Arbutus name rises again in Cork's Montenotte with €620k+townhouses
Arbutus Montenotte
|
Montenotte, Cork |
|
|---|---|
|
€610,000-€720,000 |
|
|
Size |
189-214 sq m (2,080-2,306 sq ft) |
|
Bedrooms |
3/4 |
|
Bathrooms |
3 |
|
BER |
A2 |
AFTER a whirlwind finish which saw up to 25 tradespersons working around one another on-site, finishing off the showhouse for the new Arbutus Montenotte development in Cork, the finished product made this week for the grand reveal.
But, due to Covid-19 restrictions, viewings at this decidedly upmarket scheme — in the grounds of the former Egon Ronay- and Michelin-starred Arbutus Lodge restaurant and hotel — can now take place only by appointment, or online, with agent Suzanne Tyrrell of Cohalan Downing handling the sales of the near-complete city homes project.
The coronavirus hit the flow of work back in March, says developer Willie Murphy, who is the second generation in Munster-based Murphy New Homes/MHomes, noting: “We shut down the site the day of the lockdown, and we went back on site the day it was lifted".
(The company, going 65 years, traditionally has built one-off homes across Munster, but has now branched into schemes in locations such as Tower and Montenotte, employing up to 650, mostly via a network of 100-plus contractors and tradespeople.)
The impact of the pandemic saw some Arbutus Montenotte sales which had been agreed fall out of bed, but five buyers have stayed with it ever before the show unit comes along to showcase the appeal, the internal space (there’s a great, deep capacious lower/ground floor with novel roof lantern for a blast of light) and the expansive city views from on high.
Branded Arbutus Montenotte (sort of a double-barrelled name to namecheck Cork keywords for the upwardly mobile) the development of 16 large townhouses is just an uphill walk from Cork City and MacCurtain St, via the buzzy St Lukes Cross.
The company behind it, M Homes, bought the challenging hillside site in the northern suburbs of Cork City overlooking the River Lee and the southern suburbs. (It was bought from developer/property investor Sean Keohane, separate to the original Arbutus House which is very recently ‘sale agreed’, having been bought as a private residence for close to its €1.35m AMV via agents Savills.)
The former Arbutus Lodge grounds, which housed sculpture gardens, tennis courts, and a car park, have now been spectacularly turned around, with a scything drive down to the 16 units, in three blocks — four on one side and, in two runs of six, 12 on the other. These latter units have the very best panoramic views from decked outdoors, and from their three south-facing, levels indoors — a bit like the vista from the neighbouring Montenotte Hotel’s mighty terraces.
The challenging site first swallowed masses of deadwork and foundations, says Mr Murphy, and the A-rated houses now delivered have low-profile roofs with parapets and slip-brick finishes, and are done to NZEB principles, with air-to-water heating, mechanical ventilation, and with pressurized water systems.
Brought on board in June to put a polish on the just-recommenced construction schedule was Cork designer Shirley O’Neill of S O'Neill Interiors, who followed a policy of using Cork suppliers for everything from built-ins, kitchens (with Silestone tops), furnishings and fireplaces, wallpapers, accessories, and garden touches.
She even used the development’s Arbutus (strawberry tree) motif as a theme, sandblasting it onto the sunny, city-surveying terraces’ glass balusters.
Particularly effective too is the repeated use of mirrors, diligently inset into end wall and stairway wall panelling for a luxe look, done by Mark McCarthy Carpentry: It really sets off the back end of the lower ground floor’s kitchen/living/dining rooms, which have well-conceived roof lights above, right by the best 12 units’ main, mid-level entry point.
Cohalan Downing agent Suzanne Tyrrell says the show unit really displays the potential of these three-storey/ three-to-four bed townhouses, with buyers to date including traders-down, and those who just want a city base that’s easy to keep within a few minutes’ walk of the city, a slew of new and planned hotels, and the railway station.
Sizes range from 2,070 sq ft up to 2,300 sq ft, with prices starting from €610,000 for the back four, up to €720,000 for the front ones with views over the emerging docklands, office developments and the new Dean Hotel.
VERDICT: High-end, on a sunny, south-facing city hill and keeping the Arbutus name alive and well.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
