McKillen jnr and Core Capital seek €65 per sq ft for Dublin docklands offices

The Heysham occupies high-profile position beside Central Bank HQ on North Wall Quay

As companies continue to weigh up their requirements for office accommodation in the post-pandemic world, those looking to secure a high-profile headquarters in Dublin city centre may be interested in the latest offering from developer Paddy McKillen jnr's Oakmount and partners Core Capital.

Occupying a pivotal position beside the headquarters of the Central Bank and Dublin Landings in the city’s north docklands, The Heysham, as it will be known, will comprise 2,322sq m (25,000sq ft) of office space upon delivery in the third quarter of next year. The building is expected to command a rent of about €65 per sq ft.

The design by Mahoney Architecture represents a clever fusion of contemporary and Victorian architecture. The site at No 73 North Wall Quay has an interesting history dating back to its first appearance on the 1864 Ordnance Survey map. The original building was once the property of Burns & Laird Lines Ltd who introduced steam liner services between Scotland and Ireland in the early 1920s.

Part of the property was, at that time, known as The Heysham Yard and this has been adopted by the site's newest owners as the name of their office scheme. Oakmount and Core Capital acquired the property in 2019 from Arthur Molloy and Michael Sherry, of Molloy & Sherry Logistics for about €10 million.

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River views

The Heysham’s glazed structure will, upon completion, extend seven floors above No 73’s restored redbrick two-storey facade and be accessed via the building’s original Victorian arches. The office floors will range in size from 232sq m (2,500sq ft) to 279sq m (3,000sq ft), have floor-to-ceiling heights of 2.7m (8.8ft), and offer uninterrupted views of the river Liffey.The office accommodation has been designed to meet a capacity of one person per 8sq m. The Heysham will also include private terraces on the second and eighth floors, high-speed passenger lifts, along with 60 bicycle spaces and seven self-contained showers with changing rooms and drying-room facilities at basement level.

Derek McGrath of Core Capital says: "The Heysham is a really exciting project and an excellent addition to the city's already-dynamic north docklands. Its beautifully-designed glazed facade offers panoramic views across the city. This is a high-profile waterfront headquarter building with superb transport infrastructure immediately adjacent to the successful Dublin Landings. Potential occupiers should contact our joint agents Knight Frank and QRE to register their interest."

Ronald Quinlan

Ronald Quinlan

Ronald Quinlan is Property Editor of The Irish Times