ST. LOUIS — Turkish spa. Golf lounge. Coffee shop. Arcade room. Two-story gym.
The amenities at DeBaliviere Place’s Chelsea apartments, just north of Forest Park, lean on the luxury of five-star hotels and the energy of high-end sports bars.
“Our goal was to create a destination,†said Victor Alston, CEO of St. Louis-based Lux Living, the Chelsea’s developer. “People want to live in a special building.â€
Swimming pools and in-unit washers and dryers are no longer good enough. Developers, with one eye on boosting rent and another on keeping residents, are stacking new apartment complexes with premium amenities like arcades, spas, cafes, coworking space and even tap rooms. Apartments themselves are increasingly outfitted with smart home technology, full-size appliances and ultra-fast Wi-Fi.
These amenities, of course, come with a price, helping to drive up what’s considered “market rate†rent. From 2015 to 2020, monthly rents in the St. Louis region grew 10.5% to an average of $992, according to commercial real estate firm CBRE. By the end of this year, CBRE forecasts rent to increase here by about 4%. By 2026, the average rent in the metro area could hit $1,111.
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But the developments aren’t sitting empty. Apartment vacancy was 4.7% at the end of 2020, an eight-year low, according to CBRE.
Chelsea resident Michelle Baliss wanted a one-bedroom apartment near her hospital job. She picked the Chelsea because of amenities like keyless entries and a two-story gym.
“I was sold even before I toured my apartment,†Baliss said.
The amenities help create a sense of community and help make life easier for their renters, developers said. It’s a win-win: Renters love where they live, and owners love the stable stream of income.
“They’re hopeful that once you’re there, they can retain you with a lease renewal — that you’ve had such a good experience that you can’t see yourself living anywhere else,†said Matt Bukhshtaber, vice chairman of CBRE in St. Louis. “Retention is what speaks volumes to developers that they got it right.â€
Local developer Jeff Tegethoff buzzed with excitement during a recent interview. One of his newest projects, Wildhorse Apartments in Chesterfield, had been averaging more than one signed lease a day since March 1, when leasing kicked off. Apartments start at $1,345 a month, and more than 115 leases have been signed within 100 days, Tegethoff said.
“With no concessions, either,†he said.
Tegethoff, principal of Tegethoff Development and operating partner at real estate firm CRG, is developing Wildhorse with Indianapolis-based Prime Hospitality Group. The $80 million complex northwest of the Chesterfield Mall will have 188 apartments, a trendy, business-friendly AC Marriott Hotel, single-family homes and retail space anchored by a Ruth’s Chris Steak House that can seat 400 guests.
Prime Hospitality CEO Ryan Rans said residents, post-COVID, are looking for a more dynamic place to live.
And the commercial space, the developers said, is as much an amenity as it is a profit center. Wildhorse residents don’t have to get in their car to go to a nice restaurant or to their hair salon. Hosting guests from out-of-town? Check them in at the hotel instead of setting up the inflatable mattress in the living room.
“It’s all about service and a concierge-level experience,†Tegethoff said. “If you don’t get the experience right, then it’s futile.â€
Architects who’ve designed these apartments say the “amenities war†here has been heating up in recent years.
Remiger Design is designing a bar and lounge, minimart and party room with a golf simulator at The Flats at Dorsett Ridge, a 214-unit development by Pier Property Group, near Creve Coeur Lake in Maryland Heights.
Remiger Design project manager Paul Stefanski said developers are looking to build apartments in locations near plenty of “natural amenities†— lakes, trails, parks, bars and restaurants.
“However,†said Stefanski, “as sites run out that can offer natural amenities, developers will need to include more elements themselves to continue to compete.â€
Joel Fuoss’ St. Louis architecture firm Trivers designed The Euclid apartments, an 84-unit development on a tight plot of land in the Central West End. The Euclid’s amenities package is slim: a small gym and outdoor patio but no pool or courtyard. But the project was more about being in the “center of everything†in the Central West, he said, with restaurants, coffee shops, employers and Forest Park just steps from the building.
Because of that, the Euclid has some of the neighborhood’s highest rents.
“If you’re paying more in rent, you want more of an experience,†Fuoss said.
But sometimes renters want the best of both.
Virginia Green has lived in four-family flats and even with a friend at a condo during the pandemic. She chose the Chelsea because of the walkable neighborhood and its amenities that foster interactions with other residents.
“Community,†Green said, “is huge to me.â€
Photos: New Chelsea apartments attract with amenities
Chelsea Apartments attracts with fabulous amenities

