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As New York City changes, so do the wants and needs of its hundreds of thousands of apartment dwellers. In this blog, I introduce some of the current trends in apartment building lobby renovation and explain the thinking behind them. However, before I do that, let’s talk about what’s going on in residential architecture in the city today.

As you know, our metropolis is experiencing a tremendous building boom. New York has had building booms in the past, some of which resulted in spectacular iconic structures such as the Chrysler Building in the 20’s and Lever House in the 50’s. But, today’s building boom is characterized by glassy ultra-tall towers that are not shrines to business; they’re residential buildings meant to be lived in.

These glass towers sport incredible views and the kind of amenities city dwellers couldn’t imagine even a few years ago – such as state-of-the-art wellness centers, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, putting greens, automobile elevators, bocce courts, wait! Bocce courts? Yup!

What once represented affluence in the Big Apple was to own an apartment in a stately brick apartment building that was adorned with elegant architectural details and had walls as thick as a foot – at the “right” address. It’s a far cry from the buildings being erected today.

However, thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of New Yorkers live in older brick apartment buildings and wouldn’t have it any other way. Myself included. No, we don’t have wellness centers, automobile elevators, putting greens, and certainly not bocce courts. We’re lucky if we have a package room large enough to hold the tonnage of Amazon boxes delivered every day.

What older buildings have is solid construction, thick walls, and prestigious addresses. And, residents have a significant stake in ensuring their property holds its value.

Therefore, many of the current trends in apartment building lobby renovation are in direct response to the need for older buildings to update their common spaces and compete with the new towers rising around them.

Let’s face it. Not everyone wants to live in a building with 100 floors. However, everyone wants their building to have the latest and the best of everything. As a New York City residential lobby and hallway interior designer, my firm is frequently chosen to update common spaces in older apartment buildings.

1. Technology – Thanks to the Internet, your doorman desk and concierge station are now a virtual hub for everything that keeps your building running efficiently. It can be challenging to find a way to make these areas accommodate the equipment that goes along with this innovative technology. BuldingLink and other integrations such as Verizon Concierge enable a building’s personnel to send out mass communications to residents, create calendars and community events, monitor visitors, manage deliveries, and more. But, they require a lot more space than the old paper visitor book.

At the firm, we have become incredibly adept at expanding and reconfiguring existing doorman desks and concierge stations so the new technology will fit – all the while maintaining the integrity and style of the building and lobby.

It’s tricky, but we make it work.

2. Expanded Storage – Accepting and stowing away packages is a now a massive part of the responsibilities of your building’s staff. Sadly, most older buildings have little (or no) space where packages can be kept out of sight until owners claim them. Our new clients express how tired they are of seeing boxes stacked up in a corner, and they want something done about it – and fast.

Because we have a deep understanding of architecture and construction, storage problems are something we know how to tackle. We’ve carved out new storage spaces and expanded existing storage rooms where no solution was thought possible. We even know how to hide refrigerators to hold residents’ perishables until they can claim them.

Are we miracle workers? Yes! (Sometimes I’m even impressed by what my staff can do.)

3. Updated Entryways – First impressions start on the street. Entryway redesign is often part of a lobby rehab project. Outdated front doors can be replaced, new vestibule flooring can be laid, and outdoor awnings can be redone to create an atmosphere of welcome and luxury.

Some of our recent projects include the installation of electronic sliding entry doors and air-curtains that blow warm air at the entrance during frigid days.

4. More Space & More Light – Dark, stuffy lobbies are so passé, especially when compared to the soaring glass lobbies in newer buildings. We raise-up ceilings, reconfigure lighting, and devise innovative color schemes that create light and airy environments. There are many fantastic lighting options on the market today, and it’s amazing what can be accomplished by merely positioning fixtures in new places and at new angles.

5. Minimalism & Natural Materials – More and more our clients ask us to keep embellishment to a minimum. There’s a trend towards natural materials and a focus on texture as opposed to patterns. We use cerused natural woods, honed stone (or its porcelain counterparts), and select furniture with clear yet sensuous lines.

When done right, clean, spare design is effective even in an older building. That’s our specialty!

6. Cleanable & Durable Materials – Our clients make a significant investment in a new lobby, and they expect many years to go by before another renovation is required. They want cleanable and durable flooring, upholstery, and wallcoverings.

Today, our vendors offer a plethora of materials to choose from that are not only soil-resistant and strong, but gorgeous, too.

We tell our clients, “If you visualize it, we can find it!”

If you’re lucky (like I am!]) to live in a stately old apartment building – stop worrying about competing with the super tall glass tower on the next block. Current trends in apartment building lobby renovation can help preserve the value of your property.

You may not have a bocce court on the roof, but what you do have is irreplaceable.

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