Condominium Design and Architecture for Generation Y

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Make Room for Generation Y


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August, 2010

By Marta Zientarski

Move over Baby Boomers, Generation Y is grown up and ready to take on the real estate market. Greater metropolitan areas are seeing a large influx of young professionals and recent graduates, referred to as Generation Y, moving in. They have just completed their studies or are entering the work force, and coupled with their success and new sense of adulthood, they are prepared to take that next big step: moving out.

“These young professionals work hard and are eager to translate their hard work into something tangible like owning a condo,” says Alexander Wilson, Re-max Sales Associate. This group is the second largest demographic after the baby boomers and will represent the current and future clientele for real estate. For this reason, the real estate industry needs to understand what these individuals want is a condo that fits their lifestyle which is fast paced world, socially oriented, technological, and keen on being green. Because of these characteristics, condo living is the best option for Gen Y. It is low maintenance, affordable, and most importantly the proximity to their work, entertainment and friends is ideal. If the real estate industry does not adapt to this market, they will lose out on a lot of potential business.

Low Maintenance Living Being a young professional means work schedules are long and unpredictable, often leaving one exhausted at the end of the day. They want nothing more than to spend their time at home relaxing, so a low maintenance condo lifestyle is an appealing factor. Cleaning is a dreaded chore for Generation Y. Incorporating unit features such as hardwood floors saves the tenant time on vacuuming. Stainless steel appliances give that modern chic and shine that this generation is attracted to. Some new developments are going as far as combing hotel luxuries with condo living. The Thompson Residences is beside the Thompson Hotel, which allows residents to make use of the hotel’s room service, cleaning staff, grocery delivery and dog walking services and valet parking just to name a few. This is an extremely lavish example, but bits and pieces of this model can be adopted and achieved. For example, tenants interested in receiving cleaning services or dog walking services can make use of the same provider and benefit from a group discount, all of which can be organized through the property manager. Visitor Friendly Entertaining and socializing is a big aspect of Generation Y’s lives. But not all condominium buildings are as visitor friendly as others. For examples, obtaining a parking pass can be bothersome because the guest wastes time by having to go inside and obtain a pass from the front desk security and their vehicle blocks the driveway for others. A simple solution to this is creating a website for the condominium that allows visitors to register for parking passes with a pre-authorized code and then print the pass out. This generation was virtually born with a computer in hand, so accessing anything electronically and faster is their preference. Noise complaints continue to top the list of tenant’s biggest pet peeves. Lounges, party rooms and roof top patios exist in every condominium however condominiums make good use of common areas. They key is to make these areas more inviting for the tenants and their guests so they want to spend time there. You can do this by making them feel like they are out on the town, when really they are not leaving the convenience of their own building. Creating a lounge-like feel with trendy lighting fixtures and modern over-sized furniture or a bar atmosphere can be created with high counter tops and bar stools. Amenities It is pertinent that building amenities are able to cater to the active lifestyle of the occupants. It is no surprise that these individuals like to focus on their health and well being, so a fitness centre is a highly sought after feature. Unfortunately, many condo gyms allow equipment to sit broken so regular repairs and maintenance are required. One would be surprised how much appeal a functional gym will bring especially if it means the occupant can save money by not purchasing a gym membership. The CityPlace Development, located in Toronto, has done exceptionally well at creating an indoor playground for their occupants. Their recreational centre, known as the SuperClub is a stand-alone complex located in the middle of several buildings. SuperClub contains a swimming pool, squash and basketball courts, bowling alleys, a theatre and a large fitness centre with a running track. The premise behind the SuperClub was to bring a resort feeling and aspect of living together. In New York, an emerging trend in condominiums is dedicating a portion of the terrace as doggie parks to cater to the growing population of pet owners. Some poop and scoop rules are required, but nonetheless would be greatly valued by these young professionals who still need to take Fido or Rover out to do their business after coming home from an exhausting day at work. Green Living Gen Y is also the green generation; they care about the world and its problems. In a recent survey conducted by Youthography, fifty percent of the individuals from the ages of 19-29 said buying environmentally friendly products is important to them. The Emerald Park development is a great example of a building that is LEED Certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) with features that include electricity meters in individual suites, daylight sensors in common areas, energy-saving appliances and the windows minimize solar gain and heat loss. Even existing buildings are able to obtain an LEED certification. Reaching out to them Generation Y babies grew up in the internet era so the traditional mediums of communication and real estate models will not get through to them. Due to their hectic schedules, this generation’s look to technology and the media first when they start their condo search. The process begins by previewing condos online to get a general idea of the market. For the real estate agents, this means the internet is a vital tool for their business and they need to create a website with as much detail as possible about the condo and present a 3D virtual tour. At most, the client will visit the condo once, but may not have time to see it twice, therefore basing much of their decision on what they have in front of them. The client is best reached via a technological medium like e-mail or text and will respond when they have time. Condo managers should try to create a greater sense of community because this demographic group strives to achieve a sense of belonging. With the large number of social media networks, creating a Facebook or My Space page can bring the tenants of the building closer together by updating them on building issues, local news, and if Jack and Jill from the 9th floor are getting married or Fred and Jane had a baby, than a big congratulations can go out to them as well. This can also replace the outdated suggestion box and provide a medium for tenants to express their ideas or complaints. Implementing these suggestions now will bring condos to a level that is almost expected from this younger demographic. The appeal and value of condominiums that adapt to their tenants needs will undoubtedly increase. That is until Generation Z comes along with new needs and demands.




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