Former city centre church offers potential for conversion

A former church on Lower Abbey Street in Dublin's north inner city which has been mainly used over the past 10 years as a rehearsal centre by the Abbey Theatre is to be offered for sale at auction on November 5th on behalf of the Office of Public Works.

Agents Finnegan Menton are suggesting an advised minimum value of €400,000 for the former Baptist church located opposite the VHI headquarters and within a few minutes walk of O’Connell Street.

The two-storey corner building has an overall floor area of 394sq m (4,240sq ft) including a light-filled church hall spanning the entire width of the property, with an overhanging balcony wrapped around the hall.

There are additional rooms to the front and rear at ground- and first-floor levels.

Nicholas Corson of Finnegan Menton said there was "tremendous scope" to convert the former church into a whole range of uses because of its location and flexibility. It would make a tremendous restaurant, a showroom, "quirky offices" or, alternatively, it could revert to a house of worship. Some interested parties might also consider demolishing the church and replacing it with offices, apartments or a small hotel or student accommodation.

An adjoining period building which formerly served as a TSB bank, at 12B Lower Abbey Street, was sold earlier this year to Wetherspoons, the UK pub chain which apparently plans to convert it into a gastro pub.