Custom House Harbour (IFSC in general)

bigsmallbig

Hi All, currently trying to get on the property ladder. Looking at an apartment in the Custom House Harbour complex. Anybody live/lived here able to offer any insight into what it's like living here? I've heard horror stories from around the general area, such as Amiens St. and Sheriff Street, but is it really that bad?

taletodream

I’ve lived in Custom House Square in the IFSC for 4/5 years. Generally no issues with anti social behaviour with the exception of lots of fireworks at Halloween or the riding of bicycles in the square etc. Nothing serious. It’s extremely central as a location with proximity to the city centre, convenience shops, gyms, restaurants etc. My only real issues with the area are that it lacks proximity to green space/ recreational space and that it lacks soul. I’ve experienced little/ no community spirit and neighbours etc. don’t really know each other. It is also completely dead at the weekend. Other than that, very convenient location without any serious anti social behaviour.

Xterminator

The area is being gentrified but slowly.

anecdotally i read about a fella who was smoking at the door to his apartment block, and some lads walking by asked him for a cigarette, He told them he had none and they snatched the cigarette from his mouth and walked on.

I'd suggest you check it out after dark yourself before committing.

Samuel T. Cogley

Not massively familiar with the pricing there but being the not so proud owner of a city centre apartment and owner of a house out in D5 I wish I'd bought a house on the DART line in the first place - it certainly cost less.

Not meaning to high horse or anything, it's certainly your money and your choice but I just felt compelled to share :pac:

the_syco

bigsmallbig wrote: »

Looking at an apartment in the Custom House Harbour complex.

Why are you picking such a central location to buy, and as has been said, the apartment complexes don't have a great community.

bigsmallbig

the_syco wrote: »

Why are you picking such a central location to buy, and as has been said, the apartment complexes don't have a great community.

I enjoy the city centre. I'm not to concerned about a sense of community, I mainly keep myself to myself anyway. Plus my plan is to use the apartment as a pension when I retire.

Samuel T. Cogley

bigsmallbig wrote: »

Plus my plan is to use the apartment as a pension when I retire.

Just keep in mind how easy it is to just stop paying rent and how long it takes to get rid of someone. I had the same idea but as I'm getting older I'm realising that the worry of that, no matter how remote the possibility, is not for me and certainly won't be for me c. 70 years old.

dotsman

Have lived for many years, and continue to live, in the area.

As a location, it is among the best in the city. You will live in the only apartment complex that has both a luas and the dart on its doorstep. You are walking distance to most things:

• tens of thousands of high paying jobs on your doorstep,
• pubs,
• restaurants,
• cafes,
• grocery shops of all sizes and chains etc within a few minutes (seriously, you have a Fresh, small M&S, Tesco, a Dunnes, a large Supervalu and several Spars, all with a few minute walk. But, with the luas on your doorstep, you are also only a few minutes from Jervis/Ilac, with their large Tesco/Dunnes/M&S
• shops of all types within a short walk. Seriously, you don't "go to town" to get something - you are already in town! Want a haircut? pop out and be back sitting on your sofa in less than half an hour. Want a new scarf? Pop out to Arnott's and be back in half an hour, In terms of shopping needs, anything you can think of is typically within a few minute walk or a few minutes on the luas.
• <10 minute stroll to O'Connell Street, ~15 minutes to Grafton street etc).
• A short walk from both Croke Park, Point Depot, and a manageable walk (or short dart/taxi) from Lansdown Road and RDS etc. So great location for pre/post match/concert drinks with friends.
• You don't need a car, in fact you won't want one. For the few times a year you want to drive out to some retail estate, there are a load of GoCar locations within a few minute walk in every direction.
• Also, compared to pretty much every other city centre location, you don't have any roads near you - literally. No buses, cars, drunks. So no noise pollution. At night, sleeping with your window open, you can hear a pin drop.

Which leads me on to pretty much the only actual problem - the fcukin seagulls. Seriously, they need to be exterminated. They are scumbags with wings. Given how quite the background noise is, when a seagull starts to scream at night/early morning, it really echoes around the place.


As for safety, it is extremely safe.

