The scarcity of new apartments in Dublin's inner city will be eased slightly this week when bookings are taken for the first phase of a new development at the former Adelaide Hospital, at Peter Street.
Prices start mainly at £159,000 for one-bedroom apartments and from £174,500 for two-bedroom units, according to selling agent Hooke & MacDonald.
Although only 38 apartments are being released for sale at this stage, the Adelaide Square scheme will eventually have 175 apartments and penthouses in a courtyard setting behind the landmark Whitefriar Street Carmelite church. The original hospital building is to be upgraded and converted into 28,000 sq ft of high-quality offices, pushing the overall end value of the mixed development to more than £50 million.
Developer Benton Property Holdings is taking the very welcome step of offering fully-fitted kitchens with integrated Neff electrical appliances - stainless steel oven and hob, cooker hood fridge/freezer, microwave, and dishwasher. Benton has built two full-size show apartments on site which will reflect the style and layout of the one and two-bedroom units when they are completed. This will allow purchasers to see the standard of finish they can expect in the new homes. The fit-out generally is quite impressive, particularly in the kitchens and in the bathrooms.
The two-bedroom units with an average of 800 sq ft have an en suite bathroom with the main bedroom, complete with power shower and a full bathroom. Both bedrooms are doubles and the livingroom is particularly spacious.
The one-bedroom apartments are also quite spacious with around 500 sq ft, including a fine livingroom with two picture windows. The bathroom has a power shower rather than a bath. The location of Adelaide Square within a few minutes walk of St Stephen's Green is likely to prove a strong selling point. The scheme will have a 24-hour porter service in the main reception area. Carparking will cost an extra £25,000. Residents will have the use of an on-site exercise room with the latest machines and equipment. The development will also include a creche, to be run as an independent operation. There will also be a laundry facility, which will operate on a commercial basis for the exclusive use of residents. Benton Property Holdings paid £6.2 million for the former hospital, which stands on a site of 1.5 acres behind Whitefriar Street church. The apartments will be located in three separate blocks, two of them with five-storeys and the other standing six storeys.
