Many find advantages in buying studio apartments, and developers have taken notice.
Even as American homes are getting larger and larger, some find advantages in living small. According to a story by Alina Dizik in the Wall Street Journal there is a persistent market for efficiency apartments, "Developers are responding to demand by adding more studios to their buildings."
For many who prioritize location over size, smaller is better. "Studio apartments allow them to live in desirable neighborhoods and splurge on small units with interiors that resemble sleek hotel suites," Dizik reports. For some, the design constraints of a small size is made up for by the ability to spend more per square foot when designing a home on a smaller scale. Buying small also means saving on assessments, because these fees are generally apportioned according to the size of the unit.
In increasingly expensive, unequal cities studio apartments can provide a way to get access to a neighborhood that many could not otherwise afford.
FULL STORY: The Designer Shoebox: Studio Apartments That Use Every Inch
Jersey City Building More Apartment Than Manhattan
And other perhaps surprising data from the multi-family housing development industry.
Mapping Rental Prices Along New York's Transit Lines
A fun, if not conclusive, exercise in layering the country's most famous transit map with data from the real estate market.
Movement on the Walk Score Leaderboard
The newest rankings of the most walkable cities in the United States, courtesy of Walk Score, contains a few surprises along with its standard annual recognition of New York City.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
What Trump’s Executive Orders Mean for US Housing Programs
Orders related to DEI and accessibility, among others, may threaten housing programs for those who need them most.
University of Hawai‘i Appoints New Architecture School Dean
The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa has named Mo Zell as the new dean of its School of Architecture, bringing over two decades of experience in academia, innovative educational programs, and industry partnerships to advance design education.
Part of San Francisco Waterfront Highway to Become Pedestrian-Only in April
Two miles of the ‘Great Highway’ will be permanently closed to cars, in part due to erosion that makes the road unsafe for vehicles.
El Paso Wastewater Purification Facility Breaks Ground
As water supplies become strained and technology advances, cities look to wastewater as a viable source of drinking water.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA)
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research