If walls could talk then a penthouse apartment at Castle Gate, overlooking Dublin Castle, would have an interesting story to tell. The two-bedroom apartment has been rented for almost two years to the US peace negotiator, Ambassador Donald Johnson, who along with General John de Chastelain and Brigadier Tauno Nieminen, made up the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning.
Castle Gate is just a short walk from Dublin Castle where the commission has been involved in talks since 1997. Ambassador Johnson divided his time between Dublin and Belfast, and rented the Castle Gate apartment because he and his wife became "fed-up" with hotel living.
The commission paid £1,350 rent per month for the 880 sq. ft apartment, which has wonderful views over the city towards the Dublin mountains.
It is now for sale through Brian Dwyer & Partners, which expects Number 53 to fetch over £280,000 when it is auctioned on November 25th. The apartment carries a Section 23 allowance of just over £111,000. Built in 1995, it originally went on the market at around £150,000. Unusually, the apartment has two spaces in the underground car-park and judging by values in the area, these are worth up to £25,000 each.
The fourth floor apartment has very high ceilings throughout and its principal rooms open out on to a narrow balcony that runs the full length of the apartment. This looks over Dublin Castle and has a west-facing view towards the mountains.
It is a well-designed unit with the hall, living-room and kitchen on one side and the two bedrooms along a corridor running in the opposite direction.
The living-room is a bright airy room with patio doors opening on to the terrace.
Double doors lead into a compact galley kitchen where the appliances will be included in the price.
Off the hall is a shower room that has been adapted for wheelchair users in that the entire room is tiled to allow it become a shower.
The guest bedroom is a small double with fitted wardrobes.
The main bedroom is a good deal larger and also has access to the patio. It has a full en suite bathroom and built-in wardrobes.
Good fitted storage is a feature of the apartment and there are two walk-in cupboards, as well as overhead storage in the hallway.
Brian Dwyer & Partners has sold two apartments in this development in the last 12 months.
In November, 1998, a similar two-bedroom penthouse with Section 23 relief and one parking space fetched about £240,000 while last February, a one-bedroom top floor unit with Section 23 relief and a car-park space changed hands for around £185,000.
