Central perk in Cork city: A home in a lovely and lively old neighbourhood

Tommy Barker admires a large light-filled home in a lovely and lively old neighbourhood minutes from Cork city centre

Sat, 03 Nov, 2018 - 00:00

Tommy Barker admires a large light-filled home in a lovely and lively old neighbourhood minutes from Cork city centre

PROPERTIES in settled locations such as Cork city’s St Luke’s Cross, hardly get more central than No 8, St Luke’s Place. About the only spot more central to the core inner suburban community is the tiny old octagonal toll booth, which took its last fees from travellers and livestock over 90 years ago.

Recently re-roofed and conserved by Cork City County as part of an urban village renewal public realm upgrade, the toll booth is a much-loved local landmark, and it’s about 50 metres from the front door of No 8 St Luke’s Place.

The mid-terraced, three-storey building, is likely to date back the best part of a century, and is described as “a delightful, four-bedroomed townhouse, in this fantastic, up and coming location adjacent to St Luke’s Cross."

That’s according to estate agent Suzanne Tyrrell of Cohalan Downing as she launches the tall, upgraded and fresh-faced No 8 for sale for family owners, at a broad-reach guide price of €310,000.

In the commercial heart of ‘the Cross,’ it is close to bars, schools, wine bars, cafes, shop/deli, butchers and a bookies, restaurants and even two revamped and considerably improved hotels (the Ambassador and the Montenotte, with its cracking new gardens). The nearby Griffith College on the old St Patrick’s Hospital/Marymount grounds last summer hosted a neighbourhood street party, while No 8 is also within a five-minute walk of the Victorian Quarter at Cork’s MacCurtain Street, with the city centre and Pana a further five minutes away on foot.

This year has seen some very strong viewing figures at nearby houses in good order (100 viewings at one arty one in particular) when they come up for sale, along with spirited bidding.

Almost directly facing the robust, hill-set sandstone and limestone St Luke’s Church, (now a feted live music venue) No 8 St Luke’s Place has a paved, screened-off semi-private sit-out front garden/yard, prettified with hanging baskets and ideal for bike, bin, and buggy storage as there’s only a small rear yard.

Its front facade is distinctive, with a fanlight over the slender front door and has replacement multi-paned windows all the way up, set into stucco reveal surrounds with keystone-like features on each window head.

Internally, “it’s a much-loved family home, with great character and in very good order throughout,” says Ms Tyrrell. There’s a side hall, wood-floored, with dado and ceiling coving, and on the left is a lounge with east-facing window and views towards the church. This room has coved ceiling, wood floor, and open fireplace with ornate metal insert and oregon pine surround.

The long hall has a step between its inner and outer sections: beyond is a coved ceiling and timber-floored dining section, with two steps up to a tiled kitchen, a mix of open, dresser-style storage, and built-ins.

This kitchen is pleasantly bright, thanks to an overhead pitched roof light or window, and the room’s far end overlooks the small yard, with plumbed utility behind.

A wooden stairs, with attractive hardwood handrail, rises to the next two floors above, where there are up to four bedrooms (or three plus study) and two bathrooms, one per level, each with a shower, with a bath at the uppermost wash room.

Despite the work done, and the pleasing presentation, with replacement windows and gas central heating, No 8 gets a disappointing ‘F’ BER stamp, probably not helped by the building’s age and the presence of an open fire.

Decoratively, at least, it’s in walk- in condition, as is its ‘walk-in’ location relative the city centre, and if its new owners need a car, they’ll have to park with residents’ permits in the vicinity.