THE RISE of HIGH-RISE Developers Are Fulfilling Demand for Luxury Urban Living in Major American Cities
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June 2014 THE RISE OF HIGH-RISE Developers are fulfilling demand for luxury urban living in major American cities. By Trip Stephens, CIO of ZOM n the aftermath of the housing bubble a few years back, many Americans Ihave changed their views on home- ownership. Homeownership rates have dropped from a peak of 69.4 percent in 2004, to just 64.8 percent today — the lowest level the U.S. Census Bureau has reported in 15 years. Demographic shifts are also influencing tenure choice. People in the expanding 25-34 year age group want to live closer to work, be more socially engaged with their peers and prefer the freedom and flexibility of renting instead of owning. Many are also less inclined to own a car. A grow- ing segment of these younger renters are also drawn to top-tier U.S. cities, which offer higher paying jobs, more attractive public spaces and cultural venues and 24-hour lifestyle environments. These trends are driving a surge in demand for higher density, urban apartments, many of which will be developed in mid- and high-rise formats due to land scarcity in Rendering courtesy of ZOM the best urban locations. ZOM will break ground on Solitair Brickell in the fourth quarter of 2014. The 50-story high-rise tower is at the epicenter of Miami’s burgeoning Brickell neighborhood. Check Your Walk Score How are developer’s capitalizing on consumers alike. The reputable Seat- ing choices. this notable shift in demand? It’s all tle-based firm (www.walkscore.com) During the past year, Orlando-based about location. When developers de- employs a proprietary scoring system multifamily developer ZOM has snared cide to build a high-rise, they are look- to rank neighborhoods and housing two prime urban locations in Miami for ing for an extremely attractive location, sites in terms of their proximity to re- new high-rise apartment construction. because the first reason people are de- tail, restaurants, services, employment Monarc at Met 3, a 462-unit, 32-story ciding to live there is less about what’s hubs, public transportation and other luxury rental tower, is being built over inside their unit and more about what’s desired goods and services. The best a new upscale Whole Foods grocery at in the local area. Even in the building it- urban sites typically score above 90 in the epicenter of Miami’s central busi- self, it’s more about the project’s ameni- terms of walkability. More than 30,000 ness district. The site has more than ties than their individual units. web-based marketing sites now provide 7.5 million square feet of office space A site’s “Walk Score” is an emerg- Walk Score data to guide their users in in the immediate area, an array of res- ing metric for both developers and making relocation decisions and hous- taurants and entertainment venues This article originally appeared in Southeast Real Estate Business, June 2014. © 2014 France Media, Inc. www.rebusinessonline.com. and convenient proximity to the Miami Metromover. Not far from downtown Miami, ZOM’s Solitair Brickell project Developers see an increasing will break ground in late 2014, and is strategically located in the Brickell Av- number of investors that are enue market on the block between the highly successful Mary Brickell Village willing to pay more for a project and Brickell CityCentre, the new $1.05 billion mixed-use project being devel- if it’s a green building. oped by Swire Properties. Both of the ZOM sites have Walk Scores above 90, — Trip Stephens, Chief Investment Officer of ZOM and those scores are likely to climb even higher as newly announced commercial and office projects in the area open dur- ing project construction. dated in some jurisdictions. While such socially responsible investing approach designations are cost additive, recent and also perceives that their tenants Less is More surveys reflect that many consumers are will be increasingly drawn to such en- Locational priorities and social trends willing to pay more for environmental- vironmentally responsible projects, and are also driving developers to make ly sustainable products, including their perhaps willing to pay more rent to live changes in the unit size and mix of units housing. there. within new high-rise projects. The aver- The Beacon at Clarendon West high- age square footage is trending down, rise in Arlington, Va., is LEED Silver- The Cost/Rent Equation as tenants are spending more and more certified, as is a nearby sister project, Developers are increasingly getting time outside of their living spaces. De- 19Nineteen Clarendon, both being de- on the urban bandwagon. According velopers are shifting to a higher mix veloped by ZOM in partnership with to Axiometrics, 74 apartment high-rises of studios and one bedroom units as USAA. And while the LEED designation are