'Micro-unit' homes eyed as Big Apple goes small
Source: Agencies |
July 11, 2012, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
COULD apartments in New York City get any smaller? Mayor Michael Bloomberg hopes so.
On Monday he announced a competition for architects to submit designs for apartments measuring just 25.5 to 28 square meters to address the shortage of homes suitable and affordable for the city's growing population of one- and two-person households.
"People from all over the world want to live in New York City, and we must develop a new, scalable housing model that is safe, affordable and innovative to meet their needs," the mayor said in a statement announcing the "adAPT NYC" competition.
Bloomberg said the city plans to waive zoning requirements at a city-owned lot in the Kips Bay neighborhood of Manhattan to allow the construction of a building filled with the "micro-units."
Officials say there are about 1.8 million one- and two-person households in New York City, but only about a million studio and one-bedroom apartments - a sign, they say, that the city's housing stock has not kept up with its changing demographics.
Young, single New Yorkers in particular can find it hard to find an affordable apartment as demand outstrips supply. The mayor is calling for proposals over the next two months for a building containing about 80 micro-units, all of which must have kitchens and bathrooms.
If successful, the pilot project could help usher in a loosening of the city's zoning laws regarding minimum housing size.
Under New York City's zoning regulations, the average apartment size in a new building must be at least 37 square meters, although there are exceptions to the rule.
On Monday he announced a competition for architects to submit designs for apartments measuring just 25.5 to 28 square meters to address the shortage of homes suitable and affordable for the city's growing population of one- and two-person households.
"People from all over the world want to live in New York City, and we must develop a new, scalable housing model that is safe, affordable and innovative to meet their needs," the mayor said in a statement announcing the "adAPT NYC" competition.
Bloomberg said the city plans to waive zoning requirements at a city-owned lot in the Kips Bay neighborhood of Manhattan to allow the construction of a building filled with the "micro-units."
Officials say there are about 1.8 million one- and two-person households in New York City, but only about a million studio and one-bedroom apartments - a sign, they say, that the city's housing stock has not kept up with its changing demographics.
Young, single New Yorkers in particular can find it hard to find an affordable apartment as demand outstrips supply. The mayor is calling for proposals over the next two months for a building containing about 80 micro-units, all of which must have kitchens and bathrooms.
If successful, the pilot project could help usher in a loosening of the city's zoning laws regarding minimum housing size.
Under New York City's zoning regulations, the average apartment size in a new building must be at least 37 square meters, although there are exceptions to the rule.
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