Posted by Leonard Steinberg on October 30th, 2011

With “the 1%'” under attack by “the 99%” and OCCUPY WALL STREET spreading around country and the world, I think the next really important feature to any high end building will be high security and discretion.

So while the first 10 years of the new millenium for New York real estate amenities was all about Sub Zero fridges, Viking stoves, Waterworks bathrooms, pet spa’s and Toto talking toilets, I think the next batch of high end super-luxury buildings should seriously evaluate tight security as a priority. While ‘the 99%’ have targeted Wall Street for their excessive wealth, lets not forget the football and basketball stars, pop stars, internet stars, etc who have made equal, if not greater fortunes, paying similar taxes and shielding income wherever possible, not hiring too many people either…. All these people will be looking for homes where security is well planned and executed without their home feeling like a prison. Discrete design without excessive flash and outward displays of wealth will be an important consideration too.

At a recent Board meeting the subject came up as to whether our building had a PANIC BUTTON in the unlikely event of an ‘attack’. Further research showed we did not have an easily accessible panic button, although this is being installed. I wonder how many other buildings have panic buttons? I wonder how security prepared some buildings are that house more multi-millionaires per square foot than anywhere else in the world?

What makes a building truly secure? (Well maintained)Technology can certainly help. Bullet proof windows? Gated, enclosed drive-in entry points? Guard dogs? Finger print access pads? Vaults for belongings? 24 hr monitors everywhere?

This renewed security concern is more easily addressed in a New York building than in an individual home in the suburbs: the high cost of high security is more palatable when shared by several homeowners……this should make New York a desirable location for future ‘high security home’ developers.