Pet spas? Coffee bars? Colorado Springs apartment complexes take amenities to new levels

When Amber and Lyle Drones were looking for a new apartment last summer, they wanted a pet-friendly place to accommodate Zarra, their 18-month-old Boston terrier-pug mix.

After they scouted about 50 apartment complexes, the couple - both stationed at Fort Carson - settled on the Mesa Ridge Apartments in Fountain.

It wasn't just the complex's proximity to the Army post. The Drones were especially attracted to Mesa Ridge because of two of its amenities: a dog park where Zarra can run and play with other dogs, and a pet "spa" - a free, fully equipped dog-washing area that's more convenient than a grooming salon and easier to use than one's own bathtub.

"The newer apartments, they're all pretty evenly priced," Amber said. "But those are two things that they offered that other apartment complexes didn't. That set it apart for us. In our eyes, we were like, 'That's where we should go'. "

Apartment amenities used to mean a pool, a carport and maybe a fitness center with a few pieces of exercise equipment.

But today's renters expect more than just a treadmill or a place to swim.

And as the demand for multifamily living has risen, apartment owners, landlords and property management firms are responding by ratcheting up the amenities they offer.

Many renters, especially at newer complexes, now enjoy coffee bars and free Wi-Fi for lounging around the clubhouse; theater rooms; fitness centers that boast state-of-the-art, commercial equipment; business centers with computers; and car washes. One complex on the Springs' north side has set aside a garage that functions as a mechanic's bay, where renters can change their oil or work on their car.

Not only do renters expect nicer touches, but apartment owners recognize that competition is tough and they need to add features that set themselves apart.

"There was a day where they used to offer concessions - a free TV or whatever for a move-in special," said Laura Nelson, executive director of the Apartment Association of Southern Colorado.

"Now, it's more the competition of, 'What makes your property unique?' Is it a saltwater pool? Is it an indoor-outdoor pool? Is it a barbecue here, there and everywhere?"

Gary Winegar, chief investment officer for Griffis/Blessing Inc. in Colorado Springs, which manages about 7,000 apartments along the Front Range and in Idaho, said newer amenities appeal to all renters.

But younger people - so-called millennials - are driving many of the new features, Winegar said.

They're tech-savvy and enjoy amenities that allow them to get together in groups, he said.

As a result, comfy furniture, coffee bars and Wi-Fi connections turn clubhouses into casual gathering places, Winegar said. Fire pits, barbecue grills and cabanas placed around swimming pools create areas where renters can relax and visit.

Even if renters are busy checking the news of the day on their phones or doing work on other mobile devices, they like to do so in a room where others gather, said Steve Sharkey, a vice president with Nor'wood Development Group of Colorado Springs. Nor'wood developed Mesa Ridge and partnered on a handful of other local apartment projects.

"People like being around other people, even when they do their own personal thing," Sharkey said. "We're seeing rooms where people might be working on their laptops, but want to be around other people even if they're not socializing."

The cost of designing and building such amenities contributes to the rent that tenants pay, although it's difficult to say what portion can be attributed to the additional features, Sharkey said.

Colorado Springs-area rents have climbed steadily the last few years and set another record high of nearly $882 a month in the third quarter of 2014.

But many renters who choose high-end apartments do so because they expect such amenities, and therefore aren't put off by the higher rents, Sharkey said. The Drones say they weren't turned off by the rent they pay - about $1,250 a month for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment and all the amenities that come with it.

"We are competing in the marketplace for that particular person who's willing to pay those kinds of rents," Sharkey said. "And we're offering them the overall package in terms of the amenities we've talked about and the units themselves, which are very upscale and have the features the higher-end renter wants.

"It's no different than buying a car with accessories or anything else," he added. "People choose to spend their dollars with their own priorities. And we have demonstrated there's a market for the kinds of things that we're offering and people will choose this and pay for it."

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