Trio of terraced villas up for sale at €2.35m near UCC

A TRIO of terraced 1890s-built villa buildings, facing the UCC campus and main entry gates on Cork city’s Western Road is up for sale in one lot for €2.35 million, pitched for student accommodation, residential, offices or academic/medical-related uses, with possible further development to rear.

Listed this week with Cushman & Wakefield/Sherry FitzGerald and described as a mixed use investment opportunity are Nos 1, 2 & 3 Westbourne Villas, Western Road, Cork. Between them, they offer 6,300 sq ft of space, with parking to the rear on the Mardyke.

Most interest is expected to come from those keen to provide student accommodation, and the three have had mixed previous uses as en suite accommodation, and as offices for architects Green McCarthy Stansfeld into the 1990s. While Nos 1& are offered with vacant possession No 3 is currently let to the HSE/Brothers of Charity as admin offices.

New, purpose-built student accommodation is being delivered east and west of Westbourne Villas for UCC students, most immediately at the former Muskerry Service Station site, with BAM on site for a 190-bed development for Atelier Property Management/Ziggurat.

Also sold on the city centre side of the UCC campus was the Square Deal block, for c €5 million via Savills, with the buyer in that case said to be a UK provider of student accommodation making a first forray into Ireland.

And, UCC has also acquired the former Crow’s Nest bar site at Victoria Cross, and adjoining properties on the Carrigrohane Road to add to the extensive student beds tally already there around Victoria Mills, with other developments of student accommodation in the wings on Carrigrohane Road, Farranlea Road and proposed at Hartlands Avenue.

According to surveyor Siobhán Young and Peter O’Flynn, MD of Cushman & Wakefield Cork, the fact that the properties can be suitable for commercial, residential and student accommodation is likely to attract a large volume of purchasers, from different sectors.

With dual road frontage/access, to Western Road and Mardyke Walk, the three terraced three-storey buildings have the flexibility to suit different sectors; currently Nos 1 & 2 Westbourne Villas have en suite accommodation over three floors “and present well throughout,” they add. No 3 Westbourne Villas has office accommodation over three floors, with reception, waiting room, offices and staff facilities.

Depending on new uses/purchaser, the large car parks to the rear with access from Mardyke Walk “would certainly be suitable for additional development, similar to many of the nearby adjoining premises.”

Alongside, the Cork Education Support Centre has developed a large new commercial/educational building in the rear garden. Selling in one lot, and by private treaty, Peter O’Flynn says the location near UCC and amenities like Fitzgerald Park “is absolutely prime.’’

Details: Cusman & Wakefield 021-4275454, Sherry FitzGerald 021-4273041