Manhattan transferred

MANHATTAN meets Munster - as well as Munster rugby star Peter Stringer - as penthouse living arrives from the Hudson River's shores to the Lee estuary.

The rugby player was one of the recent discrete buyers of one of the best apartments at Harty's Quay in Cork's Rochestown suburb - the ease of locking up his Cork base to play abroad was a big purchase point.

This plush place in the same development, probably the largest penthouse apartment to hit the market in the province, has just under 2,000 sq ft of indoor and outdoor living space, bigger than most family homes.

Taking up half the top floor of the apartment block the Sonata at Harty's Quay in Cork's Rochestown, this fully furnished penthouse has been used as a show unit for the very best of the units at this McCarthy Developments scheme which will top out with over 160 quality units on four riverside acres.

Guide price for this penthouse pad, with interior design by Michelle McCarthy (one of the few company financial directors with both visual and financial flair) is €730,000.

It makes it the most expensive apartment to come up for sale in the region, and if you factor in the must-have furniture (all from Doran Interiors) for the real urban living experience, well, you won't get much change out of €800,000 via agents Trish Stokes and Paul Reid of Sherry FitzGerald.

On a broad price comparison, the same firm of agents have 10 Reeveswood on the market in the very midst of Douglas village: this 2,800 sq ft detached family home is currently under offer at €765,000.

However, the market for penthouse apartments is very different: it is almost certain that the new owner of this spectacular Sonata three-bedroomed penthouse won't be a family buyer: the expectation is that it will be a single/professional couple or an older couple trading down, who want a ready to lock up and leave unit with no maintenance worries.

It has a double aspect, with all three bedrooms having access to a south-facing balcony, while off the sprawling open-plan living/dining and kitchen area there's an even longer balcony looking directly down on the tidal sweep of the Lee estuary, right down-river to the east for morning sunrises. And, the views across the water to the Little Island, Glanmire and the €500 million Mahon Point are equally eye-catching, emerging as it is from the trees along with Mc Carthy Developments' other major residential scheme, Jacob's Island - giving them a double whammy on the waterfront in what will come to be seen as a precious location with amenity walks at its door.

The specification turns a tide too on the humdrum apartment norm, it is top notch, with gas central heating, quality kitchen, power showers in the two ensuite bathrooms and in the main bathroom, and fast lift from the underground car parking spaces.