Hampton Lodge in Dromcondra/Alexandra walk in city centre?

Hi! first i would like to say wat a great website this is! its brilliant!! i wish i could have known this earlier!

im thinking of buying an apartment. 1 or 2 beds apartment for myself to live in. recently saw the new hampton lodge apartments on grace park road in drumcondra and they look nice!but not sure what the area is like if anyone would be able to tell me or even if the prices are going to hold or go up in a few years time?

otherwise, im deciding on this another apartment in alexandra walk as well. any suggestions on this?

thanks!

Hampton Lodge on the Grace Park road is off griffith Avenue. New metro to open in 2012 approx with a stop on Griffith Ave. Don't know about the city centre apartment block though.

Compare size with size too etc...

thanks pop john!

never thought about the tunnel/metro issue. as im not local, so say doesnt know much about it, anyone care to tell me more?

thanks!

final decision not yet made about where on griffith avenue the station will be, see here for more details
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dereko1969 said:

final decision not yet made about where on griffith avenue the station will be, see here for more details
[broken link removed]

Click to expand...

Correct....but the two proposed stops off Griffith Ave. are within approx 200m of each other..ie between Lambay Road & Walnut Rise. I think its safe to assume there will be a stop here...its only a question of 200m difference...which approx. equates to a 3min walk.

Metro Location, apartment size probably better than the city centre.

thanks guys! its been very infomative!
appreciate it!

Can't comment on alexandra walk, but I did view an apartment in adelaide square which is in the same development. Really high finish like a hotel lobby and very well maintained inside but I imagine the management fees are commensurately large. Also the area is not the best to be honest imho. Though a few minutes walk and you're in Grafton street. It is gated iirc so once you're inside it's very safe, but walking down the surrounding street or two late at night may be a little dodgy.

Good luck

Alexandra Walk is very central but the surrounding streets are well dodgy.

i suppose u guys are right, thats the only problem i have with alexandra walk-the council homes in the area - very dodgy! went to view the apartment around the area and saw a drunken old man sitting just a few steps away from the apartment entrance! thanks guys for the info!i think alexandra walk is defo a no no!

cheers!

'an old drunk sitting next to me making love to his tonic & gin'

I live in Hampton Lodge.

Fabulous place. Kept very well. Pretty good management agency as they go. Very easy to get into town as its only 5 min walk to the main Drumcondra Rd where loads of buses run.

Also the are pretty spacious as they go and the ones with a study are an added bonus.

Live in Gracepark Manor just behind Hampton Lodge for the last five yrs and love it very central and close to everything what more could you want

Be very wary about Block A of Hampton Lodge, its very different to Block B.

Block A of the deveopment has been very slow to sell. The first owners moved in in July 07 , and very few apartments have sold since. Most of the block is vacant, and very insecure. A few weeks ago the developer decided to put A4 pieces of paper saying sold on the bulk of the apartments - however I find it very hard to believe they are actually sold. Of the recent round of viewings over the last few months , it would seem only one apartment on the ground floor has seen any activity.

There have been a number of burglarys, and thefts from cars parked outside the block are common. Check out the glass on the grass verge - altho the janitor does his best to clean this up. A few months ago the Gardai extended patrols to include a drive past the block, but this is now stopped. A new gate was errected last month to the underground carpark on block A, and perhaps this will help the security issue.

The management company have been apalling, Block A is probably getting worse treatment than Block B, as given there are only around 5 residents there is likely no money to fund repairs. For example the lift on the left hand side as you go in the main door has never ever worked.

Also rumours abound that the block will be used as part of the affordable housing scheme .... http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055097716&page=3

I'm considering renting a 2 bed unit in Block A and I was told that most of the units were sold and also the lift on the left hand side wasn't commissioned yet...?? has it never worked?

How safe is the underground car park now that the gates have been erected?

Any advice would be greatfully appreciated as I'm due to sign a lease agreement.

Thanks.