Had you perused the list of amenities in an upscale newer condominium building at the end of last decade, you might have seen mention of a business center or conference room. For that era, those were nice — but hardly make-or-break — amenity suite extras.
In between then and now, a minor little blip called the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic did much to elevate such spaces to the list of must-have amenities for luxe condo buyers. Today, the absence of coworking spaces in newer buildings could be seen as a deal-killing oversight. That has convinced luxury residential developers to incorporate spaces that go beyond mere coworking to deliver creative, easy-on-the-eyes settings that trigger fresh thinking and advance creature comfort.
Let’s take a look at the trend as reflected in a trio of brand-new, high-end, state-of-the-art residential buildings in Florida.
Nexo Residences
This North Miami Beach condo development is the first in its city to offer short-term rental availability. The designers of Nexo Residences went above and beyond to elevate the work-from-home experience, incorporating a two-story, cutting-edge art tech center featuring a café, coworking spaces, business center and outdoor seating. Forward-thinking biophilic aspects are part of the mix, thanks to luxuriant frondescence and glass walls showcasing inspiring sunset panoramas.
“Nexo Residences caters to the diverse needs of its residents, whether they live here all year long or are renting a unit for a short period while visiting Miami,” says Edgardo Defortuna, president and CEO of Fortune International Group. “One thing they all have in common is the need for coworking space wherever they go. With the tech center, we aimed not to create a conventional coworking space, but rather to offer a remarkable sanctuary that seamlessly blends functionality, comfort and aesthetics, providing a community hub where people can experience the perfect harmony of work and leisure.”
The Ritz-Carlton Residences Estero Bay
In Estero Bay, southeast of Fort Myers Beach, this high-end condominium community features The Sports & News Café, intended as the quintessence of a coworking retreat. It is a place where residents can work, meet with colleagues and collaborators in lounging areas, or keep abreast of the world outside on high-definition TV screens.
”Bringing together some of the world’s most talented and renowned designers to curate functional yet beautiful amenity spaces was of utmost importance for The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Estero Bay, and this is especially true for the Sports & News Café,” says Mark Wilson, president and CEO of London Bay Development Group.
“Nowadays work-from-home amenities are essential. The Sports & News Café was conceptualized as a space where owners will spend a great deal of their time working, networking and unwinding, so we wanted to ensure its design went beyond the traditional to provide the best possible coworking amenity.”
The Palma at Downtown Doral
Set in Miami’s eclectic Downtown Doral enclave, this 459-residence lifestyle community is out to make folks forget yesteryear’s coworking spaces. It offers almost 2,000 square feet of diverse workspaces intended to meet the needs of virtually any resident. For instance, on the mezzanine level, luxurious fully furnished private offices are connected to lounges and a coffee bar ideal for breakout or networking sessions. In addition, the building offers a half dozen flex offices, a sprawling conference space and a kitchenette.
“Our vision for this property was to meet the growing demand of sophisticated renters seeking luxury apartment residences with work-from-home-driven lifestyles,” says Lee Casey, vice president of marketing for Codina Partners. “In today’s world, office offerings are a leading amenity request from individuals when seeking their future homes. In fact, it’s just as important as having a resort-style pool deck.”