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A new development project in Brooklyn’s Park Slope neighborhood is going bold in its marketing concept, presenting a luxury living space that does not think about family first.
Rather, 655 Union Street is making an effort to appeal to younger dual-income, no-kids couples — colloquially known as “DINKs” — with an array of amenities for more mature residents.
The 13-story building will feature a Pilates studio, rooftop pool and dog spa, and pass on amenities catered to a younger set, like children’s playrooms.
“The demographics are becoming clearer: if you look at the average age of when people are starting to have children, particularly in places like New York, that age has been pushed back over time,” Brian Ezra, founding partner at Avery Hall and the building’s developer, told The New York Post.
A lounge area in the building | StreetEasy
The national fertility also dropped to a historic low this year, with births declining 3 percent from 2022, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
With that stat in mind, Ezra has designed a building for adults who aren’t thinking about children, but also aren’t necessarily singles looking to mingle.
“We’ve tried to design the amenities and the services for this more mature renter … they are going to appreciate the things we’re offering, in particular a big focus on health and wellness, which we believe speaks more to a mature kind of resident — not necessarily partying all night,” Ezra told The New York Post.
The building includes one- and two-bedroom units that will rent in the mid-$5,000 to mid-$8,000 range, according to Ezra. It is slated to open in mid-January.
Other amenities will include a Peloton bike gym; social programming, including happy hours and workout classes; and a concierge service to assist with tasks like reservations, cleaning and dog walking.
Kirsten Jordan of Douglas Elliman suggested that the move away from children’s amenities was a smart one for developers, since they age out of them within a few years.
“In a lot of cases, kids grow out of these children’s playrooms very quickly,” Jordan told The New York Post. “And [buildings] didn’t prioritize enough space for teenagers, for those working from home, for conference calls, for the podcast room, for the music room, for the lounge. That’s an issue.”
The outdoor pool at 655 Union Street | StreetEasy
Residents in Park Slope seemed skeptical about the concept of an apartment building without any kids.
“I like seeing kids around,” Margo McCoy, 24, told The New York Post. “It makes it feel more like home. I have kids in my building and I love it.”
McCoy’s boyfriend, 24-year-old Charles Guglielmo, agreed, saying he “loves working with kids,” as a former kindergarten teacher.
“I don’t know if I’d go out of my way to avoid children,” Guglielmo said. “It feels a bit excessive.”
Ezra pointed out that people with children are also welcome to live at the residence — it’s just that the building’s amenities are catered to individuals without them. Some of the units are also spacious enough that couples may feel like they have enough space to live with a child.
“It is also possible that, in our two bedrooms or some of our very large one bedrooms that have an additional room … some people feel comfortable [to bring in kids],” Ezra said.
“Some couples might feel comfortable renting these [units], knowing that if anything changed, they could always have the option — they’re not living in a super tight, every-dimension-is-squeezed apartment,” he added. “And should the stork come to visit them, they can buy themselves time while they figure out their next move.”
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