Urban Gardens as a profit center

Not sure if you would want to monetize this concept but it sounds like you could.

….Homegrown dining is becoming increasingly popular, favored not just by
health freaks, but also by the previously organically-unphased.

Around New York are urban gardening centers where people can be rent a
space to grow their greenery, and they’ve been booming with business
this year. At Drew Gardens in the Bronx, for example, membership
doubled from last year, and W.Atlee Burpee & Co, the American
largest seed company has sold twice the seeds of last year…..[read full story here]

We have a number of residents that do this on their own both in the urban setting as well as in garden styled communities.

I was reminded of a story when I read this. A number of years ago I was walking a site with Fred Tuomi in Vancouver, WA. We were barely out of the office when we happened upon this amazing display of flowers and vegetables all planted at the edge of residents patio. Fred’s immediate response was a question to the PM. “Would you raise that residents rent?” The PM without hesitation said, “No and if so, very little. They are a valuable long term resident.” Fred said, “No, no, no, this is an instance where you raise them substantially.” I was taken aback and could not wait to hear the logic behind his passion. He said, “this resident is never going to move, he/she has to much invested to pick up and move.”

What do you think? Charge for the garden? Consider sharper increases for those who have nearly surgically implanted themselves in your community?

Us vs. Them vs. We….

0 Responses

  1. I’m not sure if you would want to charge for this either, but I DO love the concept of a type of home customization in the apartment market. I think the statement, “he/she has to much invested to pick up and move” should be a rallying cry for our communities. What are we doing to allow our residents to take emotional “ownership” over their apartment home?

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