The US Embassy has formally announced its plan to purchase the site of the former Jury's Hotel in Ballsbridge.

As reported by The Journal, the US State Department of Overseas Buildings expects to close on the purchase of the 4.2-acre site within the next 60 days. The seller will demolish the currently vacant hotel once the deal has been closed. According to The Independent, the US government has signalled that it plans to spend nearly $700m (€640m) on a new Embassy. Design, planning and construction of the new Embassy will get underway once the acquisition is complete. [caption id="attachment_163080" align="alignnone" width="2048"] The current Irish US Embassy, image via Getty. [/caption] The Embassy described the current chancery at 42 Elgin Road as an “architechtural icon”, and said it will work closely with local partners to “ensure that a suitable plan for the site is developed once the embassy is relocated”. The US Ambassador to Ireland Claire Cronin said:

"This has been a priority for me. We happily have outgrown our current historic home, and investment in a new building represents both the extraordinary US-Irish bond of today and the potential tomorrow brings.

"As we continue to deepen and expand our ties on multiple levels, I hope the new embassy will become a beacon for future generations who will seek to build on the promise of a prosperous US-Irish relationship.”

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