They are milking every penny they can. I would much rather have more space than pre-planned social activities or free appetizers.
Why are small spaces and communal living being sold in an age where they could be expanding our horizons vertically?
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Upstairs, the original bedrooms and maids’ rooms have become 22 small one-bedroom or studio apartments; the new adjoining tower has another 70 studios. They’re Manhattan-size spaces — 350 to 600 square feet — in the ubiquitous beige of modern decor — and come with a bed, a couch, a TV, a mini-kitchen, sheets, towels, dishes, pots, pans, everything you need in a place you don’t plan to spend a lot of time in.
Corporate housing can command 20 percent to 30 percent more than traditional rentals, says Jon DeHart, an agent with Long and Foster, because executives demand convenience and a certain level of luxury. But their after-hours lifestyle hasn’t traditionally been part of the marketing.
There’s a premium for all these extras. For long-term renters, studios in the tower addition start at $2,800 per month, including all utilities. The same flats for three months? $3,422 per month.
The apartments in the mansion proper are more expensive because they feature many original design elements — molding, high ceilings, fireplaces, views of the circle. Studios start at $3,000 a month for a year and $3,667 a month for three months. The mansion’s six one-bedrooms (half are already rented) start at $5,200 per month for 12 months and jump to $6,600 a month for three months.
Rigaux says that short-term renters are responding to the social aspect, while longer leasers tell him that the all-inclusive prices aren’t dramatically higher than standard apartments in the neighborhood.