Children's hospital to sell for £4m

One of the most interesting development opportunities to arise in Dublin this year, the National Children's Hospital in Harcourt Street, Dublin 2, is expected to make in the region of £4 million when it is sold by tender on October 21st through DTZ Sherry FitzGerald.

The hospital comprises five interconnecting four-storey over basement Victorian buildings which date from 1846. They are now in need of refurbishment.

Several extensions added at the rear in recent years will probably be demolished to make way for a new building.

One possible option would be to develop a separate building of about 20,000 sq ft at the rear overlooking the Iveagh Gardens. In addition to the main entrance off Harcourt Street, there are two further access points off Clonmel Street.

There is a gross internal floor area of 65,000 sq ft of which 42,000 sq ft is located in the Victorian buildings.

Peter Lynch of the selling agent expects widespread interest in the hospital because of its suitability for a number of uses, including office, residential, hotel or as a private medical centre. The hospital recently moved to a new 500-bedroom teaching hospital in Tallaght, Dublin 24.

The National Children's Hospital was the first children's hospital in these islands and moved into Harcourt Street in 1888.