Over €2.8m for Donnybrook retail unit

Investments:Those aspiring to own a commercial property in the heart of Dublin 4 should note the availability of 93 Morehampton Road.

This three-storey, mid-terrace commercial building offers a select address, plenty of space but also a beautiful oriental garden to the rear, with ornamental pond and water feature.

The unit is in Donnybrook village and was home to Sherry Fitz-Gerald New Homes. It will be sold by public tender through DTZ Sherry FitzGerald, with industry sources indicating a price over €2.8 million. Yet any successful bid is likely to be "substantially higher" than this, experts suggest.

The fact that the property has significant development potential, subject to planning, will be a key driver for the eventual sales price. Number 93 would suit a variety of uses, and is in an area zoned Z4 in the 2005-2011 Dublin City Development Plan "to provide for the improvement of mixed services facilities".

The building sits in a high profile location with 4.3 metres of frontage onto Morehampton Road. It is almost equidistant from the junctions of Marlborough Road and Mount Eden Road with Morehampton Road.

There is a collection of adjoining occupiers, including Donnybrook Fair and Christies Estates. The broader Ballsbridge/Donnybrook catchment includes AIB, A&L Goodbody and Iona Technologies.

The property is a purpose-built commercial building with an extensive rear garden. The property is deceptive, with great space behind the front façade and potential for a variety of uses, such as retail, showrooms, offices, consultant's rooms, design houses, and so on. It is a very attractive lot size and maybe attractive for business owners to purchase via a pension fund.

It has a number of interesting architectural features, such as a full height central atrium with a landscaped courtyard, which adds additional natural light to the building.

The accommodation extends to about 283.4sq m (3,050sq ft), and has recently been refurbished with all the technological necessities, including Cat 5 cabling, specialist lighting, suspended ceilings with recessed spot lights and cassette air conditioning units.

It is laid out as showrooms but is a flexible space and can cater for open-plan and cellular configurations, along with retail use at ground floor level.

The ground floor offers 102.34sq m (1,101sq ft) and the first floor measures 85.65sq m (922sq ft). The second floor provides 95.41sq m (1,026sq ft) more space, making for a substantial property.

The location couldn't be more appealing. Nearby is Herbert Park, one of the most beautiful parks in the city, with tree-lined walks, tennis courts, bowling and children's playground.

There is a number of fine hotels and dining options within easy reach, such as Donnybrook Fair Café, Rolys Bistro and the Four Seasons.