Even at the most luxurious apartment communities, amenities can be something of a bonus. Developers generally first compose a blueprint that allows for the maximum amount of residents before deciding where to add the perks. 

LIVEbe flipped the script on the development playbook with 2Hopkins, a recently opened high-rise apartment community in Downtown Baltimore that has a decidedly amenity-first vibe. From its refrigerated package lockers designed to store perishable goods, dog park and spa that features separate small- and large-dog play areas to its stunning 21st-floor social space and fitness center, the community stands out even as developers begin to get more competitive in the amenities race.  

"We're always aiming to tweak the multifamily mold, and the amenity package and 2Hopkins is a prime example of that," said Elaine De Lude, vice president of LIVEbe. "So often, new communities bury their amenities and they can feel like an afterthought to residents. We believe not only our amenities, but also where they are situated, completely caters to the resident experience - even if it meant we had to build fewer apartment homes than we could have."

An optimum example of that is the 21st floor, which would have made an ideal setting for additional homes at the 183-unit community. Instead, the floor consists of large social space with kitchen and banquet area, two secluded seating areas with views of the city, an aesthetically designed lounge with gathering tables and a health and fitness center with free weights, cardio machines and spin/yoga room. 

Situated at 2 Hopkins Place, the community aspires to create a cutting-edge quintessential downtown Baltimore experience viewed through floor-to-ceiling windows. It is the first residential community on the East Coast to implement refrigerated lockers, which serve as a premier service amenity that allows residents to safely store food deliveries. Developed by Smiota, the lockers provide round-the-clock access for residents through a smartphone app. 

A pet spa complements the dog park, and residents can schedule pet grooming services, a community host/concierge and garage parking. Residents also have access to the services of venerable community host/concierge Patrick Lowe, well known in local circles as one who far surpasses expectations. 

The community's additional features include EV charging stations, a bike storage and repair station and garage parking. The spacious lobby features a grand entrance, soaring ceilings, vast seating areas, curated artwork, real-time transit screen and professional working area. 

2Hopkins consists of studio, 1- and 2-bedroom homes. Apartment interiors include chef-caliber kitchens with quartz countertops, white glass-accent cabinetry, pendant lighting, stainless-steel appliances and French door refrigerators. Apartment homes also include washers and vent-less dryers, baths with ceramic tiling, custom showers with white subway tile, walk-in closets, designer lighting package including backlit vanity mirrors, wood-style flooring and an energy-efficient design. 

Penthouses on the 19th through 21st floors offer enhanced features such as motorized window blinds, expansive city views and designer touches in the corridors. 

LIVEbe, a premier apartment developer and operator dedicated to delivering distinct apartment homes within connected communities, has announced the addition of refrigerated lockers to its 2Hopkins apartment community in Downtown Baltimore. 

The luxury high-rise, featuring 183 apartment homes, is the first apartment community in the U.S. to implement the Smiota PoD refrigerated lockers. Produced by Smiota, Inc., the lockers serve as a premier service amenity, allowing residents to utilize food delivery services and have round-the-clock access to their shipments via smartphone. 

 “There has been an uptick in demand for food-delivery services, and we’ve closely observed the trends of companies such as Blue Apron, HelloFresh and Instacart,” said Elaine De Lude, vice president of LIVEbe. “2Hopkins is using an innovative solution to conquer a real challenge, and we believe this is a state-of-the-art amenity that will provide a true benefit to our residents.”

Eight refrigerated and 62 dry package lockers from Smiota, all controlled by Smiota’s Locker Operating System and an intuitive unified interface, were installed at 2Hopkins in early August. The refrigerated lockers are designed to accept fresh produce without insulated packaging, offer chill to frozen temperatures and customizable colors that can match the interior design of any community. 

With 2Hopkins situated in the heart of downtown, residents do not have seamless access to nearby grocery stores and many choose a vehicle-free lifestyle. The refrigerated lockers eliminate many of these challenges. Another common obstacle with food-delivery services is wavering product and courier availability, which makes it difficult to produce accurate delivery time windows. With refrigerated lockers, residents don’t have to be home for delivery drivers to secure and safely store food that needs to be refrigerated. 

