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January 2015 — Office Properties Quarterly —
Page 17
Amenities
The Lawrence building is planning
for a restaurant tenant that is ideal for
business lunches, with the possibil-
ity of having a quicker grab-and-go
offering as well. The owner is also
considering a potential bank branch
as one of the anchors and a coffee
shop, said Castleton. In other build-
ings, it’s not uncommon to see dry
cleaners, child care and other retail.
“A deli is important, especially in a
suburban environment,” said Infelise.
A few places are beginning to offer
meals to take home, which allows
employees to put their meal request
in whenever and pick it up on their
way home.
This convenience factor is one
reason why many buildings have
started considering their surround-
ings as potential amenities. In addi-
tion to proximity to a light-rail sta-
tion, nearby restaurants and bars are
a plus. This is especially valuable
when recruiting from the millennial
generation, which tends to seek the
urban environment for both work and
play. Locations near hotels is another
important amenity for tenants who
have a lot of visiting guests, as well
as easy access to entertainment,
including the theater, movies, muse-
ums or retail.
One amenity that has been stan-
dard for a while, but takes on a lot of
different names, is a wellness room.
In addition to wellness, it’s been
referred to as a mothers’ room, a
quiet room, a nap room or, in places
where mixing religion and work isn’t
as taboo, a prayer room, said Bridges.
“Typically in Denver, it’s a room
with a dimming-light feature and
a calming, quiet environment with
quiet views or soothing artwork,” she
said. “Sometimes there is a subtle
sign somewhere in the room that rec-
ognizes the direction of Mecca,” for
example.
Other amenities can come in the
form of building upgrades. It is cur-
rently a landlord’s market in the
Denver area, so buildings are able to
charge more for rent without offer-
ing as many amenities and upgrades.
However, because the market is
competitive, that threshold is always
changing.
Current upgrades include state-
of-the-art automation. A variety of
features are covered under this, from
elevator dispatching systems to light-
ing preferences, which can dim or
brighten depending on the amount of
sunlight coming in.
Many tenants are interested in a
building’s sustainability efforts. While
some are interested in a LEED-cer-
tified building, others want areas for
recycling, or to feature reused mate-
rials or to take advantage of natural
daylight. Some new buildings, like
the one on Lawrence Street, are even
considering charging stations for
electric cars in their parking lots.
“Most clients want buildings built
toward LEED standards, even if they
don’t plan to go through with the
whole certification process,” Bridges
said.
While the newest amenities are
always in flux, the office properties
market caters to many niches. From
there, it’s a constant bettering game
from one property to the next.
s
Rendering by Design Workshop
The Triangle, at 1550 Wewatta St., will feature a public plaza outside the building.
The 1401 Lawrence St. buildingwill feature an outdoor patio on the ninth floor. The
first eight floors will be covered parking.