Grand old house in a city high point that’s climbing the property ladder

BACK 15 to 20 years ago, Alexandra Place, like most of the grand old houses in St Luke’s, Cork, were hacked into bedsits and the area, along with its elegant rows of Victorian houses, was in a downward spiral.

Now, thanks to a booming economy and an awareness of the value of location, the area is in the process of gentrification. St Luke’s is fashionable once more and has become a place where sash windows gleam and original artwork hangs on off-white walls. The occasional overflowing wheelie-bin marks an unkempt property, but these are diminishing sight in this up-and-coming, arty quarter of the city.

Number 2, Alexandra Place has been a work in progress for the last two years: it’s a conversion of the three-storey property into apartments by its architect owner.

A far cry from the flats of the seventies and eighties, a penthouse duplex is now on the market with selling agent, Derrick Gerety of Andrew Moore and Co.

Price-wise, it compares favourably with new apartments and comes in at €225,000 for 510 square feet of space. Snug certainly, but this is a fairly standard size for inner city locations.

The unit is broken down into a first floor entrance hallway leading to bedroom one, which comes with built-in units and an original sash windows. A staircase leads from the hallway to the second level where there’s a lobby giving access to the sitting room, kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms two.

As this is at attic level, double roof light provide light and views, while the sitting room has a deep sash window giving high views over the city.

The bathroom is fully tiled and the kitchen comes fitted with units, a washing machine, cooker and fridge.

Like most of these terraces, there’s a south facing front garden and at the back is a another, walled-in garden.

Gas heating is installed and the apartment is fully fire safety compliant and sound-proofed with intercom access.