slated for delivery this year, with opposed to the larger percentage of is more prevalent in high-rise construc- another 81 scheduled to deliver in 2015. two- and three-bedroom units in ear- tion than in frame/low-rise formats, With increasing construction volume lier generation buildings. For example, developers of lower density projects in the more popular markets, construc- the combined average square footage in can still follow state green guidelines, if tion costs are escalating. Markets like ZOM’s two new Miami projects is 870 available, or the National Association of Houston and Miami also have renewed square feet versus 1,170 square feet in Home Builder’s National Green Build- construction activity in other sectors. the developer’s first four Florida high- ing Program, to get in on the trend. Houston’s energy industry is driving a rises. These various green initiatives are significant increase in office construc- The desire for more social interaction spawning an array of new or improved tion, on top of already active multifam- is also driving amenity area design and project features, including Energy Star ily production. Miami’s condo market resident services. Developers are now appliances, LED and compact fluo- is hot again, keeping the best contrac- designing lounges that are arranged rescent lighting, high SEER (seasonal tors busy and driving material and la- more like hotel lobbies than traditional energy efficient ratio) air-conditioning bor costs higher. Condo developers are clubrooms, where residents can meet units, remote control thermostats and also beginning to edge out apartment and comfortably socialize. Having those low-flow water fixtures. Changing atti- developers for the best sites — condos kinds of areas, both indoors and outside tudes about car ownership and gasoline typically are feasible at higher land val- — such as pool decks, outdoor fireplac- consumption are also driving the addi- ues than what an apartment project will es, lounges, bars, game areas — are all tion of bike storage and repair stations, support. In the last cycle, Miami land features that are critically important to shared car availability and electric car values climbed to more than $100,000 the new urban luxury renter. charging stations to project amenity of- per unit, making condo development Residents in higher end properties ferings. the only viable option. now also benefit from an on-site con- Today’s multifamily investor is also With vertical costs for South Florida cierge and 24-hour guard service. more environmentally sensitive. Most high-rise construction now well above of ZOM’s capital partners require some $200 per rentable square foot, and likely Going Green level of green building standard in their going higher, apartment developers Today’s renters are more environmen- new projects, and many institutional need to be increasingly mindful of the tally conscious now than ever. Success- buyers are also adding green standards required rent to generate acceptable ful developers are incorporating more to their checklists. Developers see an yields. Required high-rise rents are now environmentally friendly materials increasing number of investors that are north of $3.00 per square foot, so new and energy saving appliances into their willing to pay more for a project if it is projects need to be supported by a more projects. LEED certified projects are in- a green building. The real estate invest- affluent tenant base and healthy job for- creasingly prevalent, and are now man- ment community sees it as both a more mation in higher wage positions. This article originally appeared in Southeast Real Estate Business, June 2014. © 2014 France Media, Inc. www.rebusinessonline.com. Regardless of market, an investment in upfront research is recommended in order for the developer to make sure that, 1.) The target market has a suffi- cient number of qualified households willing to pay pro forma rents, and 2.) Household incomes in the market are rising in order to support future rent in- creases. Smaller unit sizes and a higher percentage of smaller units in the mix are also important factors, as there is a deeper market of people who can af- ford $3 per square foot for 600 square feet ($1,800 per month) than those who can afford $3 per square foot for 1,200 square feet ($3,600 per month). With more than 4 million echo boom- ers turning 21 annually, the influx of new households to the urban core is likely to continue. Developers will need to watch their markets and their custom- ers closely as they pursue this growing stream of new generation renters who want the best that major U.S. cities and their housing alternatives have to offer. Greg West, chief development officer at ZOM, contributed to this article. Rendering courtesy of ZOM The 32-story Monarc at Met 3 will be located above a ground-level Whole Foods grocery store in the heart of Miami’s central business district.