“There is a much bigger time window for delivery since the resident can order online and the couriers can deliver fresh produce, milk and eggs directly into refrigerated Smiota PoD,” said Waheed Rasheed, cofounder and chief marketing officer for Smiota. “Residents get the convenience of not waiting at home for the delivery and couriers save time by aggregating all orders and delivering once. The lockers also provide an ecofriendly method of storage, as Styrofoam and dry-ice packaging aren’t needed to keep the goods fresh, thus reducing waste.”

With ecommerce projected to surge 125 percent in the next 5 years and surpass $4 trillion in annual revenue by 2020, on-demand food delivery will play a big role in the ever-growing trend. By 2020, more than 50 billion packages will be delivered annually, and apartment communities will account for a hefty portion of that total. 

The National Multifamily Housing Council recently revealed that package management solutions are the No. 1 sought-after amenity beyond location. 

“We’re super excited because this really fits the level of service we’re aiming to provide our residents,” said Jennifer Rucker, vice president of operations for LIVEbe. “It also breaks the mold of multifamily developments where many insist things can only be done a certain way.”

2Hopkins already is among the most amenity-rich communities in the area. The community features stunning views of the city from the floor-to-ceiling windows, 21st-floor resident lounge and fitness center, yoga studio, state-of-the-art bike storage and repair area, pet spa with large and small dog areas, a community host/concierge, garage parking and resident-curated events. The penthouse level features remote controlled blinds and special corridor designer finishes.

LIVEbe, a new, premier apartment developer and operator dedicated to delivering distinct apartment homes within connected communities, recently made a financial contribution to the Baltimore Chapter of Rebuild Together as part of its Beauty in Baltimore contest.

LIVEbe, which recently joined Downtown Baltimore with the development of 2Hopkins, a 183-unit, high-rise apartment community centrally located in downtown, honored contest winner Bill King at a recognition event Thursday at 2 Hopkins Plaza. King won the Instagram contest that featured more than 600 entries.  

Contest participants submitted photos from within the city to Instagram with the hashtag #BeautyInBmore. The winner received a monetary prize and LIVEbe matched the amount with a donation to the Baltimore chapter of Rebuild Together. 

“We’re all in for Baltimore, and judging by the photo contests, the city’s residents are as well,” said Elaine De Lude, vice president of LIVEbe. “They not only seem to feel the vibe of the city, but also strive to become a part of it and take immense pride in the rebuilding effort. At 2Hopkins, we are committed to being an important part of that pulse and a good neighbor that truly encourages a sense of community.”

The recognition event included free drinks, live music from Janine Wilson and featured 100 posters of the best photos from the contest. LIVEbe announced contest winners and runners-up between songs and set breaks, and a background slideshow continually rotated through the multitude of submitted images.

2Hopkins is located in an area amidst a complete revitalization. Extremely resident-friendly and aiming to offer a quintessential downtown Baltimore experience, 2Hopkins is one of the most cutting-edge communities in the area. It is the first residential property on the East Coast to implement refrigerated lockers as part of a top-of-the-line amenity package. That includes stunning views of the city from the floor-to-ceiling windows, a pet spa with large and small dog areas, a community host/concierge and garage parking. The penthouse level features remote controlled blinds and special corridor designer finishes.

As part of its effort to highlight a sense of community, 2Hopkins will fund resident-curated events, such as book clubs, wine tasting and fitness groups. The community is also a growing social hub, with kickball leagues and additional communal activities sprouting up on a daily basis.

The Beauty in Baltimore contest was another step in cultivating a sense of pride for the downtown corridor. King’s winning photo depicted a bicyclist riding at night at a waterfront park with the city in the background. Runners-up were Chris Cunningham, Antoinette M. Bynum and Brian George.

