Where are empty/unfinished estates?

greeneyedspirit

... and next to the Claregalway Corporate Park is another estate that's got a fair few unfinished houses right down at the back, it's called Cuirt na'habainn (?? something like that). It's between the school and the corporate park in Claregalway, on the road out towards oranmore.

Mrs OBumble

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Another surreal sight is the empty business park on the road out of Claregalway to Oranmore, it was built 3 years ago and is called Claregalway Corporate Park

It's not totally empty: some of the units are tenanted. I'm even going do a site map of it soon, 'cos I know that with the auctions being there, it will get (website) visitors.

The completed units in Racecourse Business Park are about 1/2 full from what I can see, but there are four other incomplete blocks behind them.

There's another empty estate on the Doughiska Rd (Maigh Rua ... spelling may be off), and incomplete bits of an estate up in Roscam (not Reilan) too.

cranky bollix

chuky_r_law wrote: »

there seems to be a shed load of unfinished apartments in leargan, knockncarra. it is half completed but the rest of it is a building site. also around the corner at the bottom of the cappagh road there is a block of apartments there that haven't been touched in over a year at least. and if you go into moycullen (from the galway side) just on your right there some houses that look like they won't be finished anytime soon.

not all unfinished residential buildings are ghost estates, the banks have been with holding money from builders and subcontractors are having difficulty getting credit from suppliers, which is why a lot of these buildings are unfinished.I think I know the ones your on about at the end of the cappagh road, if there the ones facing galway bay.the likes of them will be sold on completion, most probably with the builder making a loss.but they would not be called ghost estates.most of the ghost estates would be located outside of the city, because as house prices get cheaper in the city, people wont bother moving out to live in estates in athenry and gort etc.

Greaney

I'm originally from Oranmore and when I see the state of it now I'm gutted:(. It was a grand place to grow up and you could walk from one end to the other in 15 mins.

I can't get over the amount of and size of the developments out the Renville road, where there were never amenities!!

The last bit was me getting back to the point, the ghost estates are on that side of the town:o

catmelodian

greeneyedspirit wrote: »

... and next to the Claregalway Corporate Park is another estate that's got a fair few unfinished houses right down at the back, it's called Cuirt na'habainn (?? something like that). It's between the school and the corporate park in Claregalway, on the road out towards oranmore.

Most of the houses in that estate are occupied. The Corporate Park is a wasteland.

Robbo

Discodog wrote: »

The Spiddal one is a real enigma & worthy of investigation. 12 "luxury" houses that were virtually "all sold off the plans". Then mysteriously a few became available. A year later the last couple are being sold by sealed bid.
So they are all supposed to be sold but the gates are locked & the lights arn't on !.

Several are on Daft to rent.

That wouldn't have been developed by one of Galway's "colourful characters" who's been offering some bizarre explanations to the courts recently?

Sponge Bob wrote: »

The guy who developed Bramley tended to do high end high spec houses. I personally find an estate full of high density €1m+ houses a rather absurd concept TBH

It's another fine Bluth Company Development.

Come to think of it, one of the tales I've heard recently sounds quite like George Bluth Snr's "light treason"...

Sherifu

http://ghostestates.com

Don't think this is a complete list but it's a start.

GALWAYLAD777

cranky bollix wrote: »

not all unfinished residential buildings are ghost estates, the banks have been with holding money from builders and subcontractors are having difficulty getting credit from suppliers, which is why a lot of these buildings are unfinished.I think I know the ones your on about at the end of the cappagh road, if there the ones facing galway bay.the likes of them will be sold on completion, most probably with the builder making a loss.but they would not be called ghost estates.most of the ghost estates would be located outside of the city, because as house prices get cheaper in the city, people wont bother moving out to live in estates in athenry and gort etc.

Now it makes sense. so its not a ghost estate, just an unfinished development with over 10 units thats been sitting there for quite some time now. at least there is two buyers for a couple of the apts. They have great patience, god bless them. I'd definiteley say they re still paying the €450,000+ each at this point too. I mean, why would you buy a house nearby for half the price. you 'd be mad. So i wonder what to call these empty developments around Knocknacarra now. Im at a loss. maybe there is a more subtle terminology for them that doesn't sound so difficult to reiterate.

doubleglaze

Cúirt an Chéirín, Circular Road. Stunning estate of fully-serviced, ready-to-go, walled sites. Footpaths, lighting, etc. complete. Estate fully landscaped. Only one site has as house built on it.

