This Week in the Mercury
Friday, May 6, 2011
Build Out Old Artistery Lot Will Become 29 "Car-Free Micro-Homes"
Posted by Sarah Mirk on Fri, May 6, 2011 at 11:44 AM
Six months ago, SE 43rd and Division was home to the Artistery, a DIY all-ages space that hosted shows, radical lectures, and punk potlucks in its falling-apart house and venue. Then, in January, the space was sold to a huge developer, DR Horton, for $649,000 and the Aristery was razed. RIP.
So what's the big developer's plan? Tiny, tiny homes. The third-of-an-acre lot will become 29 "micro-homes" with studio units ranging from 364 to 687 square feet costing $120,000 to $180,000.
Their pitch sounds like it's right out of a Portland Plan wet dream: "Homes sized just right for Portland. And just right for you. Where it’s easy and convenient to live car-free. Where you can get to know your neighbors in friendly, relaxed outdoor spaces." It's interesting to see a mega-developer (DR Horton has built over 18,000 homes in the US, including plenty of cookie-cutter suburban McMansions) recognize that there's a market in small, green homes. It would be great to see companies like theirs shift away from building sprawl and instead invest in building dense urban developments. Of course, there are local architects building smart, dense projects in Portland, too, but getting giant developers to recognize the value of building small could create a lot more options.
Another schematic is below the cut.
2
But then, you never had any exclusive right to park your private vehicle in our public right-of-way anyway. It's been a good run of privilege, but welcome to the future. It's going to be a lot more crowded for everyone, including your car.
3
Yes, but only because developers choose to do so, or are constrained by other artificial restrictions.
So put in a parking ramp, how else am I supposed to get my futon in there?
So put in a parking ramp, how else am I supposed to get my futon in there?
5
Ikea has demo rooms showing what it is like to live in a little house.
So they plan to make their money on condo fees ?
They could add a covenant that says you have to sell within 6 months if you own a car.
So they plan to make their money on condo fees ?
They could add a covenant that says you have to sell within 6 months if you own a car.
6
I want one of these. I could give less than a shit about a supposed lack of parking. You want to live in a city? You get to deal with living-in-a-city-problems
8
At almost 330 dollars per square foot for the 120k small size the developer ought to be making some money off this if they can sell them for that.
9
Go ahead and snark at the lamestream fools who own cars and have to commute and take their kids to daycare and stuff like that, but if you buy a house with the expectation that you'll generally be able to park in front of your house, it's fair to blame a multi million dollar company when they come in and score lots of "OMG they are so green and LEED!1!1!!" press for their "car free" houses that don't actually require that the residents be, you know, car free.
10
$330/sqft is Pearl District prices. I'm curious about a) HOA fees and b) taxes.
Also, I'm with D. I live in the Pearl (well, kind of the taint between the Pearl and Old Town) and it's rare to find someone eager to buy a unit that doesn't come with a parking space. The bulletin board in my building is crowded with pleas for SOMEONE to rent them a space in the building. Parking spaces rent for more than $200 per month.
In theory, I agree that urban living, in a perfect world, is car-free. The reality is that people who buy their homes are much more likely to own cars than renters. And lack of parking is still seen as bad for resale.
Also, I'm with D. I live in the Pearl (well, kind of the taint between the Pearl and Old Town) and it's rare to find someone eager to buy a unit that doesn't come with a parking space. The bulletin board in my building is crowded with pleas for SOMEONE to rent them a space in the building. Parking spaces rent for more than $200 per month.
In theory, I agree that urban living, in a perfect world, is car-free. The reality is that people who buy their homes are much more likely to own cars than renters. And lack of parking is still seen as bad for resale.
12
Who needs "punk potlucks." These microhomes will be the perfect place for metrosexual microdicks to drink microbrew and bitch about the neighborhood bottle collectors. That's progress, Portland style.
13
I could see this fly on a street near the MAX or other light rail. Division MAYBE. Portland is having trouble selling anything requiring a commitment though lately.
The next step will just be smallish 100-200 sq ft cubes and shared communal areas (Something I've wanted for a while, but then I went and had kids.)
