As parents, our most precious resource is our children.
As city-dwellers, “wide open spaces” in which our children can socialize, learn and play are a bit different than those in suburban settings.

What you see in popular television shows and movies is definitely art mimicking life. Any given day, there are people enjoying our outdoor spaces–from the very young to senior citizens and everyone in between. Throughout the year, there’s activities in Central Park geared toward young and old alike, from festivals to live music to art exhibitions, New Yorkers have access to a cultural mecca.

What is quickly becoming the norm in Manhattan is that some of the safest and most kid-friendly environments are housed within the towering residences that line the streets of the city. Popular culture displays New York as a young, hip singles’ scene, which it is, but families are a fast-growing part of the population as well.

According to the New York City Population Projections by Age/Sex & Borough 2000-2030 report, Manhattan’s school-age population (ages 5-17), is expected to increase by 4.5 percent this year. Projections indicate that while other boroughs’ may decrease over the two next decades, Manhattan is expected to keep growing.

What does this mean? Families are moving into Manhattan and developers are responding to that need by building children’s playrooms that go above and beyond coloring books and legos.

My wife and three children are fortunate to live in Manhattan’s Rushmore that has one of the best facilities for children. Designed by Kidville, the playroom is expansive and colorful offering a range of activities plus membership to Kidville’s stellar complex located on nearby Columbus Avenue.

The Visionaire, a manhattan property near Battery Park has a saltwater aquarium and is working with a private amenties consultant, Wellness 360, to offer a “unique cirriculum with a full menu of services that include intellectual, cultural, and recreational activities” for children.

The Azure Condomiums on the Upper East Side are the latest in luxury new construction offering the best values for growing families, with schools a block away and a children’s playroom and a teen room that has the latest interactive technology, as well as billards and foosball.

The Manhattan House on 66th Street uped its children’s playroom facilities to include a large talking giraffe and interactive shapeship. Designed by Roto Studios, the designer of Manhattan’s Children’s Museum, its developers are purported to have spent $300K for upgrades.

101 Warren, a 227 condominium complex in Tribecca has an indoor playroom and a five-foot tall hedged children’s garden maze. Element is a manhattan luxury apartment residence that offers parents and children group classes from a popular new-york based gym, an outdoor playground and indoor playroom with FAO Schwarz toys and games. Plus, there’s a kiddie pool just for the little ones.

Manhattan is setting a new trend whereby other urban areas are sure to follow suit.

“First this trend happens in New York, and then Chicago, and finally it hits Bloomington, Indiana,” says Carol Coletta, president and CEO of CEOs for Cities.
As a New Yorker for over 14 years, I know, firsthand, how fortunate my children are to live in a place that offers top-notch education, access to Central Park’s six playgrounds and a multitude of cultural inspirations.
What’s even more exciting is to see a inevitable trend: Developers are catering to families more and more as New York City is now one of the “sixth-safest cities” in the country.
Every holiday brings families out in droves, as Central Park and the city gears up for free activities every season.
What plans do you and your family have for the upcoming holidays? Does your residence have a playroom? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Sources:
Nixon, Sam. The Cooperator The Co-o & Condo Monthly. Play Spaces and Children’s Programming. 2008 October Vol. 28, No. 10. (18 October 2010).
New York City Population Projections by Age/Sex & Borough 2000-2030.December 2006.
Stout, Hillary. The New York Times. The Ruckus Room. October 2, 2009. (18 October 2010).
Azoff, Rachael. Multi Family Executive. New Kids on the Block. March 19, 2007. (18 October 2010).
Levy, Francesca. Forbes.com. America’s Safest Cities. October 11, 2010. (18 October 2010).

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