The Herald reports on the authority's change of heart on 399 Congress St., in part because 60 of the apartments will be the micro-units the city fancies for the Innovation District.
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what's the deal with micro units?
By anon
Tue, 07/16/2013 - 10:34pm
What is the thinking behind 330-450 sq ft apartments in the "innovation district"? When I was in school I had a 360 sq ft apartment in Allston/Brighton. Now that I have a job as a software engineer for a big tech company, I got myself a 760 sq ft apartment in a complex with amenities. It seems pretty reasonable to me that if you're actually starting to make money you're going to want more space than you had in grad school. I suppose there are a small number of people trying to bootstrap companies at MassChallenge that want to economize as much as possible, but you can't build a neighborhood out of just people running startups. There are going to be plenty of people working for companies like Vertex that are going to be making a good living and looking for something a bit more adult than what they had in grad school.
supposedly
By slowman4130
Wed, 07/17/2013 - 6:55am
The micro apartments were supposed to be a way to keep students here after they graduate, offering an affordable option to keep startup tech people living in the city. It would have been a good idea, but leave it to the developers to F that up, with the micro-apts starting around 1699/mo... for 300sf.
What will happen is companies will rent them to use as a cheaper/nicer alternative to hotel rooms for their traveling clients/associates. The units will all get rented, the developers make their money, and the city loses more students after college because the rents are just ridiculous these days.
If they can get that much....
By merlinmurph
Wed, 07/17/2013 - 8:18am
Effing it up? If they can get that much, that what they'll charge. You'd do the same thing.
missing the point
By anon
Wed, 07/17/2013 - 3:29pm
You're missing the point here. The city wants these "innovation" units to keep young graduates here after college. Pricing them out of the area is exactly the opposite.
missing the point X 2
By merlinmurph
Wed, 07/17/2013 - 4:00pm
Do you think the developer cares who rents them?
The Point is
By anon²
Wed, 07/17/2013 - 5:06pm
The city and BRA need to get out their pen and learn to say yes, yes, yes while flipping the neighborhood associations the bird. Microunits in a city where demand far outstrips supply for both housing and hotel units are just going to command the same sky high premiums. Even with Meninio’s pie in the sky vision of 20,000 new units by 2020 (or whatever it was) it’s not going to put a dent in prices.
This city (and really the state) need much, much more housing to keep prices down and allow incomes/inflation to catch up with price reality. Otherwise were going to have major problems 20-30 years from now, when the boomers are gone, there assets hit the market at the same time and the next generation is rooted, raising families somewhere else (south/west of us).
Micro units work where there is night life
By Markk02474
Wed, 07/17/2013 - 3:17am
One reason there is more life in NYC and people out and about is that they have tiny little apartments or lots of roommates that would drive them crazy if they spent lots of time cramped in them. Boston regulations and early closing times discourages socializing, fun, and going out. So, more people living in little boxes with few alternatives just leads to more stress, isolation, depression, and mental illness. Micro apartments are a poor public health policy unless anti-fun policies are relaxed.
so many oppurtunities outside Boston Proper
By anon
Wed, 07/17/2013 - 7:01am
there are so many existing two bedroom apartments in Dorchester, Mattapan, Hyde Park, Roxbury, Roslindale, etc. that are already built and the rents are $1200-$1400 a month.....seems the city should be focusing all it's efforts on making these areas safer so the college kids will consider living there after they graduate....although this would displace lot's of subsidized renters that are inflating prices in these neighborhoods so maybe the cities politicians don't want to disturb their voting base?
Yes, but....
By bosguy22
Wed, 07/17/2013 - 9:12am
If you're young, you want to be where the action is....nightlife, restaurants, etc. That's not outside of Boston Proper. It would be one thing if you could go out in Boston, then have some way to get back to these areas you talk about, but outside of a $30 cab ride, you don't.
heh
By anon²
Wed, 07/17/2013 - 5:07pm
Thats not IN Boston propper...
Whoa
By BostonUrbEx
Wed, 07/17/2013 - 8:43am
Guys, holy crap, I agree with Markk on something! How do I respond?!
:) :P
And yes...
By bosguy22
Wed, 07/17/2013 - 9:13am
Mark is exactly right. If they really wanted to encourage younger people to live in the area, build some affordable 2-3 bedrooms that they can share. Most 22 year olds really don't want to live alone anyway.
Data to support?
By Lunchbox
Wed, 07/17/2013 - 10:08am
Does the BRA have any data to support the notion that 22 year olds actually want 350 sq ft condos in the Seaport District? Or is this all 'if you build it they will come' optimism?
Look on the bright side
By anon²
Wed, 07/17/2013 - 5:08pm
if they don't sell, they be dirt cheap to get someone, anyone in there.
Oh wait, because of how hard it is to build in this city they'll just sit on empty units for years until some shmuck comes along.
NY
By Sinatra
Wed, 07/17/2013 - 9:34pm
Boston is not New York, doesn't want to be New York, will never be New York (thank God). If you want New York, move there.
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