‘Tiger’ two-bed on Shrewsbury Square for €795,000

As the Celtic Tiger was teetering on the brink of extinction, developers Sebastian Devlin and Johnny Burns of Woodgreen Property had managed to sell most of its apartments at Shrewsbury Square, a small scheme of just 80 units on Sandymount Avenue, about a five-minute walk from the then Four Seasons Hotel (now the Intercontinental).

Broadcaster Gay Byrne and his wife Kathleen Watkins were among the first couples to downsize into the development designed by OCA Architects, which included a full concierge service.

Two years ago the last 13 units that have been unsold, 11 two-beds and two one-beds, was brought to market by Hooke & MacDonald asking €9.5 million for the lot.

The owner of Number 35, a two-bedroom unit situated on the second floor, bought it in 2008 for €1.1 million. The property is now asking €795,000 through agents Moovingo. Properties of this size sold in 2013 – Number 79 for €590,000 and Number 24 for €585,000, according to the property price register.

Number 35 opens into a room-sized hallway with plenty of storage. The apartment has been staged for sale by House and Garden, and has been completely repainted.

The 83sq m/893sq ft unit is well-laid out with its original SieMatic kitchen, granite counters and Gaggenau appliances, still in position in the open-plan kitchen.

The C-shaped kitchen overlooks the open-plan living-cum-diningroom. There is direct access to the southwest facing balcony from here, and also from both bedrooms. The main bedroom is ensuite and the sanitryware is by Villery & Boch.

Shrewsbury Square still offers a seven-day a week concierge service. The overall service change for Number 35 is €3,000 per annum.

In nearby Lansdowne Place, on the town side of Ballsbridge, the first of its two-bedroom apartments were sold off plans with prices starting from €825,000. Sizeable two-bedroom units from 132sq m in the next phase started from €1.5million.