• The "locals" don't bother us, we don't bother them.
• Talbot street is ugly (both buildings and people), but not only have I never had any hassle, I have never even seen anybody, or heard of anybody get hassled. And I would be walking down it several times a week on average over the past decade. The junkies/drunks pretty much keep to themselves. And the street is extremely busy (with a lot of tourists!).
• The IFSC itself (i.e. around Mayor Square) will attract the 8-12 year olds, but they are really only hassle for the local shops, not residents.
• You used to see the kids going in to the water during summer, but haven't in the past few years. Assume they have fcuked off elsewhere.
• Can't remember the exact figures, but a few years ago, the complex I live in had less than half the number of break-ins than the average for Dublin.
• I have walked home from pubs/clubs at all different times of the morning on many, many occasions over the years and never felt unsafe.
• I used to have female housemates, as well as several female friends living in different complexes in the IFSC, and every single one of them felt perfectly safe (or, just as safe as they would anywhere else being girls!)
• As someone mentioned above, you'll get the fireworks in the run up to Halloween, but you get that anywhere in the city centre.

Also, as for "dead at weekends", I've never understood people who say that. What are they expecting to see at weekends? What exactly is happening in their housing estate/suburb on a Sunday afternoon that is so exciting? For me, Saturdays still have plenty of people milling about and a good buzz around the place in the evening. The age profile tends to be 25-40, good mix of Irish, Western European, Mediterranean and Central European with very, very few kids or married people - people who "settle down" tend to have already moved to the suburbs, the people who want to live in the IFSC tend to be those who want to work/socialise/have fun. Lots of people out drinking on their balconies/ house parties, but everyone seems to be pretty good at keeping music levels down, and no external noise after midnight etc. It is very rare to have any noise issues from neighbours. There is also potentially crowds if there is an event/concert in the convention centre/point depot. Sundays tend to be very quite and peaceful, with some of the pubs/restaurants taking that as their day off.

Ultimately, you need to decide on living in the city centre vs suburban. For the city centre, it really doesn't come any sweeter, and is easily one of the top spots.

subpar

dotsman wrote: »

Have lived for many years, and continue to live, in the area.

As a location, it is among the best in the city. You will live in the only apartment complex that has both a luas and the dart on its doorstep. You are walking distance to most things:

• tens of thousands of high paying jobs on your doorstep,
• pubs,
• restaurants,
• cafes,
• grocery shops of all sizes and chains etc within a few minutes (seriously, you have a Fresh, small M&S, Tesco, a Dunnes, a large Supervalu and several Spars, all with a few minute walk. But, with the luas on your doorstep, you are also only a few minutes from Jervis/Ilac, with their large Tesco/Dunnes/M&S
• shops of all types within a short walk. Seriously, you don't "go to town" to get something - you are already in town! Want a haircut? pop out and be back sitting on your sofa in less than half an hour. Want a new scarf? Pop out to Arnott's and be back in half an hour, In terms of shopping needs, anything you can think of is typically within a few minute walk or a few minutes on the luas.
• <10 minute stroll to O'Connell Street, ~15 minutes to Grafton street etc).
• A short walk from both Croke Park, Point Depot, and a manageable walk (or short dart/taxi) from Lansdown Road and RDS etc. So great location for pre/post match/concert drinks with friends.
• You don't need a car, in fact you won't want one. For the few times a year you want to drive out to some retail estate, there are a load of GoCar locations within a few minute walk in every direction.
• Also, compared to pretty much every other city centre location, you don't have any roads near you - literally. No buses, cars, drunks. So no noise pollution. At night, sleeping with your window open, you can hear a pin drop.

Which leads me on to pretty much the only actual problem - the fcukin seagulls. Seriously, they need to be exterminated. They are scumbags with wings. Given how quite the background noise is, when a seagull starts to scream at night/early morning, it really echoes around the place.


As for safety, it is extremely safe.

