So any sense of how much these new micro apartments in SF are going to cost?
Micro-apartments next for S.F.?
31–40 of 97 posts
Re: Micro-apartments next for S.F.?
#32I was just talking with a friend yesterday about living in Tokyo. A big part of what makes it reasonable is that everything is smaller. The containers of food I buy at the store are smaller and fit in my smaller refrigerator. There's a laundry place right next door and they give you hangars that are half width (folding the shirts back on themselves like when you buy them) so they can fit in a shallow closet. As an Am…
As an American currently living in Hong Kong I can verify what your friend was saying. Everything is smaller, but everything you may need is also easy to get. Forget the milk? Just go downstairs. No need for a big refrigerator since you are steps away from the grocery store.
Everybody also goes vertical with their storage. There are plenty of clever storage solutions that may be unique to Americans but are fairly ubiquitous over here.
That said, it's easy to get a cluttered looking space real quick. I've become more of a minimalist because of that.
Re: Micro-apartments next for S.F.?
#33I've downsized a few times over the years. 1080 > 920 > 720 > 660. How much have I missed having a bigger space? None. I could probably drop down to about 550 tomorrow and still have tons of room. The first thing is "usable square footage". In the larger units (> 720) I had things like hallways. Closets for a water heater or furnace. Etc. When I dropped down to 720, I actually had more usable square footage than when…
Do you think you'll ever have kids?
Re: Micro-apartments next for S.F.?
#34Recently we got to this in Paris: https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/s720x720/396654_...
Quick translation: it's a 3.16 square meters (34 square feet) flat on sale in the 10th district in Paris.
Re: Micro-apartments next for S.F.?
#35I've downsized a few times over the years. 1080 > 920 > 720 > 660. How much have I missed having a bigger space? None. I could probably drop down to about 550 tomorrow and still have tons of room. The first thing is "usable square footage". In the larger units (> 720) I had things like hallways. Closets for a water heater or furnace. Etc. When I dropped down to 720, I actually had more usable square footage than when…
I agree. But as an aside, if your water heater's closet floorspace was counted in your square footage I believe you were ripped off. Square-footage figures aren't supposed to include that. I would love to be corrected if I'm wrong.
Re: Micro-apartments next for S.F.?
#36There was something similar to this in New Zealand called Living Space. It had roughly the same floor plan for the apartments and incorporated many common areas. They had two TV rooms, library, communal kitchen, billiards room, and a roof garden for the residents. This worked great and the place was always at capacity. It was like a combined dorm and co-working space. It was a renovated historic structure with a great location in Christchurch.
I think this concept would be great for SF. Just be sure to add the common areas.
Re: Micro-apartments next for S.F.?
#37There was something similar to this in New Zealand called Living Space. It had roughly the same floor plan for the apartments and incorporated many common areas. They had two TV rooms, library, communal kitchen, billiards room, and a roof garden for the residents. This worked great and the place was always at capacity. It was like a combined dorm and co-working space. It was a renovated historic structure with a great location in Christchurch.
I think this concept would be great for SF. Just be sure to add the common areas.
Re: Micro-apartments next for S.F.?
#38"That demographic cohort wants to continue their collegiate experience for an indefinite amount of time," Kennedy said. "I envision this as a launching space as they get established." The "collegiate experience" Kennedy seems to be going for with this is dormitory-style living (the article even touts the common areas that will be available to tenants, just like some of the pitches when I was shopping around for colle…
Students want to get out of dorms and into an apartment typically because dorms cost about the same thing as an apartment, but with far less space/amenities.
If dorms weren't overpriced, more students would probably want to stay in them.
Re: Micro-apartments next for S.F.?
#39I've downsized a few times over the years. 1080 > 920 > 720 > 660. How much have I missed having a bigger space? None. I could probably drop down to about 550 tomorrow and still have tons of room. The first thing is "usable square footage". In the larger units (> 720) I had things like hallways. Closets for a water heater or furnace. Etc. When I dropped down to 720, I actually had more usable square footage than when…
> I've downsized a few times over the years. 1080 > 920 > 720 > 660. How much have I missed having a bigger space? None.
I used to live in a 480 square foot garage apartment in Houston. I loved the place. Unfortunately, it had lots of storage space. Yes, unfortunately, because I literally accumulated a ton of stuff I didn't need. (Yes, literally = actually.)
I'm moving to the bay area tomorrow, and I'll have reduced my worldly belongings to one 7x7x8 foot POD, plus a suitcase.
> I have everything I want, nothing that wastes my time or attention, less to clean, less space to heat/cool, and a car I drive very sideways.
I'll take all but the last, unless it's on a track and I know what I'm doing.
Shelter Kit makes homes just about our size. The whole kit can be had for under $30k and includes the entire makings for the outer shell and fasteners. Two people are supposed to be able to construct one in a matter of a few weeks. I hope they're still around when I retire.
I have everything I want, nothing that wastes my time or attention, less to clean, less space to heat/cool, and a car I drive very sideways.
Re: Micro-apartments next for S.F.?
#40I've downsized a few times over the years. 1080 > 920 > 720 > 660. How much have I missed having a bigger space? None. I could probably drop down to about 550 tomorrow and still have tons of room. The first thing is "usable square footage". In the larger units (> 720) I had things like hallways. Closets for a water heater or furnace. Etc. When I dropped down to 720, I actually had more usable square footage than when…
I agree. But as an aside, if your water heater's closet floorspace was counted in your square footage I believe you were ripped off. Square-footage figures aren't supposed to include that. I would love to be corrected if I'm wrong.
>Square-footage figures aren't supposed to include that.
Keywords: Aren't supposed to. Square footage is often a wee bit inflated in listings. Sometimes it's considerably inflated (including stairwells, outdoor balconies, closets, hallways, etc.). I don't go as far as bring a measuring tape, but when I look at a space I try to figure out of the areas I care about are as big as I need them to be. Much easier and simpler way to assess.