In what is likely to be the most important residential sale for the Gunne agency this year, Robin Palmer expects bids to start at around £3 million for a large semi-detached house with mews potential at 16 Ailesbury Road in Dublin 4.
The 5,700 sq ft house is next to the home of the former taoiseach, Albert Reynolds, and is three doors away from the modern-day palace recently completed by builder Bernard McNamara on the site of the former Japanese embassy. Number 16, which goes to auction on November 9th, is an imposing redbrick and granite-fronted house standing on a site of one third of an acre.
The back garden extends to 140 feet. Beyond it there are three garages that are accessed via a separate laneway running alongside the adjoining house.
According to Robin Palmer the mews site alone is worth over £500,000, although any large scale development would drastically reduce the garden. There is a sizeable front garden with plenty of off-street parking and a separate side entrance to the ground floor which has been a self-contained three-bedroom flat for many years.
Granite steps lead up to the front porch with its original Victorian tiles and heavy front door. Inside is a large vestibule that opens into an inner hall.
It's immediately obvious that the house needs refurbishment and total redecoration but the overall impression is one of tremendous space and light. There are two very fine reception rooms at this level - a drawingroom, almost 20 sq ft, to the front, with elaborate ceiling cornices and a marble fireplace, and a diningroom of similar proportions overlooking the back garden. There is also a third room that could be used as a study, family room or large cloakroom.
Steps lead down to the rear, off which is a sizeable fitted kitchen. There is also access to the garden off the hall, via an original door with coloured glass insets that opens on to a wrought iron outdoor stair case.
A large walk-in cupboard uses the space of the original stairwell leading down to the garden level. The stairs have been removed but could easily be reinstated.
A fine wide and shallow staircase with carved mahogany banisters leads up to the first return where a floor-to-ceiling sash window looks out over the surrounding houses.
There is a bathroom and separate lavatory at this level. A leak in the lavatory has caused some of the kitchen ceiling to collapse below.
The first floor has four extremely spacious bedrooms. The main bedroom, which has a bay window at the front of the house, leads through to a large dressingroom and shower room.
The stairs continue up to a third landing with a large bathroom and storeroom. The bathroom could be converted to a fifth bedroom with en suite shower room.
The garden level has a wide hallway running through it, part of which is used as a dining area. There's a large cosy sittingroom, a small kitchen overlooking the garden, store room, bathroom and three bedrooms.
