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
Mixed-Use | Oct 15, 2018
35-story mixed-use tower will be tallest residential building in Long Beach
Studio One Eleven designed the tower.
Multifamily Housing | Oct 10, 2018
Affordable treasures
This year’s prestigious Gold Nugget Awards honor four projects that provide affordably priced housing for homeless families, seniors, and veterans.
Multifamily Housing | Oct 9, 2018
Breaking new ground: The New Home Company
The company, which is headquartered in Aliso Viejo, Calif. relies heavily on focus groups and market research to understand buyer preferences specific to each new community.
Multifamily Housing | Oct 9, 2018
Bjarke Ingels Group creates 66 homes for low-income citizens in Copenhagen
The building is approximately 73,000 sf.
Mixed-Use | Oct 4, 2018
Four-story hotel and adjacent affordable housing community opens in California’s Sonoma County
Axis/GFA Architecture and Design was the architect for the project.
Multifamily Housing | Sep 25, 2018
Fitness centers go for wellness
Equipment choice, room size, program offerings—a lot of thinking has to go into creating a fitness facility that pays off in resident satisfaction.
Multifamily Housing | Sep 24, 2018
Topsy-turvy: Creative use of air rights results in a model of urban luxury design
Using bold cantilevering and imaginative structural design, ODA and its project team created a 12-story building whose massing grows in width as it steps upward.
Multifamily Housing | Sep 21, 2018
A place of ‘voluntary and cheerful resort’
A project team soldiers on in the wake of a nightmarish turn of events.
Multifamily Housing | Sep 19, 2018
Multifamily market trends 2018: What the experts are saying
The growth of keyless entry solutions and demand for oversized units are among the trends and ideas shared at Marcus & Millichap’s 2018 Multifamily Forum in Chicago.
Multifamily Housing | Aug 29, 2018
Brighton Marine is the largest veterans’ development constructed in Boston since World War II
The Architectural Team designed the project.