The mystery buyer of 2 Shrewsbury Road – the second most expensive house purchased in the State this year – is Owen Killian, founding chief executive of Zurich-based food group Aryzta. Known here for its Cuisine de France brand, the
Roscommon man heads up the publicly-listed food giant which posts €3 billion in annual sales.
Shrewsbury House as it is known, became the biggest flip of the year when it sold for €6.5 million in August after it had been purchased just 10 months earlier for €4.65 million by a US-based Irish investor who had left it untouched.
Former Embassy
By purchasing the former Belgian Embassy on just under an acre, Killian – whose annual pay increased from €3.5 million to €5 million this year – joins the residential ranks of some of Ireland's leading captains of industry on the prominent corner site at the junction with Merrion Road.
The property is in need of substantial refurbishment and Killian appears to have ambitious plans for it. Last month the 604sq m (6,500 sq ft) property received planning approval to almost triple in size to an enormous 1,670sq m (18,000 sq ft), making it one of the largest private residences in the capital.
The plan went through unopposed by local residents who include Paul Coulson, Denis O'Brien and Dermot Desmond. Since then another application has been lodged by SpiritHill Nominees, the company that owns the property, seeking to further extend the property to 1,951sq m (21,000sq ft).
The plans have been carefully designed to ensure minimal disruption to the existing site because most of the expansion will be taking place below ground.
A two-level basement, including a car lift, will transport cars two storeys below surface to the car park. It will also include a 17m (55ft) swimming pool, fitness facilities and a 91sq m (982sq ft) log store.
Multiple basement level constructions or “iceberg homes” as they are known, are familiar developments in exclusive areas of cities such as London where land space is at a premium.
This will be one of the first properties of a similar style and scale to be constructed here.
The off-market deal is understood to have been brokered by agent David Bewley of Lisney, making it the second largest residential property sale in the State this year after Deepwell in Blackrock, which sold for €7.9 million.
In October, Killian, who currently divides his time between a property in Castleknock and Zurich, was awarded the RDS annual gold medal for industry.