• The "locals" don't bother us, we don't bother them.
• Talbot street is ugly (both buildings and people), but not only have I never had any hassle, I have never even seen anybody, or heard of anybody get hassled. And I would be walking down it several times a week on average over the past decade. The junkies/drunks pretty much keep to themselves. And the street is extremely busy (with a lot of tourists!).
• The IFSC itself (i.e. around Mayor Square) will attract the 8-12 year olds, but they are really only hassle for the local shops, not residents.
• You used to see the kids going in to the water during summer, but haven't in the past few years. Assume they have fcuked off elsewhere.
• Can't remember the exact figures, but a few years ago, the complex I live in had less than half the number of break-ins than the average for Dublin.
• I have walked home from pubs/clubs at all different times of the morning on many, many occasions over the years and never felt unsafe.
• I used to have female housemates, as well as several female friends living in different complexes in the IFSC, and every single one of them felt perfectly safe (or, just as safe as they would anywhere else being girls!)
• As someone mentioned above, you'll get the fireworks in the run up to Halloween, but you get that anywhere in the city centre.

Also, as for "dead at weekends", I've never understood people who say that. What are they expecting to see at weekends? What exactly is happening in their housing estate/suburb on a Sunday afternoon that is so exciting? For me, Saturdays still have plenty of people milling about and a good buzz around the place in the evening. The age profile tends to be 25-40, good mix of Irish, Western European, Mediterranean and Central European with very, very few kids or married people - people who "settle down" tend to have already moved to the suburbs, the people who want to live in the IFSC tend to be those who want to work/socialise/have fun. Lots of people out drinking on their balconies/ house parties, but everyone seems to be pretty good at keeping music levels down, and no external noise after midnight etc. It is very rare to have any noise issues from neighbours. There is also potentially crowds if there is an event/concert in the convention centre/point depot. Sundays tend to be very quite and peaceful, with some of the pubs/restaurants taking that as their day off.

Ultimately, you need to decide on living in the city centre vs suburban. For the city centre, it really doesn't come an

A very fair and comprehensive assessment which I would fully agree with. If you are after city living this is the area.

bigsmallbig

dotsman wrote: »

Have lived for many years, and continue to live, in the area.

As a location, it is among the best in the city. You will live in the only apartment complex that has both a luas and the dart on its doorstep. You are walking distance to most things:

• tens of thousands of high paying jobs on your doorstep,
• pubs,
• restaurants,
• cafes,
• grocery shops of all sizes and chains etc within a few minutes (seriously, you have a Fresh, small M&S, Tesco, a Dunnes, a large Supervalu and several Spars, all with a few minute walk. But, with the luas on your doorstep, you are also only a few minutes from Jervis/Ilac, with their large Tesco/Dunnes/M&S
• shops of all types within a short walk. Seriously, you don't "go to town" to get something - you are already in town! Want a haircut? pop out and be back sitting on your sofa in less than half an hour. Want a new scarf? Pop out to Arnott's and be back in half an hour, In terms of shopping needs, anything you can think of is typically within a few minute walk or a few minutes on the luas.
• <10 minute stroll to O'Connell Street, ~15 minutes to Grafton street etc).
• A short walk from both Croke Park, Point Depot, and a manageable walk (or short dart/taxi) from Lansdown Road and RDS etc. So great location for pre/post match/concert drinks with friends.
• You don't need a car, in fact you won't want one. For the few times a year you want to drive out to some retail estate, there are a load of GoCar locations within a few minute walk in every direction.
• Also, compared to pretty much every other city centre location, you don't have any roads near you - literally. No buses, cars, drunks. So no noise pollution. At night, sleeping with your window open, you can hear a pin drop.

Which leads me on to pretty much the only actual problem - the fcukin seagulls. Seriously, they need to be exterminated. They are scumbags with wings. Given how quite the background noise is, when a seagull starts to scream at night/early morning, it really echoes around the place.


As for safety, it is extremely safe.

• The "locals" don't bother us, we don't bother them.
• Talbot street is ugly (both buildings and people), but not only have I never had any hassle, I have never even seen anybody, or heard of anybody get hassled. And I would be walking down it several times a week on average over the past decade. The junkies/drunks pretty much keep to themselves. And the street is extremely busy (with a lot of tourists!).
• The IFSC itself (i.e. around Mayor Square) will attract the 8-12 year olds, but they are really only hassle for the local shops, not residents.
• You used to see the kids going in to the water during summer, but haven't in the past few years. Assume they have fcuked off elsewhere.
• Can't remember the exact figures, but a few years ago, the complex I live in had less than half the number of break-ins than the average for Dublin.
• I have walked home from pubs/clubs at all different times of the morning on many, many occasions over the years and never felt unsafe.
• I used to have female housemates, as well as several female friends living in different complexes in the IFSC, and every single one of them felt perfectly safe (or, just as safe as they would anywhere else being girls!)
• As someone mentioned above, you'll get the fireworks in the run up to Halloween, but you get that anywhere in the city centre.

