Micro Lofts at The Arcade

Today’s worldwide urban housing shortage forces city planners and architects to think little, very little. 200 to 400 sq ft micro–lofts are the next big housing trend in the UK, Poland, China, and in American metropolises such as San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Boston, and Providence. Micro–lofts prove to be innovative housing models that offer access to urban amenities at affordable prices.

The Arcade was built in 1828 in the Greek Revival style and is regarded as the nation’s first enclosed 3–story shopping mall. The arcade was listed on the national register of historic places in 1971 and is notable for its striking architecture, which includes ionic columns at both entrances to the building.

NCA created 48 innovative micro-lofts on the building’s second and third floors and 17 micro retail spaces on the mail level. The adaptive reuse project respects The Arcade’s historic design, but the building is modernized with furnished one bedroom units range in size from 225 to 450 square feet and feature full bathrooms, built-in beds, seating, storage, as well as kitchens equipped with refrigerators, sinks, dishwashers, and microwaves. When residents need more space than their cozy individual units offer, they can take advantage of a game room, tv room and porches. The Arcade has other common amenities including on-site laundry, bike storage, locked basement storage units, and a parking garage across the street.