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Built in 1828, the first US indoor shopping mall, the Arcade in Providence, RI, has been renovated and turned into 48 micro-apartments.
The tiny lofts (from 225 SF to 275 SF) sit right where the shops used to be, behind the mall's Greek-style columns and central atrium.
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The micro-units' $800/month price tag (quite pricy for Providence) comes with an elevated twin bed over a four-drawer dresser, a 50-inch flat-screen TV and a kitchenette. "Our tenants only need to show up with two suitcases, and they are good to go," says Michael Abbott, principal at Northeast Collaborative Architects, which redesigned the space.
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The central atrium hosts a number of shops, bars and restaurants, acting as a "public street connecting neighbors," Abbott says. The top floor of the complex includes a common room with arcade games and a TV, while washers and dryers are on the second floor.
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The micro-unit trend only gets bigger, and it allows developers to be more efficient with space and offer more affordable housing. [BI]
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