The biggest and brightest luxury branded residences aim to be on the cutting edge of amenities. Think far beyond traditional pools and playrooms and more about wellness offerings specifically for each resident.

At Elevate, an exclusive Miami Beach event for the most notable names in the luxury high-rise market, the latest residential amenities were discussed during a panel moderated by Robin Dolch, the founder and president of Hundred Stories. Dolch hosted Abbie Newman, the president and chief business development office of LIVunLtd, Danielle Naftali, the executive vice-president of marketing and design for Naftali Group, Justin D’Adamo, head of new development for Compass Development Marketing Group, and Brandon Specketer, partner at COOKFOX architects.

Dolch began by asking D’Adamo and Newman about the non-negotiables for amenities in today’s luxury developments.

“The pandemic truly changed how we look at our homes,” D’Adamo said. “How do we optimize the places where we live? If I work from home, what does that look like? How do I optimize my wellness and longevity?”

“Wellness and fitness are non-negotiables,” Newman said. “People need a place to recover and feel mentally and physically well. People are also traveling worldwide, and they strongly desire to return to their home, feel rested, and enjoy some private therapies, such as massage.”

Dolch then asked Naftali about her experience with amenities in a city such as New York.

“We tried to treat the amenities as a true extension of the apartments,’ Naftali said. “There are 50-foot ceilings in many amenities and a lifestyle concierge for the residents.”

Retail is becoming a hot amenity for luxury high-rises in the form of grocery stores like Whole Foods. Dolch asked Specketer for his take on this new trend.

“I think it’s essential to the sense of community,” Specketer said. “It can be where you grab your coffee in the morning or a modern restaurant that provides catering. Retail can be a director and create the right environment.”

What did the group see in the future for amenities? Expect things to stay on the wellness track, emphasizing robotics. Touch services that would permit robotic massages to be available to residents 24/7 and in-building services like personalized therapy may soon be coming to luxury high-rises.