CREJ - Multifamily Properties Quarterly - March 2016
T his multifamily housing boom is seeing the onset of many emerging trends in amenities and landscapes. Today’s residents want the convenience and security of single family living in a multifamily setting. Committing to the latest trends and highest standards in the land plan and landscape architectural design process is a great way to create healthy and profitable communities for generations to come. Following are 10 of the most significant trends that can be incorporated immediately into any new or existing multifamily community. 1. Product diversity. People want their home to be an expression of their personality and lifestyle, whether it’s in a master-planned community or a high-density setting. Different home product types give people more choices to match their design taste and lifestyle. This is important because diversity of home styles encourages a diversity of residents and fosters a sustainable community culture. Meanwhile, varied street scenes contribute to a sense of community and unique place. 2. Landscape. Living in a multifamily community no longer means accepting a lower-quality outdoor environment. People want an attractive, safe and sustainable place to live, and believe the setting is a reflection of residents’ lifestyle and identity. A sense of arrival is an important way to establish community identity. Whenever possible, integrate views to amenities and adjacent parks and open spaces at community entries. Also, incorporate many walkable paths to surrounding shopping and transit areas, parks and open spaces. If you can, integrate small pocket parks and community green spaces. Residents want convenient access to outdoor activity and nature without having to get into their cars. Within your landscaped areas, use native and naturalizing plant materials. They have an immediate and lasting visual impact and perform well with less water and less maintenance. Also, plant sizeable trees wherever possible because they signify a sense of community and permanence and reduce the urban heat-island effect. 3. More deck, less pool. Designs for leasing centers and amenities are in the forefront. Swimming pools are a staple of high-end apartment communities, but most people don’t go to the pool to swim. They go to hang out around the pool. So keep the pool size to a comfortable scale for the community and, instead of building something large, focus on providing more deck space with good solar orientation and smaller, more intimate spaces for people to gather. You can create larger turf areas and lawns within the pool enclosure to accommodate larger groups, informal play and a cooler surface on the extra sunny and hot days. For the deck itself, achieve a higher level of deck finish with custom copings, patterning, and scoring of paving, color and texture. A variety of quality furnishings creates a residential feel in the space, which makes these spaces the community “living room,” not the “backyard.” 4. More features, less water. As noted above, residents have come to expect the highest-quality design and amenities in a competitive market of modern apartment communities. The swimming pool in these settings is more of an aesthetic feature than a place to swim laps. In order to take advantage of this: • Site the pool so it is aligned with key views from the leasing center. • Integrate fountains or other water features within the pool for dramatic effect. • Place water features where people can interact with the spill. • Use up-lighting for dramatic night effects. • Integrate chaise decks for sunning and play. • Introduce “zero edge” entries to make the pool accessible to kids and older adults. • Provide in-pool seating in a variety of arrangements to create unique and intimate gathering spaces. 5. Outdoor dining and entertainment. While more people are choosing higher-density, lower-maintenance multifamily living, most still want opportunities to enjoy outdoor dining and entertainment. When designing these spaces, keep ease of use in mind. For convenience, place outdoor dining adjacent to indoor prep spaces, and locate grills so prevailing wind doesn’t carry smoke over the pool and deck. When possible, provide shade and weather protection for the grills. It is wise to provide multiple grills with access from different sides so several groups can use the equipment simultaneously. Also, provide ample lighting for night use and meet accessibility requirements. And finally, use top-quality, durable appliances and furnishings. 6. Outdoor fireplaces. Outdoor fire pits are popular with single-family homes and multifamily neighborhoods. We take fire-as-an-amenity to the next level. Residents want an outdoor “living room” experience, not a campfire. So outdoor fireplaces should be a design extension of the architecture of the community center and residences. To do this, make the fireplace stack tall so it is a visual anchor and focal point of the space. Again, when possible, make the fireplace accessible from multiple sides for greater visual impact and to allow multiple groups to share the space. You also must include safety features like automatic shut-off timers and grill or glass covers for openings. 7. Cars, garages and storage. People still love their cars, and garages increasingly are important in multifamily communities. This is a prime example of how residents want the convenience and security of single family living in a multifamily setting. It is best to offer direct access from garages to units. With electric cars becoming commonplace, you should consider providing on-site charging stations for residents. Also, a great feature to offer tenants for convenience is a self-service car wash station integrated into the community maintenance building. Within the garage, provide additional storage space because people want room for their stuff. However, some jurisdictions may be resistant to give parking credit for garages when they aren’t used for cars. We are implementing a new trend of offering on-site storage units that can be rented by residents, which alleviates concerns about storage in garages and acts as an additional revenue source. 8. Pets. In Colorado, people are crazy about their pets, especially dogs. Off-leash dog parks are in high demand. Designers should integrate the parks into the land plan. The spaces don’t need to be big, but should provide water. Synthetic turf is a smart consideration for durability. If a dog park isn’t feasible, provide multiple, convenient small pocket park spaces with ample and easily accessible “doggy pots.” They will get used, and all residents will be happier with a cleaner community. 9. Bicycles. More and more people use bicycles for exercise and commuting, and they often are expensive to purchase and maintain. For this reason, consider providing the amenity of a secure, indoor bicycle storage that is sheltered from the weather. And all bike racks should be in well-lighted, visible locations. Another biking-related amenity gaining popularity is repair stations, in which property mangers arrange for a local bike shop to offer on-site repair services. For tenants who don’t own bikes, some properties have started offering property-owned bikes that can be signed out at the community center. 10. Waste and recycling. Convenient waste and recycling facilities are essential. Many communities now insist on having them. Some multifamily communities offer daily, at-your-door trash and recycling pick-up. Also, it is becoming standard to have a common waste compactor and recycling center rather than several unsightly and unsafe trash enclosures.