Loft-style apartments offer roomy living from £135,000

Ten loft-style apartments in a former clothing warehouse off Clanbrassil Street, in Dublin 8, are being put on the market today through Sherry FitzGerald with prices ranging from £135,000 for a large two-bedroom unit to £390,000 for a duplex penthouse. The apartments, which are for sale from the plans, are the first phase of The Warehouse, a stylish conversion of a 1950s four-storey warehouse once occupied by clothing manufacturers Crowe Wilson. The scheme will have 41 units in total, many of them with very large living spaces and higher than average ceilings. Parking spaces will be available for each unit, priced at a reasonable £10,000.

Designed by architect Mary Donohoe, the scheme is being built by Clanbrassil Mill Developments, a company headed by property developer Michael Roden. It is due for completion by next August, with the remainder of the units due to be sold early next year when a show apartment will be available. With most Dublin developers determined to restrict apartment sizes to the minimum, this scheme certainly stands out. Several units will have double-height ceilings, the original restored parquet flooring, and all will have big, well-lit living spaces ranging in size from 760 sq ft to over 2,000 sq ft. As such, it is likely to attract owner-occupiers who want a bigger, more sophisticated space in which to live and, perhaps, work. Security measures include closed-circuit TV and an on-site concierge.

Selling agents Jill O'Neill and Simon Ensor are keen to sell the notion of size over the number of bedrooms available. The majority of the units have two bedrooms, even those with more than 2,000 sq ft. There are some one-bedroom units available but these, too, are far larger than average. The top two floors will be given over to duplex two-bedroom units with balconies offering views over the city and towards the Dublin mountains. Most of the apartments will have either a balcony or a terrace, and some of these will measure up to 500 sq ft. To avoid the notion of apartments leading off corridors, there will be several entrance points to the scheme. Some apartments will be accessed from the street while others will lead off a large, paved entrance courtyard.

In the 10 units available, sizes and prices vary with no two units alike. A ground-floor one-bedroom apartment with 760 sq ft and a terrace is priced at £135,000; also on the ground floor, a larger two-bedroom unit with 880 sq ft and a terrace, costs £155,000; a 1,140 sq ft ground-floor unit is priced at £195,000. On the first floor, three units ranging in size from 1,020 sq ft to 1,320 sq ft are priced between £185,000 and £235,000. Two apartments on the second floor are available, one with 1,420 sq ft costing £255,000; the other has 1,485 sq ft and has a price tag of £237,500. Two duplex penthouse apartments on the third and fourth floors are priced at £370,000 and £390,000 respectively. Both have just over 2,000 sq ft. The more expensive unit has a 560 sq ft balcony.

The launch prices work out at between £170 and £190 per sq ft, making The Warehouse relatively good value. Most new developments in the city centre are now priced at between £250 and £300 a sq ft with apartments in designated areas selling for up to £340 a sq ft. The parking spaces also compare well. Spaces in some city developments have now reached a staggering £30,000. However, since The Warehouse is a refurbished development, stamp duty is payable on all the units.

Buyers can choose their own kitchens from companies offering fashionably sleek units and appliances. Kitchen allowances range from £3,500 to £7,000. Track and recessed lighting will be provided in all units, and bathrooms will be fitted with quality sanitary ware, chrome taps and generous tiling. As an added incentive, buyers in this phase can call on Merrion Square-based interior designers Helen Roden and Joe Ensko for a free consultation.