Love them or loathe them, mega condo projects continue to be thrown up in Pattaya. However, is this still a good way to go and is the quality of life in a mega condo development really better? Firstly, it would be worth defining what a mega condo project is. In short there is no absolute line in the sand. Some might argue that size alone is a good benchmark. View Talay’s many condominium projects could well fall into the category since each building houses many hundreds of units, with the company’s typical two building developments often providing well over 1000 condominiums. Others point to very high end projects being “mega” on account of their high total project value. Raimon Land’s Northshore is a good example of an up market mega project which has less units overall but which is, in valuation terms, just as big. Tall buildings also find their way into the category. The Sails project and the W tower are also good examples.
The very fact there are still many projects under construction of this caliber suggests that buyers are very happy to live in places which have large numbers of units. Indeed, some would argue that choosing to live in very large condo buildings has many benefits. From the stand point of building regulations, mega condos are typically based on a larger land area and so even in spite of their size they can feel more exclusive than a smaller building in a more built up area. The extra space granted to co-owners is also viable from an economic perspective, with the developer able to cover the cost of much more land by way of the huge number of units available. Car parking space is often ample and traffic rarely a problem as relatively few people drive. Not only that, grounds can be developed with much flexibility, given that there is space to stretch the designers’ imagination.
Whilst most condo buyers expects to have facilities such as a pool and gym in place, mega condo developers are not only able to ensure that the range of facilities on offer is extensive, but that the quality and size can accommodate a large number of users. As such expect to be able to enjoy a large swimming pool and other facilities. On-site shops, restaurants and other services also flourish well in an environment where there are many potential customers. From a design perspective, many of the mega condos are quite cleverly conceived. View Talay for example follows a tried and tested design of building condo’s in long thin buildings near to the beach with a perpendicular orientation and angled balcony doors. As such, virtually evey unit in the project can enjoy a sea view. Quite an impressive feature when you consider that some buildings alone have more than 700 or more units in them. Tall buildings are designed such that unit owners are able to enjoy different aspects of the panorama. For the more exclusive mega projects, developers have gone out of their way to provide buyers with a very exclusive living experience. With taller buildings, land cost savings allow for some truly sumptuous designs and fittings within units.
So what are the disadvantages? Well some might argue that these large projects put a strain on the underlying environment. Water shortages and/or low water pressure may occur if too many mega condos go up. Of course, developers are aware of the requirements for incoming services, such as water and electricity and the design of any structure is fully compliant with all needs in this respect.
More information about Pattaya Real Estate can be found on www.pattayabeachproperty.com where you can find Pattaya property for sale and rent.
