General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMicro lofts in a VERY old mall...great idea
https://stories.thebl.com/65920/woman-lives-in-oldest-mall-in-america-after-48-abandoned-shops-are-turned-into-homes-5.html#.XJwJP8brtho.facebookWoman lives in oldest mall in America after 48 abandoned shops are turned into homes
14:46, 21/03/2019
Our awareness of tiny homes has increased over the past few years, but many of the wonderful examples weve seen consist of freestanding, outdoor units. Micro lofts bring the concept indoors.
Providence, Rhode Island is one place where youll find these small apartments catching on. They are housed in The Arcade, an 1829 architectural gem and Americas oldest indoor shopping mall. The building itself has been through several rounds of restorations and became a national landmark in the 1970s.
Three levels make up the shopping center, with the first floor being dedicated to retail shops and the second and third floors being tiny lofts. Evan Granoff, the owner, wanted to convert the unused space into something livable and affordable.
There are 48 apartments in The Arcade, and unit sizes are between 225 to 800 square feet. Each comes with basic built-in furniture: a bed with drawers, cushioned bench/seating, refrigerator, and shelves. Since The Arcade is zoned as a rooming house, cooking ranges are not allowed, but microwaves are fine.
snip for much more... the video is fantastic too..
UniteFightBack
(8,231 posts)want. Great idea.
OhNo-Really
(3,985 posts)I use a Chinese bamboo steam/with cover inside InstantPot to make a meal: chicken & fresh steamed veggies. then flavor with whatever sounds good
tblue37
(64,982 posts)coast, so this sounds like a great idea. (I also pay all utilities, and they are high.)
More_Cowbell
(2,190 posts)My 650 sq foot apartment in California (where my law license is) is $1643. The building was built in 1961. No dishwasher, assigned or covered parking, laundry....
tblue37
(64,982 posts)Last edited Thu Mar 28, 2019, 05:37 AM - Edit history (1)
UniteFightBack
(8,231 posts)tblue37
(64,982 posts)JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,283 posts)A rag, a bottle of detergent, and a dish drainer.
Voila! Clean dishes.
tblue37
(64,982 posts)OhNo-Really
(3,985 posts)dflprincess
(28,057 posts)I'm in a Minneapolis suburb and pay $805 for a 625 sq foot 1 bedroom (plus a one car garage) no dishwasher, laundry in the basement of the building.
Not that what I pay wouldn't be bargain in New York or California.
tblue37
(64,982 posts)Kaleva
(36,147 posts)It hasn't gone up in value since then.
Raine
(30,540 posts)I hope more unused abandoned malls get used this way!
Squinch
(50,774 posts)Wounded Bear
(58,440 posts)I know we have a local one that never seems to be busy. That might be location, it's not super easy to get to, but in general brick and mortar retail is struggling.
Great way to put buildings to use.
ProfessorGAC
(64,425 posts)...(16-18 miles away), had a Sears at the north end, Carson's in the middle and JC Penny at the south end.
All 3 are closed! I'm not sure how any of the other stores survive!
All on one level; would be great for senior housing!
Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)It was perfect. The place was rented to capacity. They had converted an old mall or office building in an urban area, turning it into a lot of tiny apartments (well, it's Japan, in a crowded urban area). It was perfect. That way, younger workers had more affordable places to live in, and could live near work for the first time. Some just walked to work.
The small apartments were teeny tiny, but were built with Japanese efficiency. Nothing was full sized, and there were no rooms, as such, in the apartments. The bedroom converted to the LR, when you wanted it to. The tiny kitchenette all folded away, when not in use. Tiny closet with a curtain. No doors, except the entrance.
I guess they rented them. But it's possible some were purchased as homes.
So glad to see America is now doing this. It's a great way to use the old malls that are now dinosaurs.
madaboutharry
(40,153 posts)The film at the link is very interesting. Thank you for posting.
Response to SoCalDem (Original post)
Mosby This message was self-deleted by its author.
YOHABLO
(7,358 posts)SoCalDem
(103,856 posts)Pioneer Presidents' Place Apartments click for more pics
in Salina, Kansas
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ZeroSomeBrains
(638 posts)We need to make lemonade out of lemons. I hope that this gives life to old malls and provide low income housing as well to needy families. Thanks for providing this good news story to us SoCalDem.
FailureToCommunicate
(13,989 posts)think it's a swell idea, and maybe it is.
But it is hardly a "new" idea.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)And why apologize for sentiment?
Raine
(30,540 posts)too many ignore ideas that came before thinking they're much smarter then people in the past. I'm glad to hear it's not a new idea.
Totally Tunsie
(10,885 posts)The video doesn't really do it justice, as it's really quite beautiful and quaint. The architecture is truly interesting and very historic. Location, location, location...it's in the heart of downtown Providence with great restaurants, shopping, theater, and sports nearby.
Admittedly, it's been a while since I've actually been in the building, but I'll have to make a point of visiting it again soon, especially now that I know what's behind those upper level doorways.
Thanks for posting this, SoCalDem!
Response to SoCalDem (Original post)
Demovictory9 This message was self-deleted by its author.
Control-Z
(15,681 posts)lindysalsagal
(20,444 posts)I'd like to see some government services there, too. Simple health care, children's daycare, grocery, pharmacy, banking.
SoCalDem
(103,856 posts)there is a building (Formerly Home Base) that has in excess of 100,000 sq ft. that has been vacant since Lowes came to town..I doubt it has been filled since 2016 since we moved. It sat there for at least 20 years..
It could have been re-purposed ..
We also had a HUGE walmart that built a NEW walmart in the SAME shopping center (but just across a county line that bordered one side of the center..(to get a NEW 10 yr tax forbearance).. And the empty box is still there..vacant
lindysalsagal
(20,444 posts)SoCalDem
(103,856 posts)to old people/a win-win
gldstwmn
(4,575 posts)there were stores still in it. It's a great building. I'd live there.
SoCalDem
(103,856 posts)which only makes it better for tenants
MineralMan
(146,192 posts)I'm not sure I'd like them.
Gidney N Cloyd
(19,781 posts)Unfortunately, I believe it was demolished not too long ago to make room for a new apartment building.
https://preservationchicago.org/chicago07/woodruff-arcade-building/
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)and just retrofitted residential units. Shame.
Gidney N Cloyd
(19,781 posts)And to be honest, the outside of it wasn't that attractive so even though it was a rare arcade style building it probably didn't generate enough public outcry to preserve it.
And Chicago in general tears down old buildings like aldermen tear up parking tickets.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)The collapse of bricks-n-mortar retail, combined with the rise in housing costs, makes retail-to-residential a very natural option.
SoCalDem
(103,856 posts)Family lived above or behind the "storefront"..That's what made it all possible
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)Response to SoCalDem (Original post)
Mosby This message was self-deleted by its author.
SoCalDem
(103,856 posts)GOVERNMENT should be required to fill the gaps.. "Business" is all about making money for investors..
What needs to happen is that "escape clauses" need to be a part of a business agreement. If you build a big building (for commerce) and it fails, you can't weasel out of it by just walking away and leaving your monstrosity behind for the municipality to police/care-for etc until you "sell it"..
If you do not pay up BEFORE you split, the property becomes the municipality's to repurpose..
UpInArms
(51,253 posts)A perfect city space
👍🏼👍🏼