Ushers Quay - Dublin 8

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dotsman

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Thinking of buying an apartment in this area, but relatively new to Dublin. Is this a good area? It looks great in the sense of proximity to everything in the city centre, but a few people have mentioned that it might be a rough area.

Is this true? (and if so, how bad?).

Is anyone aware of any plans for future developments in this area? Am FTB and pretty new to this...

Thanks,
Dotsman
 
It's not a particularly rough area. The Deaf Judge pub seems to draw a "lively" crowd, but there's no trouble that I'm aware of. The Simon Community centre on the corner of Usher's Quay and Watling Street can attract some undesirables, but again, I'm not aware of any trouble out of them. The redevelopment of the Bridgfoot Street flats has cleaned up the area an awful lot. And the hippest new Gallery in town - Mother's Tank Station - has opened up on Watling Street - a very positive development.

But - one thing to be aware of - the Guinness Hops Stench... It's pervasive round there. So visit at various times and see if you could live with it. I, for one, could not!
 
Thanks simp.

Never thought of the brewery. Will check it out (might need to stock up on air fresheners and the like when/if I move in!).

I'm not a snob about who my neighbours might be as long as I can walk home at 3 o'clock in the morning from the pub/club (without needing an armed escort etc :p). Nor do I want to experience regular burglaries/vandalism (apartment complex will have security but how effective I don't know). Is there anybody who thinks that these are unrealistic expectations?
 
Hi Dotsman - I dont want to put you off but I think walking up the quays at 3am would be dodgy.
Put it this way the only time Ive ever been offered drugs in dublin was along there!
 
I lived for five years in an apartment block on Ellis Quay - just across from Ushers Quay - and the change over those years was profound. It's a much, much busier pedestrian route up the quays than it was - even at 3am - and to my mind, the busier the safer.
 
I'd personally prefer the north side of the quays to the south especially since the Luas arrived. The southern part is deserted late at night which isn't good.
I've walked it a few times thanks to taxi strikes etc. and it was pretty desolate. The new developments like Heuston Square etc. will bring some life there but if you are talking about the new development near the Joyce Bridge I'd consider them pretty expensive for the location as apartments at Capel Street were sold at a similar price before Xmas.

Some of the old developments along there were amongst the first apartments built in the late 1980s, early 90s and ar edefinitely at the bottom of the pile for quality and space. Good old Zoe\Danninger.
 
I'm living here for the last 3 years + and the area has improved in that time, new shops etc. It feels safer and less ghetto like but obviously it's still inner city Dublin. We haven't had any negative experiences personally.
The Deaf Judge is not somewhere I'd go for a pint, shame as they have a pool table, but Frank Ryan's across the road is lovely and the Dice bar is nice too. We've never been broken into, we're in a fourth floor apartment so I guess that's a deterrent, maybe the ground floor would have a different story.
 
Thanks for all the input guys.

Went up there for the first time last saturday around 8 in the evening and it seemed alright. Might try and go up there again another 2 or 3 times later at night before I sign the contract (due in the next 2-3 weeks).

The apartment (according to the plans) seems perfect and the proximity to everything is great. The same apartment in a nicer? area would probably be 100K - 150K more which is beyond my means.

At this stage (due to very little choice!), unless I hear of any horror stories I think I will go for it (and hopefully, with redevelopment in the area, the area will continue to improve).
 
I've been living down at usher's island (south quays) for over two years now - I've never had any hassle even coming home late, but I would definitely recommend getting somewhere actually on the quays (which are quite busy, always people around) rather than a sidestreet. As another poster remarked things have definitely been changing, the area has improved dramatically. I have to admit the only pub I use nearby is the brazen head which is touristy but has a nice pint.

A big plus for living in the area if you cook is the fact you can walk to meath st. for proper butchers, veg. etc. - we hardly ever go to the supermarket anymore, which is great...

I face on to the river (I love my view) - I've never smelled hops in my apartment, so I think it's unlikely to be an issue unless you're actually on watling st.
 
Is living on the quays not very noisy when you open your window?
OP is it the fancy new apartment block on the corner of bridgefoot st and usher st? I'm very nosey about them
 
Yeah, they're called Mellowes Quay.

http://www.mellowesquay.com/

Seems like a good development. Mainly sold out (according to the EA:p) but the Tax incentive ones are due to come online in the next few months (but will be more expensive).

Fortunately, the apartment I'm looking at is inside the complex, facing away from the street, so noise should be kept to a minimum.

It's great to hear of the lack of smell from Jame's Gate. I had imagined keeping the windows shut and stocking up on air fresheners!
 
I was thinking of the building on the other corner with the fancy roof? This looks nice too, very flashy brochure, I love the pictures of Trinity!
 
