What It's Like to Live Near a Micro-Unit Building

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

What's a "micro-unit"?

Is it just newspeak for studio apartment?

Newspeak? I saw what you did there and I like it. But yeah, usually tiny studio apartments or maybe with a loft area for the bed sometimes.

[Eightball]

interesting article on the Seattle apodmemts

http://www.seattlemag.com/article/ar...-neighborhoods

these look pretty sweet
http://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-...e-alternative/

[Eightball]

DC's micro-unit development breakdown

http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blo..._rundown/10400

[mhays]

400 square feet? That's pretty big for a micro. That's more like a standard efficiency or studio.

But the real issue is this sentence: "Micro-units are considered to be residences that clock in below 400 square feet, have design elements like built-ins, Murphy beds, and drop-down surfaces like tables or desks."

This was probably proofread, but the writer probably actually thinks it's ok to skip the "and" before "have." The result is a partial sentence that just peters out.

[Centropolis]

Originally Posted by mhays

400 square feet? That's pretty big for a micro. That's more like a standard efficiency or studio.

But the real issue is this sentence: "Micro-units are considered to be residences that clock in below 400 square feet, have design elements like built-ins, Murphy beds, and drop-down surfaces like tables or desks."

This was probably proofread, but the writer probably actually thinks it's ok to skip the "and" before "have." The result is a partial sentence that just peters out.

haha, uh yeah. I once lived in a 400 SF apartment in Kansas City, home of the largest pre-war apartments evar.

[Via Chicago]

Originally Posted by Centropolis

is the supply of sketchy but okay, easily transit accessible, cheap neighborhoods going to run out in chicago? i guess what i'm saying is, is the number of neighborhoods in that sweet spot shrinking (or is there a multiplicity of areas like i dunno, rogers park)? i havent looked at apartments in chicago in years so i'm out of touch, except that a friend of mine pays an absurd rent for being so far from the L and being in a more auto dominated area in logan square (he has lived there for many years, and fled wicker park, the blue line prices just caught up with him).

everyone is fighting to live in Logan Square these days, so really anywhere in that area has seen rents skyrocket the past decade. i remember going on a date with someone a couple years ago who said "if i couldnt live in logan square id leave chicago, its the only good place in this city" which struck me as such a bizarre attitude to have. there wasnt a second date.

rogers park is kinda unique because there are so many rentals there in the first place, and its so far from downtown that many people are hesitant to live that far north. and there are still pockets of crime here and there which spook people.

there are still plenty of areas in the city that are affordable, but people are starting to look at places like little village now as trendy west side areas get so stratospheric.

[austlar1]

Austin is about to get its first kinda/sorta micro unit building (400 square feet units) just a block or two from the state capitol building. It will mostly house functional individuals (some or most with disabilities and low income), and it is run by an outfit that has been providing similar housing in outlying older hotel/motels and former nursing homes. I would love to see this type of development go main stream here in Austin. There are a lot of people with no disabilities and a decent income who would be more than happy to trade some space for the convenience on in-town living. http://foundcom.org/housing/our-aust...pital-studios/

[Matthew]

Developers brought micro units to Winston-Salem's popular Downtown Arts District about two or three years ago. These days, micro units are the only new apartments built in the Downtown Arts District. Since developers continue to build them, I'm guessing they are popular? In Winston-Salem, micro apartments are 310-376 square feet. A project recently started construction with apartments around 300 square feet for a one bedroom and around 775 square feet for the largest two bedroom units. They seem to get smaller and smaller with each new project. The sizes of these micro units are around half or maybe less of the other apartments in downtown and the downtown area.

I also saw a post from Eightball on modular construction in NYC. Winston-Salem is also doing this. A former CEO of Wachovia has worked to solve the problem of high rents in the downtown area. His solution was modular construction. The apartments are made in a factory in Rowan County. They arrive at the construction site with everything in place, from appliances to window treatments. A crane lifts them into place and workers clad the structure. Construction takes 47 days. It gained a lot of positive national press for Winston-Salem.


