Those nice highrises

Is there some kind of "catch" to living in those fancy highrises like shibaura island air tower and bloom tower (http://shibaura-airtower.com/ and
http://www.shibaura-rent.com/)
I'm looking to move soon and those and a few other of the nice highrises have apartments well in my price range yet they are bigger and look alot nicer for the typical mansion apartment of the price prices. Is there some kind of catch or special requirements to live there because those prices look to good to be true.

Sorry this sentence makes no sense lol...

I mean't:
I'm looking to move soon and those and a few other of the nice high rises have apartments well in my price range yet they are bigger and look nicer than the typical mansion apartment of the same rent.

They do look nice but I wouldn't call yen 140 000 for the smaller studios a bargain!? and of course when moving in you have to pay the a deposit plus a rental agent fee plus the 2 or 3 months rent that are a gift to the landlord. This means that the actual rent is actually 40-50% more expensive than the posted one. if you have a car the monthly parking is an extra 40 000 yen.

Haha well I'm not saying it's a bargain, but it's pretty average for brand new 30-40 sq meter apartments in central areas. I'm comparing them to the typical 10 or so story tall mansions that are all over the place. The rents and move in costs for similiar apartments are about the same and I would think the rent or deposits or somehting would be higher in a fancier building. Or maybe highrises aren't as ''exclusive'' here as they are in the states. So maybe it's just me that expects them to be considerably more expenisve.

I don't think there is any "catch," but it's a matter of prefernces I suppose. I'm of the type who prefers something "closer to the ground" for a place to live, because with high-rises:

- depending on the design, of course though, there may be long elevator wait to go up/down - I personally want to live in a building where I can walk up and down without any problem,
- depending on the location (if the building is close to the Tokyo Bay for example) it can be pretty windy up there that some buildings may not allow people opening windows, or you cannot put anything on the balcony (actually, from the looks, the one you are talking about looks like no window can be opened),
- depending on the structure, minor earthquakes can feel like quite big "swaying" movements,
- some people who live there want to keep the "hotel-like" atmosphere that even the smell of neighbors' cooking (grilling fish in their oven, for example) in their kitchen may not be tolerated,
- those high-rises tend to be located in locations somewhat away from busy town center that I would not feel so secure around the buildings (particularly at night), and there may not be supermarkets and stores around, and
- it just feels too big and anonymous :)

Those are just my feelings, so... if you go for the convenience and hotel-like services, that'll be OK. :)

For this Shibaura Tower, they ask you to "sign up" as members - I do not know what that entails, only registration or some conditions attached. For the developer, of course they can afford reasonable rents because of the per-area rent income they can expect from high-rises.

Annon Girl, if you feel that "highrises aren't as 'exclusive' here as they are in the states," do you think it could be because maids aren't as common in Japan as they are in the States? Or at least low-wage maids aren't. I imagine it would be a hassle to go buy your groceries or run errands when you live in a high-rise.

I live in Canada and most high rises, even new ones, aren't exclusive at all. I have lived in quite a few but don't anymore as the apartments in the newer ones are getting smaller and more expensive all the time.I agree with Uco. Being close to the ground and in a long established neighbourhood is much more pleasant and practical, even if less stylish. In that tower in Tokyo the cheapest studios have a tiny kitchen that is part of the entrance hallway and a bedroom without a window for 140 000 yen.Pricy for the value. The biggest and most expensive apartments have the kitchen right in the living room!(check the floor plans)

Thanks everyone for the info (and keep it coming)!
I will defiantly take it into consideration as I look for a new apartment. I am a bit obsessed with huge buildings so that's a big part of my curiosity.

Hi Annon Girl! I'm interested in those towers also - moving to Tokyo in July (from Windsor, ON). I could not find rent for the Bloom Tower so far - have you found listings? I walked around the island on my last trip - seems nice.

This is a good 6 months after the thread started, but maybe someone will benefit from more recent updates on what you've been discussing.

I've just signed up for a room in Bloom Tower. The tower was opened a few weeks ago. Yes, the value is excellent - similar prices to low-rise apartment buildings around. Supermarket on the grounds, Hanamasa (VERY cheap bulk supermarket) around the corner, and all sorts of facilities from Doctors to childcare, music rehearsal and performance studio, etc etc. It's in a handy location, and it has a great vibe. Spoke to a resident after I looked at the rooms. he is VERY satisfied, with nothing to complain about apart from the buzz of the city that comes in through the open windows. Solution - close them. The rooms in Bloom tower have more fittings than you get in a standard apartment. I've got dishwasher, washlet toilet, floor heading... (I'm NOT in one of the premium rooms that start on the 40th floor.)
Also, as it's a little closer to Kaigan, the air quality isn't the best. But it's not as bad as actually in kaigan itself. It's still Shibaura. Very pleasant.