Hip, green condo (Bangkok)

Hip, green condo slated for Sukhumvit D-well Development Co plans to market a condominium near mass-transit lines this year by focusing on designs to differentiate itself from rivals, according to managing director Thavanan Tanesdechsundhara. He said the new project, to be located on Sukhumvit Road, would be in a unique hip, green style, make it different from the minimalist style of its first project. ''We will focus on design-base project development with affordable prices.

We will not sell the condominium but the lifestyle and good community,'' he said, adding that the company's concept for project development focused on serenity, convenience and design. ''Condominium demand remains strong due to a trend of urbanization.
Many people still wants to live in the city but the cost concern is a major factor to think about when deciding to buy a unit in the city,'' he said. Last month, the company launched sales of its white building, the second phase of the D'65 condominium with 112 units worth 300 million baht. To date, it has sold 30 units and the company expects to close sales by the second quarter of 2008. From the customer's feedback in the first phase, larger units are in demand.

The second phase will house duplexes sized 70 square metres each. Young couples are target customers, he adds. ''Competitors' projects in the area are mostly located on the main road but with many more units. This turns to be our strength, as some customers don't want to live in a large community but need privacy,'' said Mr Thavanan, a 31- year-old lecturer in urban design at Thammasat University.

D'65, which comprises one black building and one white one, will be located on a 2.5-rai site on Soi Sukhumvit 65 where Mr Thavanan's house was formerly located. Unit sizes will be between 35 and 110 sq m, with prices of about 57,000 baht per sq m on average or 1.9 million to 7.2 million baht.

D-well was set up last year with registered capital of 120 million baht. In July 2007, it launched sales of the black building, with 78 units worth 200 million baht, all of which were sold out. Construction of the black building will be completed by the end of next year while the white one will be finished by the first half of 2009. Muang Thai Life Assurance is the financier of the project.
Bangkok Post