The Irish Independent, Friday, November 11th 2016
Three super-size penthouses are resurrected from the boom
Back in 2006, before it all went horribly wrong and the sky fell in (not just for Chicken Licken but the rest of us as well) developers Johnny Ronan and Richard Barrett of Treasury Holdings were creating their ambitious Spencer Dock scheme. Designed by architects Scott Tallon Walker, it was located adjacent to the IFSC beside the River Liffey in Dublin 1.
By the time the eight penthouse apartments in the development were finished, the economy had changed utterly and the dwellings were – sensibly – mothballed. There wasn’t much of an appetite back then for super-sized luxury apartments, stepped along the eighth and ninth floors, with rooftop decks, swimming pools and hot tubs.
Thankfully, times change and things are on the up again. Apartments in the city centre are in huge demand and Irish people are coming around to the notion of living in the city with a family. These penthouses offer a much larger floor area than a typical red-brick period family home in Dublin 6, for instance, that will be on the market for the same price.
In April of this year, Nama decided to test the water, stuck its neck out and offered four of the penthouse apartments for sale on the open market, priced at between €900,000 and €1.45m.
Joint agent, Owen Reilly, confirmed this week that each one of those penthouses is now sale agreed. “We are delighted with the level of interest in the penthouses, which came from potential purchasers based in Ireland and also in the US, UK and Asia,” says Reilly. “Sales have been made to both owner-occupiers and investors.”
Now Reilly and joint agent, Hooke & McDonald, have come back to the market with a further three penthouse apartments.
“They are very spacious and well-finished,” says Reilly. “The triple-aspect ensures they get sun in the morning, afternoon and evening. The two designated underground parking spaces that come with each apartment were considered important by those who viewed the first four, and they liked the storage space in the basement and the seven-day-a-week concierge service that deals with everything from booking taxis to admitting guests.”
No 40 Saunders House (€1.1m) is a 3,067 sq ft three-bed duplex penthouse with magnificent city views and a huge south-facing terrace, complete with heated pool with a wave feature, which will conjure up images of summer pool parties and a lifestyle more often seen in sunnier climes.
The apartment has high ceilings, a light-filled interior thanks to triple-aspect floor-to-ceiling windows, and an open-plan layout. It would work equally well as an unusual family home, swanky city base or premium investment opportunity. There’s generous living space, a state-of-the-art Bulthaup kitchen with Miele appliances and three double bedrooms, of which two are ensuite with walk-in wardrobes.
In addition, the apartment has a main bathroom and guest lavatory, plus a study and utility room; the bathroom fittings are all by Villeroy and Boch, and Duravit.
No 57 Saunders House (€1m) has 3,218 sq ft of living space and is a four-bed, three-bathroom duplex with extended outdoor living space on its south-facing rooftop terrace.
No 71 Kirkpatrick House (€1.1m) has 2,766 sq ft of living space and a wrap-around south-facing terrace accessed via floor-to-ceiling sliding doors.
This apartment features a sweeping staircase that leads from the upper floor to the bedroom accommodation on the lower level.
In terms of location, Spencer Dock is right in the heart of Dublin’s financial district in the city centre. The 3 Arena, Convention Centre, Grand Canal Dock and Bord Gáis Energy Theatre are all within a few minutes’ walk. Spencer Dock’s own Linear Park provides jogging and cycling routes, and the development’s designated private Luas stop links residents to rail and other transport options.
Asking price: €1m-€1.1m
Agent: Joint Agents: Owen Reilly (01) 677 7100, Hooke & MacDonald (01) 631 8402
To view the article on-line, please click here.
The Irish Independent, Friday, November 11th 2016
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