Colorado Real Estate Journal - January 2016
No doubt you’ve put serious consideration into the amenities and common areas of your property, but as you cross your T’s and dot your I’s, have you thought through why so many businesses and young professionals have moved to our great state of Colorado? There are many obvious reasons, but you might hear your tenants mention the dream of incorporating the healthy and active lifestyle that is part of the Colorado identity. According to the CDC’s State Indicator Report on Physical Activity, Colorado ranks within the top 10 most physically active states and is one of the leading states with the lowest obesity rates in the nation. This theme of health and wellness is an integral component, and high priority, in the search for workspace. Have you taken this theme into account when designing the spaces within your properties? It’s important for your spaces to accommodate and welcome the healthy Colorado lifestyle. Let’s take a look at just one component of health and wellness: physical activity. Physical activity does not have to, and often cannot, take place at the local gym or bike path close to home. Physical activity occurs not only in our workplace fitness centers but also at our workstations. With the advent of adjustable or standing desks and treadmill desks, the need for movement takes place right beneath our noses. There are numerous studies showing the correlation between physical activity and increased productivity, and your tenants likely already know this. According to Jack Groppel, Ph.D., co-founder of the Human Performance Institute, short bursts of movement throughout the day not only increases happiness and productivity, but also improve a company’s bottom line. Your tenants will be looking for certain design elements within a workplace that encourage healthy and active behaviors, most commonly a fitness center. Let’s take a look at some of those specific ingredients and how they differ from a traditional gym. Equipment. Consider how close the nearest gym is and what are it offers. There is no need to compete with that gym because your space fills a very different need. Given the time restraints of most professionals and the need for quick, short bursts of activity, this space does not need to be overcrowded with equipment and fulfill every fitness trend. By providing a few of the traditional and most commonly used pieces of equipment, like treadmills, ellipticals and bikes, connecting that equipment to the Internet (if budget allows) and offering basic functional training equipment, you will make your space more inviting and accessible than the gym down the street. Layout, sightlines and ambience. In this space, the importance of the room’s layout, sight lines and ambience is equally critical to the equipment chosen. Taking advantage of natural light, considering personal space and flow of movement, and choosing appropriate flooring and mirroring are just a few of the factors that can enhance and encourage use of the space. Demographics. If your office building attracts millennials, you will want to consider technology-forward fitness equipment that easily syncs with personal devices and commonly used apps. Other tenant demographics, like gender and line of work, will help determine specifications of the equipment and layout of the space. Depending on the distance and time it takes your tenants to commute, you may need to provide bike racks, as well as adequate showers and lockers within your fitness center. To assist in making these decisions, work with a reputable commercial fitness consultant with this type of expertise rather than trying to piece your project together with multiple vendors or doing it yourself. Whether the space is planned in a new construction or is part of a renovation project, bring the consultant into the process early to avoid costly mistakes, such as misplaced electrical and poor flooring choices. When selecting a consultant to help with the project, it is important to ask lots of questions. For example, ask why particular equipment is recommended over others, and if it makes sense to lease versus purchase the equipment. Take tours of previous projects and ask to speak to others property managers they have worked with. Ask about warranties, service, preventative maintenance and fitness programming options. You should be looking to create a partnership. This process can take some time. If you feel as though you’re speaking with a sales representative versus a potential long-term partner and adviser, then shop around. It should take multiple conversations to create the most functional layout, to determine the best equipment mix and build a trusting relationship that can be carried into future projects.