A recent report highlighting the growth of telecommuting in the U.S. suggests that more Americans will be working from home in the future.
The 2017 State of Telecommuting in the U.S. Employee Workforce Report found that 3.9 million U.S. employees, or 2.9% of the country's total workforce, work from home at least half of the time, up from 1.8 million in 2005 (a 115% increase since that year).
Obviously, living in a building that's well-equipped for working remotely is becoming more important to residents, especially during times of disaster: Hurricanes Irma and Jose forced millions to work remotely, and developers across the U.S. are taking stock.
Below are 10 examples of residential developments nationwide that go above and beyond to create beautiful professional environments within a residential setting.
The 74-story 1000M, a curving, cantilevering, luxury condominium coming to Chicago, will make working from home easier and more relaxing than ever. At Club 1000, located on the tower's 72nd floor, residents can set up their work station at any of the couches or table areas and draw inspiration from nature and the skyline that surrounds them. Residents working from home can also choose to plug into 1000M’s 11th-floor co-working space, conference room, library lounge, or even one of the many outdoor spaces. Additionally, all residences will feature enhanced sound control in walls and floors to provide a high degree of privacy, keeping spaces even quieter for conference calls.
The two-tower 525 West 52nd Street (525W52), a luxury rental development in New York City's Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, has its residents looking forward to working from home. Equipped with the latest audiovisual equipment and comfortable seating, and affording plenty of privacy, the building's conference rooms are the ideal spot for residents' business meetings and presentations. In addition to conference rooms, tenants can take a seat at any of the building’s co-working areas, in the multiple lounges, or even in the quiet library.
The Edison, the first luxe residential building in Washington, D.C.’s, Union Market District, was designed to accommodate the working professional. The property offers several common spaces for co-working and private break-out rooms for meetings. But the building’s most prominent work-from-home feature is its privately managed fiber-optic Internet network—a first for a multifamily building in the U.S. The network and built-in wireless access points in each residence will deliver immediate and uninterrupted high-speed connectivity designed to be seamlessly integrated throughout the building and monitored 24/7.
At TF Cornerstone's (TFC's) 33 Bond Street in downtown Brooklyn, N.Y., entrepreneurs can forgo the kitchen table for "Homework," the collaborative co-working space designed exclusively for the building's residents. Homework features two large conference rooms with television screens for conferencing and presentations; dedicated booths with bench seating; two long tables for laying out the latest business plan; and a coffee bar for those long work nights (at least the commute is short!). What's more, when residents need a break, they can step out to the 10,000-square-foot elevated park TFC is building on-site via a dedicated entrance.
At Huis 24, a new, 91-unit rental building in Long Island City, N.Y., residents can gather in a communal workspace reminiscent of a start-up think tank where ideas flow freely. The space is equipped with Wi-Fi, USB outlets, and segregated working stations and has speakers throughout to create an upbeat atmosphere. A break-out room has a conference table and a large screen with HDMI hookup for presentations or video conferencing and is complete with a chalkboard wall—perfect for jotting down ideas during brainstorming sessions.
Commuting residents of downtown Brooklyn’s 1 Flatbush will envy their neighbors who work from home, because the apartment building’s Hill West Architects and Whitehall Interiors–designed amenity spaces are ideal for those who don’t have a traditional office. The building includes workspaces for every profession, from business executives, who can concentrate in the industrial yet chic lounge, to chefs, who can perfect their skills in the building’s demonstration kitchenette. To avoid cabin fever, 1 Flatbush’s game room and roof terrace offer a respite from those afternoon slumps.
HFZ Capital’s luxury, 248-unit condominium Fifty Third and Eighth, located in Manhattan’s vibrant Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, caters to the work-from-home crowd with its modern residents’ lounge, equipped with kitchenette, couch, and oversized table. On nice days, residents can escape to the landscaped, second-floor terrace or roof deck for a bit of fresh air.
Brickell City Centre’s two, 43-story, luxury condominium towers, REACH and RISE, boast unique amenity and public spaces that allow residents to work from home at ease. Tenants can get away from all the buzz and dive into their assignments in the library lounge; take phone calls on crinoline chairs in the tea lounge; grab a coffee at the café; or soak up the outdoors and work on their laptops by the pool deck. Parents can leave their kids in the high-tech, innovative children’s playroom to meet their work deadlines. The two towers also feature a fête room for residents to rent out and host conference meetings and events.
At Privé at Island Estates, the iconic twin-tower development on South Florida’s last buildable island, residents have more than 70,000 square feet of communal amenity spaces including a 10,000-square-foot duplex gym and spa in each tower, high-speed Wi-Fi, social meeting rooms, private dining rooms, a library, a wine room and cigar rooms for business meetings, and business centers, catering to the remote businessperson. The development also sells separate design-your-own hobby rooms that can be built out into workspaces or studios—a blank canvas for the entrepreneurial spirit. The residences start at $2.1 million.
The 365 Bond, the first residential development along Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal designed by Hill West Architects, features a library and residents’ lounge with furnishings and design characteristics catering to remote workers. Residents can post up with a laptop at a long communal table with individual outlets and lighting or cozy up in reading nooks furnished with dark leather, brass fixtures, and Edison lighting. Along with the latest trends in open-office amenities and corner-office perks, including floor-to-ceiling windows, residents can enjoy breaks during the workday with a game of chess or pool in the game room.