Builders unhitch themselves from the brand-wagon.

Some of the biggest names in residential development told a forum on new development trends that it takes more than just a name to succeed in today's volatile homes market.

Although the average New York consumer is up-to-the-minute and seeks high-class amenities, many developers believe that the branding trend of recent years is coming to its final stages.

"The trend is really starting to fall away," said J. Christopher Daly, president, Sheldrake Organization. "The consumer is more concentrated in what is being built, not just the name. New Yorkers are much too sophisticated, too demanding, not to see what the product really is," said Daly.

Heiberger added, "At the end of the day, consumers are looking for well built, well constructed product. The brand can communicate to who the building is, but it doesn't Iranslate into buyers."

Daly was one of a high-powered group of developers who took part in the annual Citi Habitats Marketing Group's Exclusive New Development Forum. Also on the panel were Andrew Heiberger, president, Buttonwood Real Estate, Marcello Porcelli, president, LargaVista Companies, and Orin Wilf, president, Skyline Developers.

Daly pointed to his firm's Riverhouse in Battery Park City as an example of good product catering to a growing market. "At Riverhouse we spent $3 million just on building green--that's 10% of our budget. We've seen a very good response from people, selling at $400 per square foot, which is a record in Battery Park."

Orin Wilf filled a void for high end but spacious city homes when his company built 170 East End Avenue, a luxurious tower steps from Gracie Mansion where families and singles can live out of the box.

"Families just demand more," said Wilf. "I asked my kids, friends and family what they wanted in an apartment and I came up with a product that isn't a cookie-cutter apartment. There's more space, playrooms, dining rooms--I even learned what a reformer machine was (a pilates machine) just so I could offer more amenities," said Wilf. Heiberger, who developed The Greenwich Club Residences downtown and who recently acquired the luxury rental building at 333 Rector Place, said amenities and services are the key to a successful new development.

"Service, service and more service," he said about instituting a five star amenities package called The Greenwich Club at the downtown condo he developed.

What has translated into buyers for developers like LargaVista Companies is building in an area that originally no one thought of. Porcelli said the formula worked with his One Avenue B, explaining, "I knew in my gut that development was going to keep migrating east. Everyone was attracting super high-end buyers. We had the opportunity to attract the first-time buyers."

However, as downtown's population has continued to grow--and midtown retail rents have continued to rise--the area has seen a rash of big name retailers setting up shot.

"They feel that they can really capture the Westside neighborhood." said Wilf.

The reform of the 421a tax program is one blight on the horizon for some new developments, according to the panel. "It will really kill the outer boroughs resurgence," said Daly.

"It is cost-prohibiting and rents will go higher. The rental market is not at its all-time peek, but we are heading there very quickly," said Heiberger.

Wilf, however, is more optimistic. "There will be fewer projects being built for a little while, but people talk about it too much. Development might slow down, but it will always come back," he said.