Donnybrook House gets green light for €16m redevelopment

The busy south Dublin suburb of Donnybrook will get a mixed-use flagship centre following the granting of planning permission for the redevelopment of Donnybrook House and its use as offices, a large restaurant and cafe, and a double basement gymnasium.

UK companies U+I and Colony NorthStar bought the rundown building at the end of 2014 for €9 million and now plan to spend a further €16 million on refurbishing and remodelling the block, which was used for decades by AIB as a computer headquarters and Visa office.

Leading architects Henry J Lyons have redesigned the building, which will have 4,180sq m (45,000sq ft) of high-quality office space over five floors. The radical changes will include the provision of new lift cores, drying rooms, locker rooms, secure bicycle bays, parking and internal courtyards.

Fit-out in 2018

The redeveloped block will also include a 371sq m (4,000sq ft) restaurant and a cafe abut half that size, as well as a gym extending to 1,858sq m (20,000sq ft).

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Paul Finucane of Colliers International will quote a rent of €484/sq m (€45/sq ft) for the office space, which will be ready for fit-out in the first quarter of 2018.

Matthew Weiner, chief executive of U+I, said Donnybrook House was representative of the type of investment his company looked to develop. “We will continue to look for opportunities in Dublin where we see ongoing potential to deliver value through mixed-use regeneration activities.”