Amenities, Amenities...It's all about the Amenities to Attract the Right Clientele?

Gone are the days when a simple pool and a lone treadmill were the only amenities needed in the
multifamily market. Now properties that are under construction or in the development stage must find ways to provide unique and enticing amenities to attract individuals to the development. To accomplish this, these properties are focusing in on a few amenities such as the location, finishes, and layout.

Location
During the development stage of a new multifamily property many locations will be evaluated and ranked based on their proximity to retail and major roads. Finding the appropriate distance is important as being too far away will lower the convenience factor while being too close will drive others away because of noise and traffic. Located off College Boulevard, 69 Highway and I-435 in Overland Park, Kansas, Block Construction Services, LLC (BCS) was able to find this happy medium for CityPlace.

CityPlace is a vibrant community offering residents the opportunity to live, work, and play in one energetic and connected neighborhood.  CityPlace is bordered by Interstate 435, U.S. 69 and College Boulevard, allowing easy access for commuters.  For those who prefer not to commute at all, CityPlace will feature four office buildings totaling 600,250 square feet on 26 acres, 1,382 multifamily units on 39 acres, 38,860 square feet of retail space on six acres and 140 senior living units.

Finishes

Besides a multifamily development's location it's finishes offer a broad range of amenity options to entice individuals. Finishes range from the brand of appliances used, to the flooring selected, to the look and feel of the club house and the surrounding grounds. With CityPlace, BCS will be working with Hoefer Wysocki Architects and NSPJ, to create a community that includes highly landscaped pedestrian trails that are integrated into the Overland Park Bike and Hike trail system.  This is one of the added amenities that will provide green space for the community.  They have also designed apartments that include lofted ceilings, floor to ceiling windows and contemporary open floor plans. The high-end finishes will extend past the apartments and into the office park element of CityPlace. These Class A buildings will feature soaring lobbies, granite and limestone interiors, private corporate balconies, large floor plates, prominent building exterior signage, and fiber/cable connectivity. The entire community will compare favorably with other high-end neighborhoods in the Kansas City market, often surpassing their offerings.

Layout
A trend in commercial real estate development is the increased demand for mixed-use layouts. These mixed-use communities offer intrinsic amenities by providing the ability for residents to work, live and play in one location. By offering this layout individuals can spend less time driving and more time enjoying their surroundings. BCS is developing CityPlace with this amenity in mind by combining apartment, office and retail buildings into one community. These interwoven uses are designed to provide neighborhood services and restaurants all within walking distance for those in the office and residential communities.

BCS is leading the development of amenity rich communities by focusing on their location, features and layout. Learn more about CityPlace or BCS's other projects, including WaterCrest at City Center.

Contributor:

Greg Shannon, 

Sr. Project Manager

Block Construction Services (BCS)

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