Keep up with the Georgians on Merrion Street

Buyers seeking a Georgian base in the city centre will be interested in the sale of a four-bedroom apartment in a converted Georgian house across the road from Government Buildings at Upper Merrion Street, Dublin 2.

The two-storey apartment with two car-parking spaces at Dunloe Hall is expected to fetch over £850,000 at a Finnegan Menton auction on February 9th. The apartment has its own front door - number 29 Merrion Street. Its real address however is 5 & 6 Dunloe Hall. Dunloe Hall is a terrace of five Georgian houses, the former Land Commission offices, which were converted to apartments in the mid-1990s.

Many of the building's period features have been retained, and several of the upper floor apartments have superb plasterwork ceilings and original windows.

Most of the apartments were bought from plans at prices that now seem extremely good value. Two-bedroom units were sold for under £200,000. Recently, a two-bedroom apartment in the building fetched around £500,000 through Gunne Residential.

Investor owners have seen a very good return on their money at Dunloe Hall. Finnegan Menton recently leased a two-bedroom unit there for £2,500 per month.

Number 5 & 6 has just over 2,000 sq ft of space arranged at ground floor and basement level. The apartment can be accessed both from the street and from two internal corridors within the development.

The beauty of this apartment is in the two main reception rooms, particularly the drawingroom to the rear with its pair of tall curved windows. The two big rooms are not interconnecting, but each is large enough to host a drinks party.

The front door opens directly into an open plan living/diningroom with tall sash windows overlooking Government Buildings.

This is a very bright, attractive space with a polished timber floor and a simple Georgian-style fireplace fitted with a coal-effect gas fire.

The plaster cornicing and ceiling roses are reproduction, but the high ceiling gives an authentic Georgian feel.

The only disappointment here is the kitchen, which is a tiny galley style room concealed behind a concertina door.

It has got all the necessary appliances and attractive painted timber units, but it is very small for an apartment of this size. Off the livingroom is a small lobby with a door leading to the internal corridor of Dunloe Hall that connects to the main entrance to the complex.

There is also a large cupboard off the lobby that currently houses a washing machine. A narrow staircase leads from the livingroom down to the basement.

Here, two of the bedrooms - a double and a single - are at the front of the building while the remaining two bedrooms are at the back, overlooking the car-park.

There are two full bathrooms at this level, as well as a number of storage cupboards, including one that incorporates a second staircase. New owners may consider reorganising the bedroom accommodation to allow for one large main suite and just one or two further bedrooms.

There is a service charge of around £2,500 per year that covers maintenance of the common areas of the development and the car-park.