Newest Amenity: Restaurant VIP Cards! How New York Is That?

As the trade magazine The Real Deal reported, the 582-unit The Sheffield, at 322 West 57th Street, will distribute VIP cards to residents, offering a 10 percent discount on food and alcohol, complimentary aperitifs, priority reservations and other perks including invitations to cooking classes taught by the group's chefs.

The David Burke Group includes the flagship restaurant David Burke Townhouse, Fishtail by David Burke and David Burke at Bloomingdale's, all on the Upper East Side; David Burke Kitchen, in Soho; and restaurants in other cities. It was unclear if the amenity applies to all locations.

"We wanted to provide residents with something exclusive to the Sheffield," Carolyn Sebba, director of business development for the condo's sales agent, told The Real Deal. 

She did not say who first broached the arrangement, but The Sheffield had a 12-month amenity partnership with Saks Fifth Avenue, beginning December 2010, in which personal styling consultants made at-home visits and residents had access to previews and private fashion events, the magazine side. It added that David Burke at Bloomingdale's had established such a partnership before, with the nearby condo at 205 East 59th Street.

Shebba referred to the amenity as a “mutually beneficial promotion.” Enterprising condo and co-op boards might be tempted to try to negotiate similar arrangements with local establishments on a trial basis — discounts and/or other perks in exchange for a built-in consumer base encouraged by the board to offer a merchant their patronage.

For more, see our Site Map or join our Archive >>