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July/August 2002 Issue
Fax of Life
Residents right at home with on-site
business centers
by Marilyn Hopkins
The decision to include an on-site business
center in a new, multi-family complex should be based on which segment of the market you
are targeting, the needs of your residents and the proximity of business services.
AMLI Residential, a REIT focused on the luxury market, said on-site business
centers are essential. AMLI owns and manages more than 27,000 units in 72 established
communities, with several others in development.
"The average age of our complexes is six years," said Sue Bersh,
vice president of corporate communications for AMLI, "and almost all of them include
business centers. It's an amenity our residents expect, like a fitness center or swimming
pool."
AMLI's business centers typically include several computers with high-speed
Internet connections, a fax machine, copier and, in some but not all complexes, a
conference room. There is no charge for any of the services.
While the business centers might not be as popular as other apartment
amenities such as fitness centers, the very fact they exist keeps residents happy.
Lenora Carpenter, a regional manager for AMLI, who oversees seven apartment
communities in Overland Park, KS, said the business centers get a lot of use. "Not
everyone uses them," Carpenter said, "but there would be a lot of unhappy people
if we closed them."
While on-site business centers can act as added bonuses for residential
complexes, they also serve as real solutions to those in need of business solutions close
to their doorsteps.
Shelley Seale,
president of RPS Relocation, Inc., said her company provides temporary housing solutions
around the country for a broad spectrum of clients.
"About half are house-hunting transferees," Seale said. "The
other half are on longer-term assignments, say six months to a year, or they may be
consultants. About 30 to 50 percent of the longer-term renters request an on-site business
center. But the house-hunters are almost as likely to want one for business and personal
reasons. If they're househunting, they usually want to fax or email a picture of the house
they're interested in."
"Access is another important factor," Seale said. "Our clients
want to be able to use the business center any time of the day or night."
Seale began noticing business centers in residential properties in the
mid-90s, and two to three years ago clients began requesting them. Seale estimated about
half of the properties at the higher-end of the relocation market have business centers. |
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