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[fflint]

A friend and ex-forumer bought a 250-sq. ft. condo here in San Francisco several years ago, but then moved to LA with his lady (who had been living elsewhere) to open up his firm's LA office. They want to move back up here now, but real estate is insane--and that micro unit is too small for the both of them and their cats. He says a majority of tenants in the building now are renters, which raises the question: aren't owners of condos that small destined to sell/rent them out when they eventually couple up? It also raises an issue--the switch from owner tenants to rental tenants in the years since the building opened has apparently been problematic in the common areas.

[mhays]

In my area they're all rentals, to my knowledge.

[austlar1]

This was recently announced in the local Austin Business Journal. Hope it comes to pass. Check out the pics of the units. They look great! http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/bl...apartment.html

[Eightball]

First new NYC micro unit building opens
http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blo...cro-unit/10584

[MonkeyRonin]

Originally Posted by Eightball

First new NYC micro unit building opens
http://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blo...cro-unit/10584

250 to 370 sqft? That just sounds like the size of average bachelor apartments, not a "micro unit". That's actually probably above average for a bachelor unit in New York, actually.

[mhays]

True, a micro can be half that.

[Eightball]

DC’s first for-sale “micro unit community” now on the Market

http://www.popville.com/2015/12/dcs-...ic_source=icma

Check out some cool virtual tours of the units at 2424 17th Street, NW here and here.

From a press release:

“McWilliams|Ballard announces the commencement of sales at Moda 17, a contemporary condominium community located in the vibrant Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington, DC. Moda 17 Features 38 micro condominium residences designed by local developer Adams Investment, a leader of innovative residential design throughout Northwest Washington.

As Washington’s first for-sale micro unit community, Moda 17 offers buyers a premium European-inspired residence at a very affordable price point. The community features a mix of studio, one and two bedroom residences with panelized kitchens, sleek appointments, outdoor living space, on-site storage and bike lockers. Select homes feature custom built-in beds, cabinetry and moveable walls to allow the homeowner to maximize their living space. Units are priced from the mid $200’s.

so what do you guys think? that's affordable, would you buy in a similar development in your city?

[mhays]

I just wish writers knew why "studio, one and two bedroom units" is incorrect. Everyone seems to forget the other "and."

[Eightball]

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

250 to 370 sqft? That just sounds like the size of average bachelor apartments, not a "micro unit". That's actually probably above average for a bachelor unit in New York, actually.

The generally accepted definition (as far as I can tell) is 350 to 375 sq ft and under

[mhays]

"Generally accepted"? No. That sort of thing is very local, and the new type of micro is a new or newish concept in most places, so the definition is invented locally. Obviously zoning is local even as it generally borrows from standardized codes, and real estate economics are local, both of which contribute to this.

In my region, 350 sf would be a studio, not a micro.

In some regions that don't do even many 350 sf units, I've seen 400 sf and even 500 sf called micros.

[fflint]

Originally Posted by mhays

"Generally accepted"? No. That sort of thing is very local, and the new type of micro is a new or newish concept in most places, so the definition is invented locally. Obviously zoning is local even as it generally borrows from standardized codes, and real estate economics are local, both of which contribute to this.

In my region, 350 sf would be a studio, not a micro.

In some regions that don't do even many 350 sf units, I've seen 400 sf and even 500 sf called micros.

350 sq. ft. is a studio here as well. My partner and I lived in a studio that size for a couple of years.

[Eightball]

NYC could allow more ‘micro-apartments’ as 60,000 people apply to live in below-market tiny units in Manhattan
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/...icle-1.2478722

Manhattan's newest mini apartments have generated maximum interest.

More than 60,000 people applied to live in 14 below-market-rate apartments ranging from 265 to 360 square feet, slightly bigger than the size of an average one-car garage.

In response, the de Blasio administration is proposing to end a limit on how small apartments can be, opening the door to more "micro-apartments" that advocates see as affordable spaces to help the growing population.

"The pent-up demand has always been there," said Tobias Oriwol, the developer of Carmel Place on 335 East 27th St. in Kips Bay...