Funny thing is that although the sites are ready-to-go, little attempt is being made to advertise the fact that they are for sale. Nothing is up on DAFT, for instance; nor does an estate agent appear to be involved.

Perhaps they are not really for sale?

GALWAYLAD777

good concept up there in circular road, know what you mean about no advertising. there is a number to call but thats it. at this stage the site would want to be cheap and i cant imagine it being that somehow. i do like the idea though of half the work being done for you.

Vodkat

This site has some ghost estates on it including some pics of the crown plaza!!

http://ghostestates.com/main.php?g2_view=map.ShowMap

Mrs OBumble

doubleglaze wrote: »

Cúirt an Chéirín, Circular Road. Stunning estate of fully-serviced, ready-to-go, walled sites. ... little attempt is being made to advertise the fact that they are for sale ... Perhaps they are not really for sale?

There are lots of half-finished houses, no need for anyone to be building any more just let.

If the owner doesn't need to sell yet, then they probably would rather wait 'til the market recovers.

Sponge Bob

lots of half finished houses are fecked after the cold spell, rainwater freezing hard and splitting walls etc etc

magentas

there's two big blocks of apartments sitting idle for the last two years at the very back of the estate behind centra/jack jordans in dougiska, I've heard it's home to a few stray dogs now

twas a harmack development, the same people that gave (or rather didn't give!) you the crown plaza in mervue AFAIK

drdoon

Ennis town, at least two three estates I am aware of. TWo on Lahinch road, no names. One of those has been condemmed I was told as the building (Swedish style) was done incorrectly. The other has lots of equipement laying idle. Another on Tulla road, maybe half full with empty site next door. Containers laying around etc. Then in Clare Castle, a crane stands by river with incomplete shopping centre (or old peoples home, not 100% sure) there.
God imagine being a person who's living in estate with no neighbours (that ain't so bad!) but a wreck all around you! That young woman on tv who has 40 year mortgage and not a single neighbour in big estate, terrible.
A fella I know here in Ennis had two houses, lost his job (a scaffolder) lost one house, has €200+ mortgage on second house, has a child he pays maintenance on and just had another child. His wife is not getting maternity payment either! NIGHTMARE. Now they are talking about interest payment hikes, YIKES! I missed Celtic tiger having moved back from UK in 2008. With savings and hard head. Friend always used to say "I've got two houses, what have you got?" Now look who's talking, stupid man. I have started a successful business and am watching my pennies, onward and upward people ...

dinneenp

this article in the NY times is about Irish Ghost Estates, same thing as I was thinking of doing.

lasgaviotas

There is a lot of unfinished commecial buildings in Parkmore on your way into Galway Racecourse..very unsightly too..I couldn't help wondering what our former Taoiseach thought of them on his visit this year and last..
There is also that Webworks building on your way down to the Revenue/Radisson..at least they are finished and available for letting but have been vacant for a long time now..3 years at least..

GALWAYLAD777

Xiney wrote: »

actually, one of the most striking unfinished projects is within city limits: the crown plaza which hasn't been touched since October 2008.

Yes, a very very expensive hole in the ground indeed in Mervue. An alleged €500 million development.. A classsic example of the "build and they will come" theory.

DDee

Not sure if anyone is still looking at this thread but there is a sale going on now at Leargan, Reileann and Boireann Beag, with units open, 3 and 4 bed houses going for 215k to 249k, depending on mid or end of terrace, etc. I was thinking of going out tomorrow - does anyone know anything about those estates, what they are like to live in, what the areas are like, etc? Also, the guy on the phone at O'Malley construction said the houses were almost finished, only a few weeks work to be done on them, which rung an alarm bell for me though maybe they are waiting until they get some cash in to do the final touches.

We sold our last house a year ago and are in a rented one-off house in Barna at the moment and very happy there but the rent is pretty high and its time to get into our long-term home before we get too used to the fancy (expensive) lifestyle we're having here and start thinking we could take on a big mortgage and buy the place.

doubleglaze

DDee wrote: »

Not sure if anyone is still looking at this thread but there is a sale going on now at Leargan, Reileann and Boireann Beag, with units open, 3 and 4 bed houses going for 215k to 249k, depending on mid or end of terrace, etc.

