Is There a Doctor in the House?

— WELLNESS —

At some luxury developments, the answer is yes—at least in a manner of speaking. by Bernadette Starzee

ITH HEALTH AND WELL-BEING on the minds of home buyers, luxury complexes have introduced extras ranging from yoga decks to tranquility gardens in recent years. Now some are taking the concept a further by adding access to doctors, nurses, and holistic healers to their menu of amenities. As a closing gift to buyers, the Ritz-Carlton W Residences, Miami Beach offers a one-year membership in The Agatston Center for Private Medicine, a primary care and cardiology concierge practice led by Dr. Arthur Agatston, known for developing the South Beach Diet. This comprehensive service, which typically costs a household $12,000 per year, is among many worldclass, hotel-style amenities offered at the sprawling community of 111 condos and 15 single-family villas,

Ritz-Carlton Residences, Miami Beach

— WELLNESS —

“As health and wellness is a top priority for buyers, we decided to push the limits.”

—Ophir Sternberg, Developer of the Ritz-Carlton Residences, Miami Beach

Having medical staff on call is particularly appealing to buyers who are new in town. with views of the Atlantic Ocean, Biscayne Bay, and downtown Miami enhanced by floor-to-ceiling windows and oversize terraces. Amenities also include 36 private boat dockages; a private, onsite, captained day yacht; a half-acre rooftop pool deck with cabanas; an open-air yoga studio; a meditation garden; a library; and a cinema.

Residents’ membership in the health concierge begins with a physical examination to establish their baseline medical condition and create a tailored plan to help them achieve their health goals. Residents can contact the concierge’s physicians via cell phone, text, or email, and house calls and same-day visits are available. If more serious health issues arise, the concierge will coordinate and schedule specialty physician appointments, diagnostic procedures, and hospital services. For residents admitted to a hospital, the concierge provides inpatient consultation and supervision.

“The Residences are home to many international businesspeople and global travelers,” says Ophir Sternberg, founder and CEO of Lionheart Capital, developer for the property, opened in 2020. “As health and wellness is a top priority for buyers, we decided to push the limits” beyond typical health amenities.

The lap pool at Madison House

PEACE OF MIND

Medical concierge services are also among the offerings at Madison House, a luxury high-rise soon to open in Manhattan’s NoMad neighborhood. Madison House will give buyers a free one-year membership at Sollis Health, a private, 24/7 medical concierge company that provides easy access to holistic medical care based on the individual’s overall health and wellness needs. Services include care coordination, routine and emergency visits, same-day appointments, and house calls.

“We thought buyers would appreciate this whiteglove service; it would make them feel like we went above and beyond to care about their health,” says Jamie Bricmont, spokesperson for Madison House. “A lot of the residents are first-time buyers in New York City and don’t have doctors here. This gives them peace of mind.”

The exercise room at 40 Bleecker

Madison House

The 62-story development also boasts stellar views, a landscaped rooftop garden, and 30,000 square feet of club-style amenity spaces for wellness and leisure, including a 75-foot lap pool, cold plunge pool, hot tub, sauna, gym, golf simulator, billiards room, library, and lounge for entertaining.

THE HOLISTIC APPROACH

In Manhattan’s NoHo section, 40 Bleecker is taking a holistic approach to attending to the well-being of its residents, who began moving into the new 12-story, 61unit luxury building this year.

“Wellness has always been a central part of the 40 Bleecker vision, from the amenities to the selection of retail tenants curated for the building,” says Sarah Burke, Douglas Elliman’s sales director for the property.

Notably, Clean Market, a wellness boutique, has set up shop in the building and will offer 40 Bleecker residents select services in their own homes, including restorative cryotherapy, cryofacials, and IV drips.

“These self-care treatments can boost energy, reduce inflammation, relieve pain, speed up muscle recovery, increase metabolism, and so much more,” Burke says. “This is the first time these services have been incorporated into a residential building’s service offerings. It’s more than just working out in the gym—it’s holistic wellness.”

As for gym workouts, 40 Bleecker offers those, too, with a state-of-the-art exercise room featuring ondemand training and yoga streaming platforms, along with a saltwater pool, private courtyard garden, and bicycle storage, among other amenities.

While homebuyers have long factored proximity to doctors and hospitals into their real estate choices, medical concierge services are a novel idea. When Madison House buyers find out the service is included, they are pleased, Bricmont says.

“Maybe they didn’t come because of it, but they think it’s a nice touch that shows attention to detail and thoughtfulness,” she says. “It’s just one extra thing that buyers have really responded to.”

Similarly, when Ritz-Carlton Residences, Miami Beach buyers are handed their medical concierge card along with the keys on their final walk-through, many are delighted, Sternberg notes. In fact, the service has been so well-received that Sternberg says the company will keep it “top of mind” for future properties.

Wellness amenities often include onsite spa services.