March 02, 2015
AVENIR on Fifteenth/www.avenirphilly.com
Center City micro-apartment complex AVENIR.
LifeEdited, a website that focuses on effectively living in small spaces, recently published a piece on the national micro-apartment boom, which is popping up in cities like Philadelphia.
A micro-apartment is defined as “an apodment or microflat ... a one-room, self-contained living space, usually purpose built, designed to accommodate a sitting space, sleeping space, bathroom and kitchenette within around 150–350 square feet (c. 14–32 square metres). Residents may also have access to a communal kitchen, patio and roof garden.” – LifeEdited.
These developments, which are also sprouting up in cities around the country like Seattle and Boston, are a sign of a different orientation to housing, LifeEdited notes:
Where access to activity trumps space, where cars no longer govern how we live, where having a big place to put your stuff is not a very high priority.
The micro-housing boom is thriving in high-density areas with decent public transportation systems, strong economics and walkable neighborhoods.
"People want to be close to arts, culture, entertainment, playgrounds and even where they work," David Fiorenza, an expert in urban renewal at the Villanova University School of Business, told PhillyVoice.
Philadelphia provides the perfect climate for such growth, with widespread gentrification, a surplus of transportation options, including a coming bike-share program, and walkability.
LifeEdited particularly mentioned Philly’s AVENIR on Fifteenth Street in Center City. The building of 314-square-foot luxury studios is slated to be completed this spring and is being marketed as “efficiently designed spaces that take advantage of every square inch for your comfort and convenience.”