Building residents Stephanie Baker, left, and Melissa Barton cool off in the Chelsea apartments' pool on Saturday, June 12, 2021. The pool is one of many attractions and amenities in the building, located in the DeBaliviere Place. Photo by Sara Diggins, sdiggins@post-dispatch.com
Chelsea Apartments attracts with fabulous amenities

Washington University St. Louis student Jack Abah exercises on the bottom level of the two-level gym at Chelsea apartments on Saturday, June 12, 2021 in the DeBaliviere Place. The large gym area is just one of Chelsea's amenities, which help new apartment buildings attract and retain residents. Photo by Sara Diggins, sdiggins@post-dispatch.com
Chelsea Apartments attracts with fabulous amenities

The Turkish spa and sauna at the Chelsea apartments in the Central West End features marble surfaces, adjustable lights and television. The spa is just one of Chelsea's amenities, which help new apartment buildings attract and retain residents. Photo by Sara Diggins, sdiggins@post-dispatch.com
Chelsea Apartments attracts with fabulous amenities

A pinball game flashes in the corner of Chelsea apartments' arcade on Saturday, June 12, 2021. The arcade, located just off the pool deck, is one of many amenities available to building residents. New apartment buildings are using amenities to attract and retain residents. Photo by Sara Diggins, sdiggins@post-dispatch.com
Chelsea Apartments attracts with fabulous amenities

Washington University St. Louis student Kevin Shefferman exercises on the bottom level of the two-level gym at the Chelsea apartments on Saturday, June 12, 2021 in the Central West End. The large gym area is just one of Chelsea's amenities, which help new apartment buildings attract and retain residents. Shefferman, one of the first residents to move into the building, says he appreciates the amenities and the youthful atmosphere. Photo by Sara Diggins, sdiggins@post-dispatch.com
Chelsea Apartments attracts with fabulous amenities

Racked weights sit in bottom level of the Chelsea apartments' two-level gym area on Saturday, June 12, 2021. The large gym is just one of Chelsea's amenities, which help new apartment buildings attract and retain residents. Photo by Sara Diggins, sdiggins@post-dispatch.com
Chelsea Apartments attracts with fabulous amenities

Resident Geoff Hodgkins lines up a shot in Chelsea apartments' golf studio while playing with friends on Saturday, June 12, 2021. The golf studio is just one of many amenities at Chelsea in DeBaliviere Place. These features help new buildings attract and retain residents. Photo by Sara Diggins, sdiggins@post-dispatch.com
Chelsea Apartments attracts with fabulous amenities

Resident Geoff Hodgkins lines up a shot in the Chelsea apartments' golf studio while playing with friends on Saturday, June 12, 2021. The golf studio is just one of many amenities at the Chelsea in the Central West End. These features help new buildings attract and retain residents. Photo by Sara Diggins, sdiggins@post-dispatch.com
Chelsea Apartments attracts with fabulous amenities

Games, including Skee-Ball, pinball, basketball and a video game area, wait for building residents in the Chelsea apartments' arcade on Saturday, June 12, 2021. The arcade, located just off the pool deck, is one of many amenities available to building residents. New apartment buildings are using amenities to attract and retain residents. Photo by Sara Diggins, sdiggins@post-dispatch.com
Chelsea Apartments attracts with fabulous amenities

Building residents cool off in the Chelsea apartments' pool on Saturday, June 12, 2021. The pool is one of many attractions and amenities in the building, located in the Central West End. Photo by Sara Diggins, sdiggins@post-dispatch.com
Chelsea Apartments attracts with fabulous amenities

Building resident Shay Hudchek cools off in the Chelsea apartments' pool on Saturday, June 12, 2021. The pool is one of many attractions and amenities in the building, located in the Central West End. Photo by Sara Diggins, sdiggins@post-dispatch.com
Chelsea Apartments attracts with fabulous amenities

The entry lobby of the Chelsea apartments in the Central West End on Saturday, June 12, 2021. Photo by Sara Diggins, sdiggins@post-dispatch.com
Chelsea Apartments attracts with fabulous amenities

An outdoor patio at the Chelsea apartments in the Central West End on Saturday, June 12, 2021. The patio is one of several outdoor areas, including a pool deck and dog park available to building residents. Photo by Sara Diggins, sdiggins@post-dispatch.com