Too expensive.

You could get a semi-detached for 190,000 in a good part of Knocknacarra for 190,000 at the start of this year. They are going for less than that now.

Once those houses are at 150,000, they would be worth consideration. They may, of course, go for as little as 120,000 by the time the market bottoms.

GALWAYLAD777

The secondhand houses in knocknacarra in the older more well established estates represent better value for money, usually no annual management charge for cutting the grass etc. They are also better built in my own humble opinion than most of those built in the last 10 years. Another thing is you will want your own front garden.. Well I think its nice to have that especially when you have children. Some of the newer developments lack character and every square foot was calculated down to a T.... You may not have much excess space in many cases. Some of the newer developments can also appear cold and uninviting, again, this is only my own personal opinion. Knocknacarra is generally a nice area with lots of public parks to take the children to and to go to yourself for a walk, cycle etc. For my money, Id go secondhand and look for a person that needs to sell. You may find that you get a better built, and larger house in a more mature, tried and tested area for you're money. Godd luck with the hunt.

Sponge Bob

Some of those O Malley houses in Roscam are slap bang in the middle of a completely unfinished estate, I wouldn't touch them until O Malley start building again which will be 2013 at the earliest. I think Boireann Bheag may be fully finished.

They finished the one in Knocknacarra very well, as usual, but jeez ....the traffic.

DDee

You're dead right, both of you. We came in from Barna, where we're renting, and for comparison drove into the first estate on the right off the Cappagh Road, think it might be Ros Ard, really nice, plenty of communal green space, good landscaping, shops for bread & milk etc. Then into the next one, which was Cimin Mor, same houses but looked much less cared for, must be more renters or management co (if any) isn't as good.

Then we went into Leargan and didn't even bother looking for a show house as it was too near the road and too bleak, very little green space, mostly hard landscaping with concrete boxed shrubs here and there. Drove over to Roscam and found Boireann Beag and Reileann but didn't bother with BB after looking at the showhouse in Reileann - poky rooms, tiny back garden, no front garden, sea view from one bedroom but all other views of unfinished building sites. Anyone buying at those prices must be very keen on living close to GMIT or Merlin Park is all I can assume. The builders will end up losing a lot on those by trying to cram so many houses and going three storey, the footprints are so small that the living area and garden are far too small to support four bedrooms, particularly with no green areas that we could see.

We had also seen a house in the estate behind the 12 hotel in Barna which had beautiful finishes, bigger rooms and a slightly bigger back garden, still no front garden but a small, quiet estate and a view out over good landscaping on the front and the gardens at the back which would be much better value. The last one to sell there was a couple of months ago and it went for 270k.

Sponge Bob

DDee wrote: »

We had also seen a house in the estate behind the 12 hotel in Barna which had beautiful finishes, bigger rooms and a slightly bigger back garden, still no front garden but a small, quiet estate and a view out over good landscaping on the front and the gardens at the back which would be much better value. The last one to sell there was a couple of months ago and it went for 270k.

The ones just behind the 12 are always on sale, I don't know exactly why so many are on the market at any one time but the builder is gone bust so it may be an impatient receiver.

pepe00

half empty is eagle rock in barna, beautiful houses!

JohnCleary

pepe00 wrote: »

half empty is eagle rock in barna, beautiful houses!

Don't mention the war!

pepe00

JohnCleary wrote: »

Don't mention the war!

what do you mean:cool:

JohnCleary

pepe00 wrote: »

what do you mean:cool:

They belong to a very interesting 'developer' who's in a bit of trouble - Google is your friend

pepe00

JohnCleary wrote: »

They belong to a very interesting 'developer' who's in a bit of trouble - Google is your friend

i just like the location and design of those houses. something different than usual irish architecture.

they must be very expensive if not sold yet

Robbo

pepe00 wrote: »

half empty is eagle rock in barna, beautiful houses!

How did they survive the diktat that all new housing developments in the last decade had to have mawkish, makey-uppey Irish names to placate O'Cuiv?