Take A Look Back At The Olympic Villages Of The Past

This post originally appeared at Movoto.

Once again, the time has come when we’re all wishing that we too had the requisite skills to attend the biennial sweat-inducing athletic event of colossal proportions, or, what we common folk know as the Olympics.

We may not be able to transfer magical athletic powers to you, but we can suggest a way to relive the grandeur of past Olympics.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in one of these supposed hubs of drugs and lust? Here Movoto Real Estate gives you a rundown of these former glory towns and how they’re faring in their afterlives.

2012 London Summer Olympics

For the 2012 London Olympics, competitors boarding at the $1.5 billion Village will enjoy an entertainment lounge, cutting-edge communications facilities, and large parks. Despite its hefty price tag, however, London’s Olympic Village contains sleeping quarters more fit for college students than the world’s greatest athletes (which will be beefed up with kitchens, new flooring, and other amenities for post-Game residents).

Cool Amenities

• 24-hour cafeteria to satisfy a case of the late-night munchies
• 13,000-square-foot gym, for those athletes whose bodies aren’t yet whipped into shape
• Access to pool tables, a computer gaming area, and a private theater

Drawbacks

• Only some of the apartments have adjoining bathrooms, and the kitchens are so efficient, they’re nonexistent
• Your typical dorm-style accoutrements: twin-size beds, basic Ikea-esque furniture, and thin walls
• Bar is non-alcoholic, so athletes must find other ways to take the edge off (read: copulation)

2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics

Once the temporary home to nearly 3,000 athletes, Vancouver’s Olympic Village consists of 22 sleek, modern structures built on a stretch of land that was formerly an industrial eyesore. Now known as The Village on False Creek, the condos and apartments attract individuals interested in living sustainably—and who are willing to cough up $300,000 or more for one of these cribs.

Cool Amenities

• Eco-friendliness at its finest with a site that collects rainwater for reuse, solar energy and heating, and natural flooring
• A mix of quirky galleries and healthful dining spots for the hipster in you
• Waterfront views and a brief trek from downtown

Drawbacks

• Originally funded by taxpayers after the government had to bail out the private developers, so don’t be surprised if sharing the name of your new pad emits angry glares from Canadians
• Located blocks from one of the country’s most prized possessions: the Eastside neighborhood, home to drug addicts, homeless people, and North America’s first supervised heroin-injection location

2008 Beijing Summer Olympics

Beijing’s Olympic Village boasted first-rate athletic facilities for extreme competitors, while tree huggers enjoyed gardens on their roofs and toilets that used greywater (don’t worry, this isn’t the same as sewage water). The site has since been converted to upscale apartments that cost around $750,000 a piece — a substantial price tag compared to other nearby residences.

Cool Amenities

• Buildings include solar heating, a water-recycling system, and solar and green roofs
• During the Olympics, rooms were equipped with an infrared burglar-proof warning device and the potential to draw attention to nighttime hanky-panky

Drawbacks

• Located 20 minutes away from some of the most dazzling 2008 Olympic venues (visits to which are necessary to fully relive the glory of the Games)

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