Also, as for "dead at weekends", I've never understood people who say that. What are they expecting to see at weekends? What exactly is happening in their housing estate/suburb on a Sunday afternoon that is so exciting? For me, Saturdays still have plenty of people milling about and a good buzz around the place in the evening. The age profile tends to be 25-40, good mix of Irish, Western European, Mediterranean and Central European with very, very few kids or married people - people who "settle down" tend to have already moved to the suburbs, the people who want to live in the IFSC tend to be those who want to work/socialise/have fun. Lots of people out drinking on their balconies/ house parties, but everyone seems to be pretty good at keeping music levels down, and no external noise after midnight etc. It is very rare to have any noise issues from neighbours. There is also potentially crowds if there is an event/concert in the convention centre/point depot. Sundays tend to be very quite and peaceful, with some of the pubs/restaurants taking that as their day off.

Ultimately, you need to decide on living in the city centre vs suburban. For the city centre, it really doesn't come any sweeter, and is easily one of the top spots.

This is actually super helpful and exactly what I needed! Thanks a mil!

Sgro

Hi,

Not sure if I'm too late here - but I would just note as saying the walls in the complex as a whole are *very* thin. This is both within apartments, and between them. I live in a two bed in CHH and can hear the next apartment clearly, and this is not because they are loud, rather just the walls are so thin. I can hear their phone ring tones go off even. I also spoke with another resident and she said the same thing, she had a pregnant neighbor who would get morning sickness and she could hear her vomit. The walls within the apartments are so thin that you can have a full conversation with someone in the apartment from adjacent rooms at normal volumes.

If you're living alone this might be ok, but even living with a friend I found I felt like I'd no privacy. The issues with sounds coming from adjacent apartments is also absurd, again, no slight on my neighbors, it just seems the walls are so thin. I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned by others or maybe they are just lucky with very quiet neighbors.

I previously lived in the Trinity Square complex on Townsend St and the walls were much thicker, despite it being on Lombard St I never really heard a peep from the street or adjacent neighbors. We were drawn in by the bigger space and better amenities in CHH but really regret it now due to the noise. It's just very frustrating, noise from apartments below will also sound really clear (I can hear them opening drawers, cabinets and wardrobes.)

I'm not normally someone who has an issue with noise but the feeling of having no privacy or having to be quite nervous yourself about making no noise is definitely something to watch out for.

I live in the Argyle building which is on the actual water basin, so I'm not sure if its the same for the surrounding apartments. I would really watch out for it though.

Apart from that never had any issues but it is unfortunately a deal breaker for me and trumps the amenities etc.

riclad

Thats a dealbreaker for me, theres very low levels of sound insulation in all rooms, from all directions.
my friend lived in 3 apartments, one in dublin 8,in the last 14 years ,
she never had issues with any sound from any neighbours,
above, to the right or the left.
i stayed in her apartment ,
she is on the ground floor,
i stayed there for 4 days, i could not hear any noise from any person,
no music ,no doors opening .
maybe i,m naive i thought all modern city centre apartment blocks, locked gates ,
doors with intercoms etc it seems when building apartments fire regs are checked etc there does not seem to be any basic minimum standard for sound insulation .send in the plan,s , hire an architect,
ah sure by the time they know about sound problem,s
the builder will be gone and the money is in my bank account.
she bought 2 apartment,s , new build,
no problems with any sound from any neighbours ,
above,below ,anywhere .

i dont know any way easy to check sound,if your paying 150k plus for an apartment ,
unless you get a survey and hire some acoustic expert before you buy
any building maybe walk around for 15 minutes and see if you can hear any sound from any direction ,
after 6pm, when people are not at work