I live on Ellis Quay and as a female I have never had any hassle/problems. I often walk home late at night and although it might not be the best idea I've never had any problems at all.
The traffic can be quite noisy as the building is about 12 years old and the windows don't shut as tight as they should. But you just get used to it and the luxury of living in the city centre more than makes up for a few beeping and irate drivers.
 
I lived there for a year and a bit six years ago and then, the area was quite rough. I was followed into my apartment building (New Maltings on Watling St.) a few times from people hanging around outside the Simon Community, but it was all fairly harmless. I'm sure it's better now. Location is very convenient and the area has improved a lot since then. What price are they at the minute?
 
I live the other side of the river and always found the area more rough and ready than rough per se. Never had any hassle while wandering around the area.
 
PIMPHO said:
Hey Dotsman,

I've bought an apartment in MellowesQuay off the plans, hoping to move in, in July! What are thr prices like for the 2nd phase? Heard they will be much more expensive as they are section 23?
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What price are they at the minute?
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I bought mine from the first phase (off the plans as well). 2 bed, 2 bath plus 1 car space for €445K. Don't know if they'll be ready by July (but I can hope!). I was told late summer - which I am translating to "Sometime in the Autumn".

Don't think second phase are due out for another month, but when I went to the Estate Agent to about a month ago, I was told that they would be around €100K more.
 
PIMPHO said:
Did you ask for the specifications/dimensions for the rooms? I asked my solicitor to request them from the builder's solicitor but they said they can't provide those details?
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I was given the internal outlay with the contract (just over a month ago). Although the actual figures weren't quoted on the map, it did give me the scale and stated that the map was drawn to scale. I just used a ruler to calculate the actual dimensions of each room.

My apartment will be top floor of block C (also facing into the gardens).
 
PIMPHO said:
Great so I can use a ruler to see what size each room is? Is it easy to work out? Can't wait till I move in!

Oh and does your apartment come with all the kitchen applicances? Do you have any idea roughly how much management fee we will be paying?

Just found out from a friend of mine that works in H&M the expected completion dates. FYI


Blocks A & B - c. May 2007
Blocks C & D - c. July 2007
Block E - c. August 2007
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Well, that's great. Seems like they are on schedule! Like yourself, at this stage, i can't wait to move in. I've been looking since last August, settled on this apartment back in January and am dealing with the mortgage at the moment and still have the nightmare of furnishing the place to go, so am dying to get this all over and done with.

Yeah, I got all the standard kitchen appliances included (and bathroom tiling/walls painted etc). Just hope that they are all of quality standard and won't be cheap machines that break down after 2/3 years!

As regards the measurement, the layout I got with my contract was 1:75, so measured the layouts in millimetres, divided by 1000 and multiplied by 75. There's always going to be a margin of error, but it gives me a somewhat realistic expectation of the room sizes.

Just for your info, I found a link that claims to be an Ushers Quay showroom (no such thing apparently!), but when I asked H&M they said that it was a showroom from a different development by the same builder/designer so it would be similar. Don't know how accurate that is.

[broken link removed]
 
Hi Dotsman,
A friend of mine lived in Ushers Island approx 1998-2000. She never had any problems there and would have been walking to/from the city centre at different times of the day and night. I was down there quite a few times myself and never experienced any problems. She did mention that the pub on the corner was a bit rough, but I know she still went there for the odd drink and had no problems in it.
Proximity to Heuston is a plus if you travel down the country at weekends.
 
PIMPHO said:
The photos don't look that great? Not showing the kitchen or the ensuite properly and the living room looks so cluttered and messy?

Apart from the usual furniture and beds, what else needs furnishing? Floors? My first property so not really that clued in yet! :)

You must call around when you move in!
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Yeah, I certainly won't be furnishing it the same as those guys.

FTB as well, so no experience, but from what I can think of: flooring everywhere, curtains, beds, bedroom lockers/shelves etc, sofa and armchairs, coffee table, TV & stand, bookshelves, dining table & chairs, probably 2 or 3 chairs and a table for the balcony. Unfortunately, can't really get any of those things until the apartment is nearly complete and I can walk around in it and decide what goes where and what size table/sofa etc. but then, it can take weeks/months to get some of those things delivered!

jrewing said:
Hi Dotsman,
A friend of mine lived in Ushers Island approx 1998-2000. She never had any problems there and would have been walking to/from the city centre at different times of the day and night. I was down there quite a few times myself and never experienced any problems. She did mention that the pub on the corner was a bit rough, but I know she still went there for the odd drink and had no problems in it.
Proximity to Heuston is a plus if you travel down the country at weekends.
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Yeah I've hear a lot about "The Deaf Judge". Don't see myself becoming a regular there.

Originally from Cork, so will definitely appreciate the proximity of Hueston.


I think the vibe I'm picking up here from everyone is that it generally is a safe area for an inner city location and improving. As long as I can walk home from a nights clubbing without having to constantly watch my back, I'm pretty happy.
 
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