at: Charles De Gaulle Airport (Paris)
2000

The heart is a bloom
Shoots up through the stony ground
But there's no room
No space to rent in this town
You're out of luck
And the reason that you had to care
The traffic is stuck
And you're not moving anywhere
You thought you'd found a friend
To take you out of this place
Always
Someone you could lend a hand
In return for grace
Always

It's a beautiful day
Day
The sky falls and you feel like
Day
It's a beautiful day
Day
Don't let it get away
Day

You're on the road
But you've got no destination
You're in the mud
In the maze of her imagination
You love this town
Even if that doesn't ring true
You've been all over
And it's been all over you
Always

It's a beautiful day
Day
Don't let it get away
Day
It's a beautiful day
Day, day
Touch me
Take me to that other place
Teach me
I know I'm not a hopeless case

See the world in green and blue
See China right in front of you
See the canyons broken by clouds
See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out
See the Bedouin fires at night
See the oil fields at first light and
See the bird with a leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colors came out

Day, day

It was a beautiful day
Day
Don't let it get away
Day
Beautiful day
Day, day

Touch me
Day
Take me to that other place
Day
Reach me
Day
I know I'm not a hopeless case
Day

What you don't have you don't need it now
What you don't know you can feel somehow
What you don't have you don't need it now
Don't need it now
It was a beautiful day