Developers Use Technology To Distinguish Their Properties
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Technology is the latest amenity New York’s condominium developers are using to wow potential buyers.
Many developers are installing building integration systems that allow residents to communicate with the concierge, valet, doorman, and others by using an interactive touch screen. Also offered are home automation features that control lighting, temperature, blinds, music, and video. Techno-savvy buyers expect, and even demand, a high level of automation in their new homes, and many are plunking down hundreds of thousands of dollars to obtain it.
“Everyone’s got granite, stainless steel, and wood floors,” Nick DeClemente, the director of operations for Concierge Direct Corp., a provider of home automation and building integration technology, said. “At a given price point, there’s a certain amount of parity as to what a developer can offer. The way to distinguish the property is with services and technology.”
According to the National Association of Home Builders, a growing number of homes are being built with technology in mind. It is said that 34% of home builders offer structured wiring packages as standard or optional amenities, and industry experts predict that number will grow as high-tech automation systems become de rigueur.
“For buyers, the idea of having this incredible ease of lifestyle is very seductive,” a broker with the Corcoran Group , Wendy Sarasohn, said. “They expect it.” The condominiums at the former Plaza Hotel, the Plaza Residences, are among the projects to use such high-tech amenities. The 181 apartments there feature 8.4-inch Modero ViewPoint Touch Panels by Richardson, Texas-based AMX that enable residents to choose from a wide variety of services. Requests are transmitted over the building’s network to the AMX Amenities Server, which then disseminates the information to the appropriate party. Plaza residents can also order room service, make a reservation at the Palm Court, or arrange for theater tickets via the panel, as well as control their home’s temperature and lighting. Future enhancements include the ability to order groceries, wine, or other goods from local vendors and charge the cost back to the unit.
Most developers incorporate a basic automation system into their units and allow buyers to upgrade as they desire. Mr. DeClemente has created systems with 16 zones of distributed audio, full lighting, and shading packages that control multiple shades on each window and extensive lighting controls. He’s also installed high-end components such as Krell Evolution amplifiers and $18,000 Aviamo televisions for his clients. Despite the complexity and cost of these systems, they’re intuitive and easy to use.
Condominiums at Linden78, under development at 230 W. 78th St., come pre-wired for speakers throughout the unit as well as for motorized shades and climate control. The “brain” of the system is a Control4 automation and network system installed by CYTEXONE that operates via a simple remote control or touch screen. Upgrade packages are available that include in-wall speakers, a home theater controller, and even an in-wall iPod docking station.
The technology “is certainly one of the hot aspects” of the Upper West Side development, Christopher Westley, the vice president of sales and marketing for the project’s developer, Urban Residential, said.
Extell Development Co.’s 995 Fifth Ave. features many of the same high-tech capabilities as the Plaza Residences. Residents can use their touch panels as video intercoms to order groceries, coordinate valet parking, reserve building amenities, or control the apartment’s HVAC system. An array of optional features includes a custom plasma TV that can be hidden under the bed when not in use, controls for shades and lighting, and theater-quality sound and video options, all controlled via the same 7-inch touch panel.
Experts say the home automation and building integration technology wave is just beginning, and that it will be refined to become even more intuitive and coordinate better with residents’ décor. “People want technology,” Mr. DeClemente said. “But we’re trying to use that technology to enhance their lifestyle.”