EC English is opening a language school at La Touche House on Grove Road in Rathmines, Dublin 6, which formerly served as the headquarters of Liam Carroll’s Zoe Developments.
The British company will pay a stepped rent starting at €279 per sq m (€26 per sq ft), rising to €323 per sq m (€30 per sq ft) over the initial five years. The 15-year lease provides for break options in years six and 12.
EC English opened its first language school in Malta in 1991 and today has similar operations in six countries across three continents. Dublin’s Portobello area has become a vibrant centre for overseas students because of its close proximity to the Luas at Charlemont.
Joe O’Donoghue of Lambert Smith Hampton, who advised EC English, said language schools had found it difficult to secure suitable buildings in the city centre in recent times given the significant rental increases and the challenges involved in securing permission for a change of use.
Brian Walsh of ACRES.ie advised the landlord.
More student quarters for Dublin
The rush to develop more residential accommodation for students in Dublin continues. Carrowmore Property, a UK company with Irish interests, has just paid in excess of the €7.5 million guide price for a key site for 281 bed spaces at The Quarters in Brickfield Lane, Cork Street, Dublin 8.
Conor Mulcrone of BNP Paribas Real Estate handled the sale.
Close by in Newmarket, another company has just secured planning permission for a mixed-use development of 349 student spaces and a co-working office complex. The same company has also lodged a planning application in Cork for 242 bed spaces, co-working office space and a cafe/bar.
Office suite appeals to Brexit-driven ‘plug and play’ market
A modern office suite in World Rugby House at 8-10 Lower Pembroke Street, Dublin 2, has come on the letting market through agents Savills.
The fully fitted, 288sq m (3,100sq ft) office accommodation is available for a period of 2.5 years at €618 per sq m (€57.50 per sq ft).
Peter Owens of Savills says the “plug and play” market for space had been partially driven by Brexit-generated demand for smaller offices. The available space was capable of accommodating over 30 workers.
Foras na Gaeilge’s new Amiens St offices
Foras Na Gaeilge, the Irish language service, has leased 1,532sq m (16,500sq ft) of office space in the newly refurbished office building at 63-66 Amiens Street, Dublin 1.
CBRE secured a surrender of the premises from a previous tenant and worked closely with the owners’ architect and project management team to deliver the newly upgraded building in a pre-letting arrangement to the State covenant.
Alex Fahey of CBRE said they were happy to have worked with Foras Na Gaeilge on a deal which had a strong outcome for both parties.
