Gyms with Peloton bikes and lap pools are nice, but how about a doctor on call? Some new luxury developments now come with just that, offering residents memberships to medical centers staffed with on-call physicians and nurses. Others are partnering with hospitals and clinics to give homeowners easy access to care, even in remote locations. And a handful have amped up the health and wellness factor, bringing in Eastern medicine gurus and running general health assessments as part of their fitness and spa programs.
At Madison House, a new condo tower under construction in Manhattan’s Nomad neighborhood, buyers get a free one-year membership to Sollis Health, a private medical concierge company that handles everything from emergency calls to routine annual check ups. At Legacy Hotel and Residences, in downtown Miami, there’s a $60 million medical and wellness center on site staffed with doctors, nurses, and nutritionists on site. And at NEMA Chicago, a 76-story luxury rental building downtown, there’s an elaborate fitness center that comes with a complimentary full-body fitness assessment, including blood pressure analysis and body scans.
The Ritz-Carlton Residences in Miami Beach has 111 condominiums, 15 standalone homes, and prices starting at $2 million. Included with every condo purchase is a one-year membership to the Agatston Center for Preventative Medicine, a private medical center founded by Arthur Agatston, the celebrity doctor best known for creating the South Beach Diet. Developer Ophir Sternberg says he’s a member himself and thought buyers might like it as much as he does. “Most are very pleasantly surprised when we do the final walk through and give them their keys and a special medical concierge card,” he says, noting the value of the annual service is about $12,000. “At other developments, it’s just a bottle of champagne.”
In more remote locations, knowing that good care is available can be a big selling point—especially in the midst of a pandemic. At Costa Palmas, a more than 1,000-acre private resort community in Los Cabos, Mexico, there are residences, a Four Seasons resort, and an Aman resort. A partnership with Patronus Medical gives residents and guests 24-hour telemedicine access. Though the partnership was in the works pre-Covid, Michael Radovan, Managing Director of Sales at Costa Palmas, said they’ve recently developed thorough pandemic protocols for screening both employees and guests as well.
In downtown Miami, Legacy Hotel & Residences are attached to a 100,000-square-foot medical center—ideal for out-of-town buyers who want to get treatment locally for chronic illnesses or indulge in anti-aging or cosmetic procedures. Buyers of the 274 residents also get access to a wellness center with a nutritionist, cryotherapy, and professional athletic coaching.
Alternative medicine is also coming home. At 30 Park Place in New York come with services by the Four Seasons and several resident “healers.” According to the developer, they work with residents on sound therapy, crystal healing and acupuncture. “They pick up on things that modern medicine could never guide you on,” says Thomas Carreras, the general manager at the property. “We felt there was a demand for being treated beyond a nice massage that just makes you feel good.”