Prime properties, which were hitherto a characteristic of urban landscape in the west, are now making a presence in Bangalore. One such property, the Mantri Altius, off Cubbon Road, has recently won the ‘Best Residential Property’ Award at the CNBC Awaaz Crisil Real Estate Awards 2007. It was ready for occupation in October last year.
The fifteen exclusive and luxurious apartments, with a built-up area of 5,515 square feet each, have been described as ‘Bungalows in the sky’ and were sold at prices ranging from Rs 3 crore to Rs 9 crore.
Each of the fifteen occupants pay Rs 50,000 per month as maintenance charges, which includes the use of a club house located on the ground and first floor. The club has a gym, squash court, TT table and billiards room. There is a main lobby with a reception area. The basement is for car parking, to accommodate four luxury cars for each flat. Security arrangements include CCTVs, biometric sensors, sirens and proximity cards.
The 17-floor Altius, which means ‘higher’ in Latin (part of the phrase ‘citius, altius, fortius’ - swifter, higher, stronger), occupies a built-up area of around 85,000 sq ft. Only about 12 per cent of the land has been used for the development of the structure, while the remaining has been landscaped.
These one-floor-one-house apartments, which give a 360 degree view of Bangalore City, do not have a main door. Only the residents use the main elevator. The occupants of the apartments identify the visitors through CCTV. When the visitors get into the elevator, the occupants of a particular house operate the elevator button and the elevator stops only at that floor. Visitors cannot stop the elevator at any other floor. Once the door opens, visitors directly enter the living room of the house.
The fifteen high profile occupants of the house were hand-picked by the developers from among forty potential buyers, the criteria being age: 40 to 50 years, professionally non-competitive and with similar family background and lifestyle.
The forty-crore rupee project was designed by Singapore-based RSPArchitects Planners and Engineers (Pvt) Ltd. RSP began as Raglan Squire and Partners in 1956. It has since grown in scope and diversity to become one of the largest and most established practices in Singapore and south east Asia. It provides architectural planning, design, supervision and administration of building contracts, urban and regional planning, civil and structural engineering and construction management services.
As of now, Altius is undoubtedly, the most expensive piece of property in the City, but in real estate circles it is felt that Bangalore can take more such exclusive properties.
