Hill start is a good start at €525k Lisadell, a tastefully renovated St Luke's home

GARDINER’S Hill is a showcase for what a neighbourhood not plagued by the visual monotony of housing estates looks like. This uphill link from St Luke’s Cross to Montenotte has more house styles and sizes than an estate agent could run a rule over.

Right at the bottom is three-house Ardeevin, a terrace of “eye-catching composition”, as per the national database of architectural heritage. Above it, in a cul-de-sac hidden from the hill, is The Crescent, a more modest row of homes that also date to Victorian times.

On the hill proper, imposing three-storey pairings run along its lower slopes, while further up, and off to the right, also out of sight, is Herbert House, described in the same national database as a “fine Edwardian house on a generous and landscaped site” that retains “its air of early 20th-century affluence”.

Herbert House is at the end of Herbert Park, where a group of “well-crafted” semi-ds display some “stylistic similarities”, “suggesting that a single architect, possibly Arthur Hill, may be responsible”, the database says.

Back on the hill, higher-up properties are mainly terraced, with variations in style, size, and price. The climb up the hill might tire you, but it will never bore you, when it comes to property types.

House hunters for whom such a varied neighbourhood holds appeal might like new-to-market Lisadell, at No 52 Gardiner’s Hill, which backs on to a cul-de-sac called City View.

It’s not an ageing money-pit as the couple who bought it in July 2023 have worked quite a bit on it since, making it damp-free; fitting new window aprons; doing carpentry and opening up previously recessed bay windows.

Repairs to cornicing and plasterwork were also carried out to restore original features. A fire break wall was inserted in the converted attic, which has two rooms, including a shower room. 

The chimney was repaired and work was carried out to make the shed/utility watertight. The house also underwent a full cosmetic upgrade.

 The result is a charming blend of original period features and contemporary living, from the Victorian tiled hallway with decorative arch and original coving and picture rail, to the country-style kitchen with Belfast sink and Aga, to the interconnected entertainment space, where double doors open between the living room and dining room.

Selling this 159 sq m three-bedroom mid-terrace property are Paul Fenton and Stuart O’Grady of Sherry FitzGerald. They point out how close it is to St Luke’s Cross, a happening neighbourhood, where long established Henchy’s pub is a popular spot, along with an adjoining wine tavern.

 Across the road, Cork Coffee Roasters is booming, while the eatery Goodhood has just opened. A 10-minute walk downhill gets you to MacCurtain Street’s Victorian Quarter.

The only drawback with Gardiner’s Hill is the parking, which is on-street, via resident’s permit, but it can get tight. However, proximity to the city centre and well-serviced bus routes means a car is not essential. Keen gardeners might lament the absence of a rear garden — all the lawn is out front, with yard to the back — but fans of low maintenance living will not.

The guide price for Lisadell is €525,000. Last month nearby Crescent Villa, a considerably smaller property (108 sq m ) with a larger front garden than any other home on its side of the hill, sold for €550,000, having come to market for €400,000.

VERDICT: Likely to appeal to young professionals/academics who like an eclectic neighbourhood and cityside convenience.