Shoebox living is a trend we can really get behind.
All around the globe, people have been scaling back their homes and living a more sustainable lifestyle, all made possible with compact, repurposed and/or off-the-grid living quarters.
Following in the steps of the sustainable living movement, one housing developer purchased the Providence Arcade — a bankrupted and abandoned mall, which also happens to be the oldest mall in America. The National Historic Landmark, built in 1828, and was the first indoor shopping mall in the United States.
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Developer Evan Granoff bought the Providence Arcade in 2005. In an effort to restore the building to its former glory, he revamped the lower level for new businesses, and transformed the upper-level retail spaces into micro apartments. Now the mall is a beautiful and functional space!
All of the residents speak highly of their compact and sustainable living, even though the Arcade’s smallest apartments are just 225 square feet. Plus, waiting lists for these $550-per-month apartments mean the demand for these spaces is high.
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In the video below, courtesy of Kirsten Dirksen, several residents of the Providence Arcade take viewers on a tour of their wonderful homes.
It’s incredible how this structure has transformed over the centuries… and that such a historic building has been preserved so beautifully!
Please SHARE these sustainable creative homes with your friends on Facebook!
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