When it comes to planning indoor amenities at multifamily housing developments, developers and their building teams are focused on communal gathering spaces like lounges, coffee bars, and community kitchens—even in the age of COVID-19.
Library/reading areas, wine bars, catering areas, and TV/film screening rooms also made the list of the 10 most popular indoor amenities at multifamily housing developments for 2021, according to Multifamily Design+Construction‘s 2021 Multifamily Amenities Study.
The research survey of 342 industry professionals ranks the top 131 amenities that developers are providing in today’s apartment and condominium communities. This ongoing research project includes surveys conducted in 2017 and 2019.
The makeup of the 2021 survey respondents includes architects/interior designers (34.9 percent), developers/owners/property managers (30.5 percent), construction professionals (21.4 percent), consultants (5.0 percent), engineers (3.2 percent), and others allied to the multifamily housing field (5.1 percent). (Thanks to Huber Engineered Woods for supporting the 2021 Multifamily Amenities Study.)
Top 10 indoor amenities at multifamily housing developments
While communal gathering spaces dominated the top-10 list, in-unit washer/dryers were cited most often by survey respondents for the second straight survey (80.0 percent in 2021; 75.1 in 2019; Note: it was not included as an option in the 2017 survey). Storage areas within the building (53.6 percent) and tankless water heaters (33.2 percent) were the only other non-communal-area amenities to make the top-10 list.
Note: There may be some overlap with certain amenities. It’s possible, for example, that library/reading areas (42.8 percent) may be co-located in lounges (68.6 percent). Similarly, community kitchens (50.3 percent) and catering areas probably go together.
Other features that respondents had installed: juice bars (17.4 percent), wine cellars (13.2 percent), and music rooms (9.0 percent). Only about one in seven (12.9 percent) had installed an indoor pool in the last 24 months. Outdoor pools are much more popular with developers.
The 2021 Multifamily Amenities Study ranks amenities and features across nine other building areas:
• Top ‘smart connectivity’ systems
• Top 10 outdoor amenities
• Top 10 recreation amenities
• Top 10 convenience services
• Top 10 quality of life amenities
• Top 10 business and technology services
• Top 10 security services
• Top children’s services
• Top services for pets
• BONUS: COVID-19 impact on amenities
• BONUS: List of ‘first-time amenities’ for developers
Download the complete findings for free (short registration required).