The next step will just be smallish 100-200 sq ft cubes and shared communal areas (Something I've wanted for a while, but then I went and had kids.)
14
Until we have better car-sharing systems, it's hard to hate on car owners. We all like to get the hell out of our perfect little Portland bubble sometimes, ya know!!!
16
Who cares about cars. I just bought a beautiful two bedroom five blocks from here and paid 190/sq ft. You would have to be drooling stupid to compare the price per square foot with "normal" houses in the neighborhood and pull the trigger on one of these. It's a great idea, saving space, but this developer is counting on the buyer not owning a calculator. These should go for about half as much.
17
"So they plan to make their money on condo fees ?"
No, they plan to make their money by selling 29 shoebox homes in the space of three standard-sized Portland lots. You do the math.
No, they plan to make their money by selling 29 shoebox homes in the space of three standard-sized Portland lots. You do the math.
18
Who hates cars? I have 2, I park them on my property and that way my neighbors don't have to subsidize my on street parking.
The problem is, these are TOO much money, since house prices are where they were in 2004. It's a demonstration project, a cheap investment so the developer can say "see" the public doesn't want this, and continue to push for sprawl development policies.
The problem is, these are TOO much money, since house prices are where they were in 2004. It's a demonstration project, a cheap investment so the developer can say "see" the public doesn't want this, and continue to push for sprawl development policies.
19
Sarah, you really need to start understanding what Architects do. We do not "build" things as you claim in your sentence "Of course, there are local architects building smart, dense projects in Portland, too, but getting giant developers to recognize the value of building small could create a lot more options."
Clients hire us to design things. We don't get pick what we are designing. If a client wants to build a condo, they tell us what they want in it, and we design something to meet their specifications. Of course we make suggestions, but if it doesn't meet the budget or the bottom line, it's out.
Seriously Mercury, could you please have someone write the "Build Out" as you've tagged it that knows what the #(@#) they are talking about!?
Clients hire us to design things. We don't get pick what we are designing. If a client wants to build a condo, they tell us what they want in it, and we design something to meet their specifications. Of course we make suggestions, but if it doesn't meet the budget or the bottom line, it's out.
Seriously Mercury, could you please have someone write the "Build Out" as you've tagged it that knows what the #(@#) they are talking about!?
21
The idea that one "can't" live car-free in Portland is absurd. I did it for ten years. I live in another city now, and while it has its good points, the thing I hate most is HAVING to drive everywhere, due to the lousy transit system.
I am seriously considering retiring in Portland, due to the expense of owning a car (I just spent $3900 on repairs, in addition to gas and insurance, and it's a significant financial burden, even though I got my current car "free" from a relative.)
However, I do agree that the houses seem seriously overpriced.
I am seriously considering retiring in Portland, due to the expense of owning a car (I just spent $3900 on repairs, in addition to gas and insurance, and it's a significant financial burden, even though I got my current car "free" from a relative.)
However, I do agree that the houses seem seriously overpriced.
22
@Argh!
Of course I know that architects are not usually the builders who lay the bricks and mortar for homes. But the article I linked to with that phrase is about a development that really was built by an architect—Eli Spevak, who had the idea for a co-housing development in North Portland and designed and built the project with a group.
Of course I know that architects are not usually the builders who lay the bricks and mortar for homes. But the article I linked to with that phrase is about a development that really was built by an architect—Eli Spevak, who had the idea for a co-housing development in North Portland and designed and built the project with a group.
23
Where I live in Hong Kong, most people don't even dream of buying a car. They have cheap public transportation going everywhere, right outside their apartment, with no additional maintenance costs or other worries.
Cars are the illusion of freedom without the actuality. Start agitating for good public transportation instead, and hop on a bike in the meantime.
Cars are the illusion of freedom without the actuality. Start agitating for good public transportation instead, and hop on a bike in the meantime.
24
So i see some concern about resale value, convenience, condo fees, cost per sf. all important to look at it. most important is to look at whether you would want to adjust your lifestyle to make this work. this really explodes the american dream, but consider joining a car coop.
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