Apartments in city quarter

Dublin 1from €480,000: Buyers looking for an apartment with tax breaks in a great location should take a look at Quartiere Bloom, a development by Wallace Construction on Ormond Quay, beside the Millennium Bridge.

Hooke & MacDonald will be taking bookings from noon today at show apartments in this well-placed Liffeyside scheme.

This development has been under way for two years and is almost completed, with just 13 units for sale in the final phase. The contemporary style and high standard of finish will appeal to many, despite strong prices ranging from €480,000 to €1.6 million. Sizes are also good, with one-bedroom apartments at 55-62 sq m (550-670 sq ft) and two-bedroom units from 65-76 sq m (695-820 sq ft).

One 149 sq m (1,600 sq ft) three-bedroom penthouse for €1.6 million, occupying the fourth and fifth floors, has wonderful views over the river from its large roof terrace.

Section 23 tax relief at 87 per cent is included for both owner-occupiers and investors. Owner-occupiers can claim relief on all income, including PAYE, over a 10-year period while investors can set part of the purchase price against all rental income in the Irish Republic.

Quartiere Bloom is one of those city developments, like Temple Bar and Smithfield, which will attract a good proportion of owner-occupiers, despite the obvious benefits for investors. Developer Wallace Construction has worked extensively on government contracts in Turin and Milan, hence the Italian name of their Ormond Quay project and the Italian influence in the interior finish.

The design by architect George Morris is unusual, in that it spans three new six-storey buildings, one of which is constructed behind an original facade on Ormond Quay. Between the buildings is a concourse where retail units and coffee shops will create a good buzz in the area. Window surrounds of pitch pine blend well with the limestone and redbrick facade and some units have decked balconies with steel rails and there is a good expanse of window space.

Interiors are equally impressive. Kitchens in a variety of styles are imported from Italy and floors are tiled in terracotta distressed marble. Some bathrooms come with Jacuzzi baths and polished granite worktops.