One of the hardest decisions multifamily developers and their design teams have to make is what mix of amenities they’re going to put into each project. A lot of squiggly factors go into that decision: the type of community (market-rate vs. affordable, for-sale, senior living, student housing, etc.), the geographic market, local recreation preferences (tennis court or putting green? bocce or billiards?), climate/weather conditions, physical parameters (availability and cost of land), and of course the budget. The permutations are mind-boggling.
Along with location and pricing, however, getting the amenity mix right is crucial to your marketing program and the ultimate success of your multifamily project. The worst thing that can happen is to install an amenity, especially an expensive one or one that takes up a lot of valuable space, and not have occupiers use it. What a waste!
It’s not only an out-of-pocket cost, it’s a lost opportunity: What other amenity would have been more popular with your renters or condominium buyers? And how much will it cost to fix the problem—if it can be fixed at all?
All this has been further complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Property managers across the country had to close fitness centers, pool decks, children’s playgrounds, game rooms, even business centers and lounges. Survey respondents said tenants were particularly vexed about losing the convenience of their workout spaces and swim spas, which also saved them the cost of buying an outside club membership.
342 developers, builders, and architects pinpoint the top multifamily amenities
To help you navigate this crisis, BD+C's sister publication, Multifamily Design+Construction, conducted a survey in February/March 2021 of 342 multifamily developers, builders, and architects about how amenities were affected by the COVID pandemic. The resulting 2021 Multifamily Amenities Report builds on surveys conducted in 2017 and 2019 and measures the responses of multifamily sector professionals to their use of 131 amenities—including a new one about “smart connectivity systems.”
One thing about respondents’ answers to the COVID question surprised me: more than half said they had made no changes to their amenities. For some, the work was so far along, they had to live with what they had. But others made it clear that they were going to weather the storm, no matter what. Changing their amenities mix was not on the agenda.
The other half did make changes—removing some amenities, pushing activities outdoors as much as possible. In some cases, the amenities could be modified fairly easily; for example, by putting plexiglass “shields” between pieces of workout equipment in the fitness center. These may have been temporary fixes in response to a crisis, but growing concerns about designing for occupiers’ health and wellness may turn them into permanent features of amenities packages in the future.
Thanks to our 2021 Multifamily Amenities Study sponsor: EXACOR™ | Huber Engineered Woods
The 2021 Multifamily Amenities Report ranks 131 amenities and features across 10 building areas:
• Top ‘smart connectivity’ systems
• Top 10 indoor amenities
• Top 10 outdoor amenities
• Top 10 recreation amenities
• Top 10 convenience services
• Top 10 quality of life amenities
• Top 10 business and technology services
• Top 10 security services
• Top children's services
• Top services for pets
• BONUS: COVID-19 impact on amenities
• BONUS: List of ‘first-time amenities’ for developers
For the full 16-page PDF report, visit: www.BDCnetwork.com/Amenities2021.
Related Stories
| Jan 21, 2011
Revamped hotel-turned-condominium building holds on to historic style
The historic 89,000-sf Hotel Stowell in Los Angeles was reincarnated as the El Dorado, a 65-unit loft condominium building with retail and restaurant space. Rockefeller Partners Architects, El Segundo, Calif., aimed to preserve the building’s Gothic-Art Nouveau combination style while updating it for modern living.
| Jan 21, 2011
Upscale apartments offer residents a twist on modern history
The Goodwynn at Town: Brookhaven, a 433,300-sf residential and retail building in DeKalb County, Ga., combines a historic look with modern amenities. Atlanta-based project architect Niles Bolton Associates used contemporary materials in historic patterns and colors on the exterior, while concealing a six-level parking structure on the interior.
| Jan 20, 2011
Worship center design offers warm and welcoming atmosphere
The Worship Place Studio of local firm Ziegler Cooper Architects designed a new 46,000-sf church complex for the Pare de Sufrir parish in Houston.
| Jan 19, 2011
Baltimore mixed-use development combines working, living, and shopping
The Shoppes at McHenry Row, a $117 million mixed-use complex developed by 28 Walker Associates for downtown Baltimore, will include 65,000 sf of office space, 250 apartments, and two parking garages. The 48,000 sf of main street retail space currently is 65% occupied, with space for small shops and a restaurant remaining.
| Jan 7, 2011
Mixed-Use on Steroids
Mixed-use development has been one of the few bright spots in real estate in the last few years. Successful mixed-use projects are almost always located in dense urban or suburban areas, usually close to public transportation. It’s a sign of the times that the residential component tends to be rental rather than for-sale.
| Jan 4, 2011
An official bargain, White House loses $79 million in property value
One of the most famous office buildings in the world—and the official the residence of the President of the United States—is now worth only $251.6 million. At the top of the housing boom, the 132-room complex was valued at $331.5 million (still sounds like a bargain), according to Zillow, the online real estate marketplace. That reflects a decline in property value of about 24%.
| Jan 4, 2011
Grubb & Ellis predicts commercial real estate recovery
Grubb & Ellis Company, a leading real estate services and investment firm, released its 2011 Real Estate Forecast, which foresees the start of a slow recovery in the leasing market for all property types in the coming year.
| Dec 17, 2010
Condominium and retail building offers luxury and elegance
The 58-story Austonian in Austin, Texas, is the tallest residential building in the western U.S. Benchmark Development, along with Ziegler Cooper Architects and Balfour Beatty (GC), created the 850,000-sf tower with 178 residences, retail space, a 6,000-sf fitness center, and a 10th-floor outdoor area with a 75-foot saltwater lap pool and spa, private cabanas, outdoor kitchens, and pet exercise and grooming areas.
| Dec 17, 2010
Luxury condos built for privacy
A new luxury condominium tower in Los Angeles, The Carlyle has 24 floors with 78 units. Each of the four units on each floor has a private elevator foyer. The top three floors house six 5,000-sf penthouses that offer residents both indoor and outdoor living space. KMD Architects designed the 310,000-sf structure, and Elad Properties was project developer.