“Innovative redevelopment projects like 2Hopkins really have this neighborhood going," said King, a City Center resident who is president of the City Center Residents Association. “It’s part of an effort to convert Baltimore's most iconic and historic office buildings into state-of-the-art residences, which has brought a modern flair to the old central business district. The Beauty in Baltimore contest was an awesome idea and a great opportunity to explore the beauty all around us in this city, both old and new."       

LIVEbe Communities, a premier multifamily property manager of Class A communities and an affiliate of Berman Enterprises, today announced the start of pre- leasing at two new luxury communities offering a combined 461 apartment homes in Maryland.

The Remy, a 278-unit community in Lanham, Md., and 2Hopkins, a 183-unit high-rise in downtown Baltimore, have begun pre- leasing homes. Residents of both communities will begin moving in later this year. Berman Enterprises owns the two properties.

"The future of each of these communities is tremendously bright, as there is a very limited supply of of luxury apartments in these markets and enormous pent-up demand for high-end multifamily living," said Elaine De Lude, vice president of LIVEbe Communities. "Along with that demand is an expectation to provide a level of customer service few companies can deliver. That’s why we’ve crafted a thorough recruiting strategy to assemble the most talented, experienced onsite teams in the industry, with Live Ambassadors who are passionate about exceeding our residents' high expectations. We look forward to leasing up the communities, creating high levels of resident satisfaction and renewals."

Located at 7730 Harkins Road, The Remy is a transit-oriented community within a short walk of the New Carrollton Metro Station, served by the Orange Line, Amtrak, MARC and Greyhound. The station offers quick access to downtown Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. The community also is only minutes away from major employers such as the Internal Revenue Service, 2U.  the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and the University of Maryland.

The eight-story Remy offers studio, one- and two-bedroom homes. The apartment homes feature stainless-steel appliances, extra sound proofing, quartz countertops, washers and dryers, walk-in closets, double-pane windows, hardwood engineered flooring, balconies, designer lighting and hardware packages, and, in select units, moveable kitchen islands.

Community amenities at The Remy include a wide range of resort-style features, such as concierge service, outdoor saltwater pool, poolside cabanas, bike storage and repair area, resident lounge, beautifully landscaped courtyards, game room, movie screening room, and bocce court. The community also has a state-of-the-art fitness center and yoga studio, electric-vehicle charging stations, car washing and detailing area, package service, pet park, dog-washing stations, telecommuting spaces, which offer Wi-Fi enabled work areas for residents who work from home and parking garage. Among its most unique offerings are a rooftop lounge with ambient lighting and lounge areas.

Located at 2 Hopkins Plaza in Charles Center in downtown Baltimore, the 21-story 2Hopkins is within a short distance from a number of major employers, including Johns Hopkins Hospital, the University of Maryland Medical Center, Bank of America and Pandora Jewelry. The community also is close to several well-known entertainment destinations. The Inner Harbor, which includes the Port Discovery Children's Museum, the National Aquarium, the Maryland Science Center and numerous restaurants, is only minutes from the site. 

Also across the street from Royal Farm Arena and nearby is Camden Yards, M&T Stadium and the historic Fells Point neighborhood, which has more than 120 bars and pubs. Nearby schools include the University of Maryland-Baltimore, the Maryland Institute College of Art and the University of Baltimore.

2Hopkins offers studio, one- and two-bedroom units. With floor to ceiling windows the apartment homes feature expansive city views, 10-foot ceilings, electronic entry, stainless-steel ceiling fans, quartz countertops, white cabinets with one glass accent cabinet, recessed lighting, and wood engineered flooring. Community amenities include hotel-style concierge service, a resident lounge and gaming area, garage parking, telecommuting spaces, dog spa, package storage, bike storage and repair station, fitness center with free weights and machines, and a yoga studio.

In addition to the start of leasing on the two communities, LIVEbe has assumed management responsibilities for Glen Oaks Apartments, a 463-unit community in Greenbelt, Md.

"This is an exciting time for LIVEbe, as we begin to build our management portfolio," said Jennifer Rucker, vice president of LIVEbe Communities. "The multifamily market in the metropolitan D.C. and Baltimore areas is strong, with an underpinning of job growth that should keep demand strong."