Former church and site at Sunday’s Well on market

THE landmark former St Vincent’s Church, in Cork’s Sunday’s Well, plus an adjacent development site, have come to market with estate agent Edward Hanafin, in two lots, each guiding €750,000, or €1.5m for the duo.

Likely to have diverse buying interest, the two are being sold for the Vincentian order, who ceased religious ceremonies at the Gothic-style 12,000 sq ft church building in 2016.

The prominently sited church, designed by John Benson and which had its first services in 1856, measures over 12,000 sq ft, and adjoins a related building now run by the UCC School of Music, close to the UCC North Mall Campus.

This 0.5 acre lot, with protected structure church, includes the main car park with 18 spaces. UCC is likely to be among possible bidders, and the building, set like some German schloss on a high city bluff, would also make a concert venue.

The second lot is a lower-set, south-facing development site of 1.15 acres on the city side of the church, effectively under Sunday’s Well Road and with 88m frontage. It’s zoned for residential, local services and institutional uses, and is accessed via the narrow Rock Well Lane. It is largely overgrown with a disused former basketball court.

Selling agent Edward Hanafin of Lisney says that given the significant drop down to the site from Sunday’s Well Road “there’s potential for a high rise residential development or student accommodation development.”

Such a development “would have limited impact on adjacent properties, but would have panoramic views over Cork city across to St FinBarre’s Cathedral, and within a short walk of the city centre, UCC and the Mercy Hospital.”

Details: Lisney 021-4275079