Death of the Clubhouse: Builders Look to Nature For New Community Amenities

If the early 2000s were about splurging on decadent community amenities then the later part of this decade is all about going back to the roots, literally, of community living. A recent article in Builder Magazine highlights a new trend popping up across the U.S. where new home builders are foregoing the more traditional community amenities like clubhouse and tennis courts in favor of enhancing the community’s natural beauty with walking/bike trails, bird watching and neighborhood gardens.

The benefit of going back to nature are twofold: Walking trails, kayaking and other natural amenities give the builder a distinct lifestyle edge over competing communities and home buyers who are used to the hustle of the daily grind get a chance to relax without having to drive 20 minutes to the nearest recreation area.

I have seen this transition from traditional to a fusion of traditional/natural amenities first hand in the New York area at the waterfront community of the Harbors at Haverstraw. The condo/townhouse development sits along the Hudson River with a walking path along the river, fountains throughout the neighborhood and a walking bridge that connects residents to the nearby ferry that travels across the river to a New York City bound railroad station. Another New York community I’ve been through concentrated on preserving the green hillsides surrounding the homes by leaving mature tree lines behind each home and using a small monthly HOA fee to cover maintenance of the open space.

For buyers interested in the Austin area there is The Hillside, an urban style condo community about 22 minutes outside of downtown Austin, that offers panormaic views of the 24,000+ acres of hill country preserve that surrounds the homes.

Over the next few years I expect the trend of green building to increase significantly in the residential market as green building products become more affordable for mass production builders. One of the great byproducts of the green building movement will be the focus on utilizing the existing terrain around communities to create flexible recreation areas for homeowners.

Joshua Ferris is an associate real estate broker in Orange County NY and specializes in both Monroe New York and Newburgh New York real estate. Learn more about Orange County by visiting Josh’s Monroe New York real estate guide.