Dublin 4 Site Attracts €40M Investment Interest from Developers, Healthcare Providers
A 5.451-hectare (13.47-acre) site in Dublin 4, formerly the St Mary’s nursing home, is attracting significant interest from developers, investors, and healthcare providers, with a guide price of €40 million. The property is being marketed by Avison Young.
Historical Background and Ownership
Established in 1868 by the Religious Sisters of Charity as St Mary’s Home for the “Destitute Catholic Blind,” the site evolved into a healthcare and residential campus. It operated as St Mary’s nursing home and Caritas convalescent home before entering liquidation in July 2020. The Irish Times reports that the Sisters applied to Dublin City Council in 2022 to rezone portions of the land to reflect its development potential.
Zoning and Land Employ
Currently, approximately 4.85 hectares (11.97 acres) of the site is zoned ‘Z15 – Community and Social Infrastructure,’ while the remaining 0.53 hectares (1.3 acres) is zoned “Z6 – Employment/Enterprise” under the Dublin City Council Development Plan 2022-2028. Z15 aims to protect community and social infrastructure, while Z6 focuses on enterprise and employment opportunities.
Proposed Master Plan
A masterplan developed by Reddy Architecture + Urbanism envisions a “landmark multi-use development” on the site. This includes:
- Approximately 360 apartments with varied tenures
- 315 single-bed student accommodation units, primarily for medical students
- A 250 single-bed step-down/care home facility
- A 239-bedroom hotel
- Approximately 19,523sq m of private hospital accommodation
Existing Structures and Planned Demolition
The campus currently includes several buildings, totaling 10,269sq m (110,535sq ft), including St Mary’s and its chapel, St Patrick’s, Loyola House, St Oliver’s, the Telford apartments and houses, Marmion (a convent), and two detached houses, Shalom and Providence. The proposed plan involves retaining St Mary’s and the chapel while demolishing the remaining structures, pending planning permission.
Strategic Location
The St Mary’s campus is strategically located in Dublin 4, close to residential areas like Ballsbridge, Donnybrook, Sandymount, and Blackrock. It is also adjacent to St Vincent’s University and Private Hospitals and the Elmpark Green office and residential scheme. St. Vincent’s University Hospital is a leading academic teaching hospital offering a wide range of medical specialities.
Recent Developments
In January 2026, St. Vincent’s University Hospital opened a new ICU Ward to expand critical care capacity, adding six beds and enabling treatment for up to 46 additional patients monthly. St. Vincent’s University Hospital was also designated as a EULAR Centre of Excellence in Rheumatology.
Legal Proceedings
Previous legal proceedings involved an application to appoint an examiner to St Mary’s Centre (Telford), a facility on the campus, to explore potential rescue options. The Irish Times reported that the facility faced regulatory difficulties, funding concerns from the HSE, and challenges in meeting Hiqa standards.