"My Space is Small, My Life is Big"

If you caught the NY Times Sunday Review, you might have read this opinion piece by Graham Hill which, I think sheds a lot of light on the mindset of a certain demographic driving the micro unit building boom. 

Graham, a successful serial entrepreneur, talks about going from a 3,600 SF single family home with lots of gadgets, cars, and roommates to a 420 SF studio with much less. As he writes "I live smaller and travel lighter. I have more time and money".

While seeming to encapsulate the psychology of the living smaller phenomenon, it left me wondering how many Grahams are there out there and what happens if/when the next life change occurs (kids? marriage?). Does the 420 SF studio, exotic travel schedule, and lack of stuff still work? What type of living, geography, and environment meets the needs of the next stage of life of the micro-unit dwellers?

Standard Box Awarded State Funds

We couldn't be more thrilled to share the news that The Standard Box Apartments, a Mitchell Properties project in Chelsea, MA, was awarded DHCD housing subsidies and low-income housing tax credits this past Thursday. TC staff assembled the application on behalf of Mitchell Properties and will perform project management services through completion of the project. 

Now that the awards are in hand, expect to see rapid developments and updates here and at mitchprop.com as the project moves forward towards a construction start!

For more information about the awards visit DHCD's press release here.

Incentives for Walkable Neighborhoods

At DHCD's "Under One Roof" Conference this month, Governor Deval Patrick announced  a production goal of 10,000 units per year for Massachusetts with a new "Compact Neighborhoods Policy" to help everyone get there. Essentially under the Compact Neighborhoods Policy, municipalities that apply and are certified will receive preference for DHCD's funding programs. More about the policy can be found here. 

It's exciting to see that in what's been written about the policy since then, Atlas Lofts, Standard Box, and 225 Centre -- all projects we've been working on -- are cited as examples of the kind of development DHCD and Governor Patrick want to see; transit oriented, affordability mix, nearby or ground floor retail, lower parking ratios, and more. 

For an article on the policy from Atlantic Cities, click here. 

NAHB's Land Development Magazine Highlights Box District

The National Association of Home Builder’s recently highlighted the successful redevelopment of the Box District in Chelsea despite difficult economic circumstances in 2008-09. The article highlights Atlas Lofts which was managed by Dave from closing through construction and lease-up. TCLLC staff continues to oversee the ongoing asset management. 

To read a copy of the article visit The Neighborhood Developer's website.

Dave Discusses Pittsfield’s Potential on YNN News

Dave served as co-chair for the Urban Land Institute’s Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) in Pittsfield, MA. The panel was asked to address ways to renew and encourage development of an area of Pittsfield that had not seen the benefits of the recent development successes in the City. After the public presentation, Dave was interviewed by YNN News out of Albany and the link can be found at the link here.