Building lobbies that will do more
Condos and apartment sites are redesigning their common spaces to be more like hotels.
Condo and apartment buildings are getting designed and renovated common spaces, indoor and outdoor, that look and feel more like hotels. It's happening at addresses such as 2116 Chestnut, Park Towne Place, and the Granary.
These areas now offer everything from juice bars to tech stations, where residents can recharge themselves and their devices, check e-mail, or print tickets and boarding passes.
A building's lobby used to be thought of as a place people circulated through, as opposed to congregating in.
"In recent years, residential developers have taken lessons from the hospitality industry and started to rethink how common areas can be utilized to engender a greater sense of community and social interaction," said Neil Rubler, who is redeveloping 251 DeKalb in King of Prussia.
"Many of the basic requirements of common areas remain the same - garages, mailboxes, package rooms, all continue to serve their purposes," Rubler added.
Still, new amenities, expected and unexpected, have emerged as the latest must-haves. Among these are "tech bars," dog-washing stations, and children's playrooms. At 251 DeKalb, the redesign includes tanning and massage facilities and "virtual personal-training centers."
Architects and designers who specialize in hotels are now in the employ of traditional condominium and apartment buildings.
The Granary hired DAS Architects of Philadelphia to design the property's roof deck, kitchens and lobby, business lounge, computer station, and party area to appeal to millennial tenants. Previously, DAS had mostly hotels as design clients; it is now also redesigning the Curtis Center at Sixth and Walnut.
"Creating an experience like a hotel is the focus in our apartment projects," said DAS partner David Schultz.
At the Curtis, about 8,000 square feet will be dedicated to amenities such as a 24-hour concierge station for deliveries, theater tickets, and transportation, a reading library, a coffee and wine bar, and wine lockers. There are even discussions about an indoor golf simulator.
Costs can vary. DAS partner Susan Davidson said the lobby renovation in the Touraine at 15th and Spruce ran $400,000 to $500,000 and included the elevators.
At 2116 Chestnut, "we really studied the hotel market" when determining which amenities to offer, said property manager Carol Enoch.
Those included a club room with a fireplace, gaming systems, eco-friendly cleaning services, a movie theater, a party room with a catering kitchen, and a grassy area with chaises. She is talking with the Bicycle Coalition in Philadelphia to partner on a bike-share program for residents who don't drive.
Post Bros.' Rittenhouse Hill apartments at 633 W. Rittenhouse St. completed a renovation "driven by the new owners as upgrades," said Bruce Brooks, founder of Bruce E. Brooks & Associates in Center City, which was hired as engineer for the redesign.
"They were looking for a lobby that was a little grander, a place with style," Brooks said. The footprint of the original lobby was expanded in front and back, creating a more generous space, with a new fitness center and a juice bar.
"It became a social space - where you don't just pass through," he said.
Technologically, residents now demand heavy-duty infrastructure, said Brooks, also the engineer for 2116 Chestnut: "Everyone wants WiFi access everywhere. It's something people require."
Charging stations also are de rigueur as part of building infrastructure, he said, "not just electrical outlets, but custom USB chargers. People treat their condos as a place to do work more than they did 15 years ago. It's also not limited to your living space. They expect to have WiFi on the roof deck or wherever they are."
That comes from the hospitality industry, he said.
Other hotel-style amenities cater to foodies, including pop-up restaurants in the lobby with visiting local chefs, or ground-floor refrigerators to store cooperative-farm shares and groceries.
Some clients, of course, want all sorts of upgrades: rock-climbing walls; stairs that light up and change color; lap pools.
"We're in a building boom in Philadelphia. The more there is, the more competitive it becomes," Davidson said. "The bar keeps getting raised."
215-854-2808