While rooftop amenities in commercial development projects are increasingly in popularity, many developers are researching which direction they should take their properties. There are dozens of possibilities that could end up on the top floor of the finished product, and while all of them may look great, it is important to the well-being of your development throughout its lifecycle to choose the amenity that best fits its environment, its demographic, and its future.
Here is a list of ideas that a developer could incorporate into their plans to leverage a higher- performance design for an increased ROI. Each of them have their strengths and their weaknesses, but with the proper planning, they can each bring a great value to your project.
This is the third article in our ongoing series on development trends around the North Gulf Coast. In this series, we cover the trends that are affecting the commercial real estate development industry, such as rooftop amenities, certain amenities of high-performance design, and the value of mixed-use development projects. If you have found this information of use, you may find the rest of the series beneficial as well.
Follow the links below:
Part 1 – Commercial Development Trends on the North Gulf Coast for 2018 [and Beyond]
Part 2 – The Perks of Developing High-Level Rooftop Amenities in the Pensacola Region
Part 3 – Rooftop Developing Trends on the North Gulf Coast
Part 4 – Real Estate Developers: The Benefits of Mixed-Use Developing in the Pensacola Region
Part 5 – Mixed-Use Development Trends on the North Gulf Coast
A sky-high garden
A rooftop garden is an attractive amenity, and will continue to be for quite some time. Who wouldn’t want a beautiful enclosure, just steps from their home, for some R&R with a panoramic view?
This being said, there are certain twists that could attract the right community for your project. For example, a dog park would attract pet owners, which is becoming increasingly viable as many millennials are turning to owning pets over having children. On the other side, a greenhouse could attract a more mature community who are interested in gardening.
The downside to having a rooftop garden is maintenance. Landscaping will be a task that the property manager will need to maintain with diligence and care as this can be a harsh environment for the vegetation.
On the plus side, it’s a rooftop garden, properly maintained – you couldn’t ask for a more inviting common area.
A rooftop gym
A rooftop gym is also an attraction as an amenity. Targeting those who value health and fitness is a strong business approach: healthy lifestyles crosses many demographics who value taking care of themselves in all respects, which includes maintaining a steady live/work/play routine.
The downside to a rooftop gym is that it adds very little value to those who don’t work out. So it means the amenity should be integrated with other items such as gardens that will attract other segments of the population, so this area of the structure and its location will do the heavy lifting from a selling standpoint.
Swimming pool with a view
Now we’re cooking with gas. If we scratch the garden, a rooftop swimming pool is the way to go. Now, incorporating a pool is not a simple process, but as far as trends go, this is the lap of luxury. A rooftop swimming pool may add to a budget, but out of everything on this list, it often commands the most ROI.
The Club
Many mixed-use buildings today have successfully combined their amenities and residences for the true live/work community. In these developments, we often find “the Club” which incorporates the Dining Club, the Health Club, the Spa, and the Concierge. A Country Club without the golf course where your every need can be entertained.
These are just a few of the trends that are currently rolling around the North Gulf Coast, but they are a good food for thought to enhance a common area in a new development project. Please join us in our next post about the perks of incorporating certain high-performance features into a building’s design.
