Developers embrace perks for pets
Pet amenities are now viewed as an important part of why people choose to live somewhere, prompting developers to embrace the concept in projects
JUICE bars, spin studios, Zen gardens and outdoor kitchens with fire pits for communal use: apartment dwellers around the world these days are spoilt for choice when it comes to sophisticated on-site perks. And now, they’re expecting a few extra courtesies to be extended to their four-legged friends as well.
Developers in the US are increasingly incorporating amenities to make Fido happy - whether it’s a dog run, pet spa, or a concierge who can be hired to take man’s best friend for a walk around the block.
“It’s definitely something that’s growing in popularity,” said Rob Neiffer, director at Invesco Real Estate in New York, which counts among its holdings the Instrata Lifestyle Residences in the US.
“Pets are part of your family and lifestyle,” Neiffer continued. “And we realised when we were launching the brand that we needed to embrace them.”
The trend appears to be slower to take off in Asia than in the US. While there are residential buildings in Hong Kong, Singapore and other Asian cities that are “pet-friendly”, it’s a big jump between that and laying on special facilities for the family animal. An exception to that would be the upscale Motoazabu Hills Forest Tower residential tower in Tokyo, where pets have their own special footbath.
At the Instrata buildings in New York and Dallas, pets are more than adequately catered to. The tower in Manhattan, Instrata NoMad, recently completed a US$7 million renovation that includes a pet spa with groomers and grooming stations. Its Dallas location, Instrata at The Ashton Uptown, has its own private pet park for residents and their dogs, while the Brooklyn building, Instrata Park Slope has a full-service pet spa.
