Dublin 15: from €260,000A large scheme of contemporary apartments on the banks of the Royal Canal comes with a concierge service and many other extras, writes Orna Mulcahy, Property Editor
Who do you call if you've forgotten your door key, lost the car-park pass or have a sofa being delivered tomorrow morning, between 9am and 11am?
For most of us the answer might still be mother, but at Royal Canal Park - an apartment scheme off the Navan Road in Dublin 15 - a 24-hour concierge service has proved a big hit with twenty and thirtysomething residents who like to know that there is someone to call when the lift jams or the neighbours are making a bit too much noise.
It's one of the few apartment schemes in Dublin to offer round-the-clock service but developer Ballymore has seen the system work at its large scale apartment developments in the London docklands. Other features borrowed from its London schemes include a private gym and mini-spa for residents, and a vast on-site marketing suite where prospective buyers can see the master plan design by McCrossan, O'Rourke Manning and Murray O'Laoire, and walk through two fully fitted apartments.
Located between Drumcondra and Ashtown, along a stretch of the Royal Canal, Royal Canal Park will eventually have 1,400 homes, a large retail centre, leisure centre and crèches. Around 650 apartments have already been sold from plans.
With over half the scheme now built, it is beginning to look like a real neighbourhood, with its own street signs, soon-to-open corner stores and well-cared for central plaza.
Many of the tenants now renting there are on a list to buy 50 new apartments being launched today priced from €260,000 for a one-bedroom unit through to €345,000 for a two-bed and up to €450,00-plus for large family apartments. The apartments will be complete in about 18 months time. Those who bought from plans in the first phase back in 2003 have seen good capital appreciation, with one-beds originally selling for between €205,000 and €235,000.
The latest phase, available through Hooke & MacDonald, incorporates a range of one, two and three-bedroom apartments situated in four contemporarily designed buildings of four and five storeys.
They include a number of four-bedroom apartments and penthouses. The apartments are adjacent to both the main square and the narrow boat marina which are planned for the next part of the development.
In addition to the apartments, the latest section will also include a comprehensive range of retail units, a health and fitness spa and a crèche.
The apartments benefit from a variety of layouts. One-bedroom apartments have from 41-48sq m (440-515sq ft) while two-bedroom units range from 70-86sq m (750-925sq ft); three-bedroom apartments are from 86-94sq m (920-1,050sq ft) while four-bedroom family units have 107sq m (1,150sq ft).
Reception rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows opening onto deep balconies.
The open-plan kitchens are sleek and contemporary, with integrated appliances, while utility space in hidden in floor-to-ceiling cupboards.
The majority of the two-bedroom and all of the three-bedroom apartments have main bedrooms with en suite facilities, while all of the bedrooms have fitted wardrobes.
A separate bathroom, along with a store room, are also included in each apartment.
The 650sq m (7,000sq ft) marketing suite includes one-bedroom and two-bedroom show apartments, along with a range of models and displays providing information on Royal Canal Park and the local area which can be read through over coffee in the café.
The hallways, kitchens and bathrooms are all equipped with halogen down lighters and satellite TV, while data and telephone points are fitted in the living areas and bedrooms.
