Hip to be Small
Security Products When people think of Manhattan, they usually envision soaring high rises equipped with white-gloved doormen or charming and luxurious prewar brownstones. Yet within the last year, the real estate market has seen a rise in a new and exciting breed of buildings — what many are dubbing “the boutiques.” A growing pocket of new buildings, as well as older refurbished ones, have created a resurgence of interest from homebuyers and sellers within Manhattan. These boutique buildings, usually with less than 40 units and consisting of younger, tech-savvy clientele, are smaller than their more traditional counterparts, yet have fetched record prices for developers and homeowners alike. Why the trade in taste? It’s all about demographics. For this clientele, these smaller buildings provide a much more intimate and personalized feeling without the high costs associated with maintaining the traditional amenities offered in older full-service buildings. In addition, these high-end buyers are looking for some degree of anonymity from their neighbors and the doorman and prefer the smaller set-up.
Technology Takes the ‘Man’ Out of Doorman
am New York | By Andrew Lisa It’s the rise of the cyborg doorman. Colin Foster doesn’t envision a New York without doormen, he just pictures a new kind of concierge manning the lobbies of buildings that otherwise wouldn’t have one. The buildings he’s targeting are smaller structures with just a handful of units, and the person he wants to service the entrance isn’t really a person at all.
It’s Carlton, Your Cyber Doorman
Bloomberg | By Catherine Holahan In Manhattan, the modern interpretation of “luxury building” probably just means there’s enough living space for a couch and a dining room table. This is not to be confused with a “modern luxury building” like the one being developed by the architects at Flank in the ultra-exclusive Sutton Place neighborhood. The plans call for a glistening glass tower composed of eight spacious townhomes—each with conveniences one might expect for a $3 million price tag. Think a personal car and driver at your disposal.
This Start-Up Would Like You to Meet Your Virtual Doorman
New York Times | By Andrew Ross Sorkin The doorman occupies a complex spot in the New York City class system: the doorman is at once status-symbol, diplomat and taxi-hailer. And now, he may be virtual, if one start-up has its way. BusinessWeek notes that New York-based Virtual Service announced an upgrade to its “Virtual Doorman” that enables users to interact with a service programmed to handle everything from unlocking your apartment door for the dog walker to accepting packages and turning away solicitors.
Good Day New York
