Landmark living on city centre axis

The 13 new apartments in Layfayette building at O'Connell Bridge have to be the most centrally located apartments in Dublin. They go on sale today with prices starting at £189,950 (€239,530) for a one-bedroom unit to £295,000 (€372,010) for the highest priced two-bedroom units.

The dramatic-looking Gothic building is a Dublin landmark and until recently was occupied by the ICS Building Society. It has now been redeveloped by Treasury Holdings with a mix of retail, office and apartment use. The apartments that are now for sale are on the third, fourth and fifth floors - the Blood Transfusion Board occupies the second floor.

Furthermore they are in the newer part of Lafayette Building, and face on Westmoreland Street and D'Olier Street. There will eventually be two apartments in the old part of the building but these are not now for sale.

The apartments now on the market through Hooke & MacDonald are made up of two one-bedroom and 13 two-bedroom units.

The one-beds are priced from £189,950 to £210,000, (€239,530 to €264,820) while the two-beds are from £220,000 to £295,000 (€277,430 to €372,010).

Niall D Brennan & Associates were the project's architects and the finish in each apartment is stylish without being self consciously modern.

A lift accesses the apartment floors and all the public areas are finished in walnut, from skirting to internal doors. This same finish continues into the units which, because of the shape of the building, are all different in layout and shape.

This is most notable when it comes to the livingrooms as each of them incorporates the kitchen area. In some rooms the kitchen is tucked away in a corner behind glass block walls, in others it is more a part of the room. The kitchens themselves are attractive and well-finished with plain cream-coloured units topped by black granite worktops. The splashbacks are tiled with glass mosaic tiles.

All bathrooms are good-sized and are tiled throughout with mosaic tiles and fitted in a contemporary style.

Most apartments have fitted wardrobes in the main bedroom and also storage space in the hallways which, in some of the units, are surprisingly spacious.

With the exception of three apartments, all have views that are quintessentially Dublin. They look out on the Liffey, Westmoreland Street and D'Olier Street. The building is V-shaped and three of the apartments with the least attractive views look into the centre of the block.

Access to the apartment is via an entrance on D'Olier Street which is also shared by the Blood Bank.