A distinctive apartment and townhouse scheme at the top end of the market is launching today at Ardilea, Clonskeagh, Dublin 14 - a stone's throw from where £1 million-plus houses made headline news last year.
Castlepark Construction has built 21 one and two-bedroom apartments, eight two and three-bedroom penthouses and four large townhouses - all with an exceptional standard of finish - at Stanford, on the site of the former Deerpark Hotel. With one-bedroom units starting at £245,950 (€312,290), these have to be among the most expensive pads in town.
Three of the two-bedroom units have been pre-sold and the entire scheme is ready to move into, once paperwork is completed. Selling agent GPK Properties will be taking bookings at the site from today.
Prices range from £245,950 (€312,290) to £249,950 (€317,370) for seven one-bedroom units with 538 sq ft of living space. The one-bedroom show apartment costs £262,950 (€333,880). Thirteen two-bedroom units start at £349,950 (€444,340), eight penthouses cost from £349,950 (€444,340) and four very large townhouses cost from £799,950 (€1.015m).
Architect Niall Brennan and Associates has arranged the apartments in two adjoining blocks, accessed through beautifully landscaped gardens. A spherical water sculpture surrounded by a pergola is a central feature and narrow winding paths to the main entrances prevent unplanned parking. Resident parking is underground, with one free space with each unit and an extra one behind each of the townhouses.
Cherrywood, glass and brushed steel staircase rails, cherrywood panelling and a richly-hued marble floor create an imposing entrance lobby. All the halls are also panelled in cherrywood and architraves and skirtings are solid ash. Doors to the apartments are cherrywood. The apartments have an impressive range of standard fittings such as kitchen electrical appliances and high quality tiling. Groundfloor units have good-sized decked patios and there are sit-out balconies on upper apartments.
The two-bedroom apartments are priced according to their orientation and range in size from 753 sq ft to 850 sq ft. Three of the two-bed units are show apartments, priced from £354,950 (€450,690) to £369,950 (€469,740). Features in the two-bedroom apartments include a generous en suite bathroom with the main bedroom and an extra-large living area.
Eight penthouses are priced from £349,950 (€444,400) for a modest 646 sq ft two-bedroom unit, and up to £874,950 (€1.11m) for two very glamorous 1,367 sq ft three-bed penthouses, which have wrap-around decked balconies and huge open-plan living areas. Cherrywood kitchens have double-sized steel Smeg cookers suitable for adventurous cooks. The largest bedroom has a bank of solid cherrywood wardrobes and a full en suite bathroom and the main bathroom includes a jacuzzi bath.
The four townhouses are deceptively large at 2,045 sq ft and should generate a good deal of interest. Their design emulates period townhouses, with a large kitchen/living area at garden level and more formal rooms upstairs. A built-in vacuum system should prove a popular feature. The sitting-room and adjoining dining-room plus a guest bedroom and bathroom are at entrance level, with a small deck off the sitting-room. Two double bedrooms on the top floor with quaint sloping ceilings are both en suite.
A gas-fired Aga is standard in all the townhouse kitchens. These are very lavishly fitted out, with cream-painted cupboards, granite worktops, an island unit and a decorative terracotta tiled floor. A fourth double bedroom with en suite at this level could be used as a study or television room. Outside, there is a small patio, a steeply-sloping flower garden and one car-parking space.
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