New York City's real estate has a new trend -- the so-called "micro-living" currently being considered by some single New Yorkers as Carmel Place introduced the first micro-apartment.
The first official micro-apartment done in partnership with the city is at the Carmel Place, near Kips Bay. According to Tech Insider, a new set of small and much better designed apartments will arise this year, with an area measuring not more than 370 square feet. It will boast little balconies, tall ceilings, dishwashers and storage space.
Arranging authorities are proposing to end a point of confinement on how little apartments can be, opening the way for more miniaturized scale lofts that supporters see as a reasonable adjustment to a developing population of "single" individuals.
The Daily Herald reported that the Carmel Place being an experimental project got city land and a waiver from New York's 400-square-feet minimum apartments set in 1987.
"For us, it is really important to demonstrate how small space could be an enhancement to quality of life," Carmel Place's interior designer Christopher Bledsoe stated. Developer Monadnock Construction and architecture firm nArchitects worked together to meet develop a wheelchair accessible bathroom given the little amount of space.
"It re-imagines the modern day rental apartment and brings a much needed sustainable solution to the city," Bledsoe told Tech Insider. To make the 370 square feet livable, the developer seeks the help of Jacqueline Schmidt of Screech Owl who designed Ollie, a meticulously set of furnished units.
The interiors contain long flat walls for owners to maximize furniture-arranging options. Some units also come with furnished units like a desk that expands into a 12-seater table and a retractable bed that could be made into a love seat. The monthly rate can be a bit pricey -- 40 percent of the units are set around $1,500 per month.
There are more than 60,000 who applied for the affordable ones while about 20 people have applied for the market-rate units. Real estate agents say that there is an increase of young professionals in New York seeking small studios to be near their work, willing to sacrifice space and be away from their roomies.
"People are spending $1,800 a month renting a room that's 10-by-10 and living with strangers that they met in Craigslist," deputy director of the Citizen's Housing Planning Council Sarah Watson exclaimed.
Critics fear a move back in the direction of the city's dwelling past and question whether less space will truly mean less costly. "It just, on some level, is offensive: The only way we can manage to house people is to stick them in a closet," said state Assemblywoman Deborah Glick.
