Living at the mall

Interesting story, but the up-speak and vocal fry of the reporter, the female mall resident, and the fat air B&B gay, are distractingly unbearable. Who could live with people who sound like that all day and into the night, without throttling them?

250 sq feet? Why are these apartments so small? You know the stores that previously occupied the upper two levels were more than 250 sq feet. So they basically split the retails spaces into 2 or 3 studios.

Also, no stoves are allowed. Why couldn't they have induction cooktops?

I wouldn’t mind something smaller if I knew I could easily shop at the store and have parks and entertainment on site. But we need our cooktops! And make them closer to 500 sq ft. I think it can be pulled off. Imagine having a food court and an ice rink without going outside. Or hotels adjacent to keep relatives just close enough for visits.

These are no better than fancy dormitories. Those units need to be minimum 500 SF. And why not include some larger two bedroom units.

Did she have a bathroom? MY goodness. This is not living space at all.

I would totally live there. Especially if the food court has a good selection of options.

I think these make a lot of sense as Air BnB's; but not real living spaces.

There are no windows. I would go crazy if I couldn't look out the windows. It feels claustrophobic. Maybe other repurposed malls are laid out better.

I don't know. I'd hate it that people are always walking around just outside the door. It might be ok, though. I think I wouldn't like it.

I lived in the L.A. Pabst Brewery Factory when they were turning it into loft spaces in the '80s.

Yeah, too small. Should have been maybe 350 square feet, at least.

Should have at least a one-burner stove in there. IIRC, there was a dishwasher, which was ridiculous.

Lack of a window to the outside was OK, for me. There was still light from the mall. You'd definitely have to keep your doors locked to ward off mall strollers.

The building featured is a very atypical mall - it’s in a walkable downtown and has quite beautiful historic architecture. The apartments are small and generic but you aren’t overlooking a sea of parking spaces and a stand alone Red Lobster.

I think it's a great idea but 250 Sq. ft?

[quote]Also, no stoves are allowed. Why couldn't they have induction cooktops?

Seriously. She said "no open flames," so any electric cooktop (coil, induction, or glass) would be OK.

And apparently open FLAMERS are OK.

I think an outlet mall version of this could work too, but the units would look more like townhouses.

I like the idea of repurposing a shopping mall and having living space. IMO the living spaces should be on the second and third level and you'd have no retail space on those levels. Accessible only through a secure elevator with a key card system. Also would like some greenery and fountains and shit.

"Those units need to be minimum 500 SF."

The Under-45s just want a bed and a shower.

The US is pushing hard for China style shoebox housing.

Instead of actually making homes affordable.

CHina has some pretty cool "capsules" that you can buy for about $30,000, one bedroom types, and all you need is electricity and a water hook up. They're sleek. Look like a futuristic trailer.

I went Brown and remember the shops in that arcade. Many were twee little shops - TINY. Permanent "stands". That arcade has bad energy. It is historically important but airless. Constructing apartments with no kitchens is offensive and fits the dead vibe of that place. If I remember there were already some apartments on one of the floors, in the 90s.