You could live in Cardiff city centre for less than you think

The location is prime but the price tag isn’t

Some people might think that there is a growing trend of living in the centre of Cardiff that has recently created pockets of bustling residential areas that have brought life to the capital, and not just via the growing number of student blocks of accommodation.

But some former office buildings that are now homes experienced their change of use to homes at least a few decades ago, including the former AA building at the end of Queen Street and a building just minutes away which was once home to Admiral Insurance.

But there is no doubt that the city centre is now home to many residents, supported by the appearance of national brand supermarkets opening in prime sites on St Mary Street and Queen Street, and the most recent trend appears to be offices being converted into apartments to rent. For more property stories sent to your inbox twice a week sign up to the property newsletter here.

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The latest example of a work building transformed into a predominantly rental home site is Fitz and Knox, the former Legal & General Cardiff headquarters that is now a mixed use building by Urbancentric about to launch as Wales’ first co-living scheme in partnership with Housing Growth Partnership.

But just around the corner is a building where there is an opportunity to buy, rather than rent, at a price level that maybe some people might consider surprising for such a prime, central location.

The property on Newport Road offering a flat for sale with a guide price of just £69,000 was once the headquarters of Admiral Insurance but they moved out of the building in 1999 and, after a number of moves, eventually into brand new headquarters called Ty Admiral opposite the Motorpoint Arena in 2014.

The original Admiral Insurance building, adjacent to St James’ Church and Cardiff Royal Infirmary was converted into 167 apartments around 2007 and caused a bit of a stir boasting a Conran & Partners designed interior, bringing the top designer’s chic to the capital.

At the time of launch the building’s selling points were said to have stone worktops, solid oak screens, custom designed fittings, ceramic tiling, laminated timber and carpeted flooring and a solid core oak veneer entrance door and video entry-phone system.

The building also included the creation of penthouse apartments to make it a 15-storey property and was a flagship conversion development for City Lofts Group who later went into administration during 2008, find out more about that here.

Take a trip back in time to the 1970s and this building, along with its neighbouring twin tower, were two bland office blocks on the same site. Admiral House on the left has now become homes while McKenzie House next door is a 12-storey office block extending to 83,553 square feet on a site of 0.58 acres that was modernised to include cladding and smoked glass.

Internally this building has mainly open-plan office accommodation with three lifts and two staircases and car parking for 57 vehicles at the site. This freehold building is currently for sale with Savills for ‘price on application’.

But the property for sale in the once twin building next door is more within most people’s buying budget, a one-bedroom apartment on the first floor going to auction with a guide price of just £69,000.

The building’s reception is a welcoming and modern communal space with concierge service and also a video and fob entry system.

The kitchens inside the Conran-designed residential building are said to include granite worktops and integrated appliances and the kitchen in this home might be compact but it certainly optimises the space available. The kitchen is semi open-plan to the living room.

The living room and bedroom are both a good size for a single person and are flooded with light from the floor-to-ceiling window in each space. The bathroom includes a handy, large wall mirror with the suites in the building said to be by Villeroy and Boch.

If a bit more space is required, located one floor higher up the building on the second floor is another apartment going to auction with a guide price of £75,000 with a marginally larger open-plan kitchen lounge diner on offer.

The location of the building and both homes is a big bonus for anyone wanting to be within a short walk of all the bars, restaurants, shops, and cafes the city centre offers in abundance but far enough away not to be disturbed by people visiting the late night establishments and then wandering home in the early hours of the morning.

Both apartments are going to auction with bidding open from noon on Monday, May 11 and closes at noon on Wednesday May 13 with Auction House Wales, call 01633 212555 to find out more. For more property, renovation, and interior design stories join our Amazing Welsh Homes Facebook group here.