A good amenity gives a condo community its flash, its panache. It's the all-important detail that sets one community apart from another, and turns a set of structures into a set of homes. Over time, though, even the best amenity, the one that held everyone rapt and engaged ten years ago, can lose its luster and begin the slow descent into disuse. When a condo community finds itself face to face with an aging amenity that no longer seems attractive to residents, the board may be faced with a tough decision: can we rejuvenate or is it time to try something else?

Likes vs. Dislikes

Some amenities are always going to be popular. The most popular of all is the swimming pool, which property owners love to have on site even if they don't always use it. "A pool is a big attraction in selling and buying," says James Farese, owner of Cambridge Property Management in Totowa, even if they're not attracting dozens of swimmers each day.

Gary McHugh of Mahwah-based Wilkin Management agrees. "A pool is the most significant amenity."

Exercise facilities run a close second to pools in terms of popularity, especially if the association can offer later hours for working adults, says Nancy Hastings, vice president of MAMCO Property Management in Mount Laurel. That flexibility is crucial for most amenities. "In non-age restricted communities, you need to provide access," Hastings says. "It can't just be open between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m."

"Tot lots," also known as children's playgrounds, are popular in communities filled with families, while older adults flock to art rooms, craft shops and card rooms. Computer rooms are in demand, too, as is space for yoga and dance classes. Screening rooms for movie nights can be popular, as are putting greens and spas. What does this mean? It means that every community is different, and the secret to finding and sustaining a popular amenity rests in knowing your community's residents.

On the flip side of the coin, what are some of the least popular amenities out there? "Picnic areas with grills aren't very popular, especially in townhome developments where grilling is allowed on individual property," Hastings says.

Not knowing what people want is perhaps the biggest stumbling block in providing an attractive amenity, and one of the biggest causes behind an amenity falling into disuse. For example, the equipment in a gym located within a younger community will differ enormously from the equipment available in a gym located within an age-restricted community. They will be equally popular in both communities if the right attention is paid to those types of details—more treadmills versus weight rooms, for example, in an older residential enclave.

Games like shuffleboard and bocce ball can fall in and out of favor. "It's cyclical, depending on the groups using them," Hastings says. If the community has an organized shuffleboard club, then far more people are likely to use it versus simply making it available to individuals. If that club breaks up, it may never be used again.

Tennis courts can also be all the rage one summer and then become a non-entity five years down the road, Farese says. "At the Roxbury in Westwood, the tennis courts were not as popular as they used to be," he says. A decision was made to remove one of the double tennis courts and install a putting green instead. "It has synthetic turf, so it doesn't require any maintenance," thereby saving the association money. Best of all, "the people love it. This was one way for us to utilize the space" in a way that would benefit everyone.

Listen and Learn

Knowing what the customer wants is the key to any successful business venture. It's just as true when the question revolves around a clubhouse, ceramics room or a pool. And when in doubt, it's always best to do the simplest thing: just ask. "If the board finds that something is not being used, then they should do an online poll and start talking to people," Hastings says.

One community in which Hastings was involved sent out surveys about a clubhouse that was 35 years old and not used very often, if at all. The board took the results of that survey and gleaned enough information to realize that what people really wanted was an exercise room. The meeting room portion of the club house was removed and a top-notch gym installed—all with great success.

"It's important to have communication with your residents," Farese says. "Try to get the pulse of the community. If there's a general consensus, then it may be time to try something new," just as the Roxbury did when they installed that now-popular putting green.

Before letting go of one amenity to perhaps build another, it's important to consider the reasons that a basketball court or a pool might have become unpopular. One of the biggest reasons? Disrepair and lack of upkeep. "Maintenance is the most important thing," says McHugh. "If you keep things maintained, then people will come back to them over and over again."

Quality and maintenance can be the difference between a full clubhouse on the weekends, and one that stands shuttered and desolate. Keeping things up, fresh and clean does far more than simply reminding people that the amenity is there, says Farese. "Most residents know about the amenities," he says. "They know about the gym equipment and the workout room. You just need to make sure that the equipment is modern to encourage people to use it." Portions of the reserve fund should be put away to pay for updates and redesigns when necessary.

It also might help to recruit residents into breathing new life into older amenities. If the community has a card room or a kiln for ceramics, it might be worth it to try to spark the interest of one or two people who are passionate about cards or art and encourage them to spread the word among other residents.

Time for a Change?

Sometimes tough choices have to be made with regard to whether an amenity should stay or go. One way of determining that involves charting use via logs. "Usage logs should be kept for tennis courts and tot lots, etc., so that an appropriate maintenance dollar amount can be used for the most used amenity," says Elaine Warga-Murray of Regency Management Group, LLC in Howell. "For example, if the shuffleboard or bocce court areas are not used, then they should be removed, because it is expensive to maintain bocce courts and perhaps a portable shuffleboard set-up might be more practical."

Having knowledge and data in-hand makes informed decisions possible. They help provide the insight necessary to understanding whether an amenity is just not wanted or whether it's out of date or whether the community itself has simply evolved. "Sometimes amenities are indicative of the time period in which the community was built," Hastings says. "You'll see kids growing up each day as you drive past the bus stops. The popularity of certain amenities change as the community ages and changes. It's wise for boards to re-evaluate things from time to time."

What happens, though, when it becomes apparent that changes must be made? "When an amenity is under-utilized, the only alternative is to change it out to something more desirable," says Warga-Murray. "It is very difficult to get folks to use a wood shop, for example. Craft rooms are being changed into all-purpose spaces for games and cards. Going less arts and crafts and becoming more of a social space seems to be the trend."

Boards cannot simply call in an architect and start drafting that new recreation room. In many cases, these amenities are part of the operating documents and exist in the master deed and bylaws. As with any change to these documents, a vote must take place among the unit owners in order to make changes or additions.

Beyond that, if the amenity is some type of recreation facility, there may be implications from the city or county in which the condo community is based. "Before you consider eliminating amenities, review your documents and have a lawyer check them over," says Hastings. "Check with the township, too. Part of the approval for the community may have rested in the fact that the township required a certain amount of recreational space within its borders. The amenity may have been part of that recreational space."

And when it comes time to rebuild or renovate, it helps to remember all of the lessons learned the first time around: maintain the space and listen to the residents. It's the perfect way to ensure that an amenity remains an asset to a community, not a liability.

Liz Lent is a freelance writer and a frequent contributor toThe New Jersey Cooperator.