February 10, 2017

Inside Carmel Place: New York City’s First Micro Housing Building

In this audio piece, we take you inside New York’s only all micro-housing building. Along the way we speak to a tenant, an architect, and a developer, who explain why this remarkable project could never be replicated again.

By: Vanessa Quirk

Exterior photography courtesy Iwan Baan

By all rights, New York City’s first micro-housing building, Carmel Place, shouldn’t even exist. Multiple city laws—including ones governing the minimum unit size and the maximum number of units permitted per building—had to be waived by the Bloomberg administration to make this remarkable building come to fruition. While it may have garnered some controversy for its price tag (although 40% of the 55 apartments are affordable, market-rate rents start at $2,600 a month), Carmel Place is an extraordinary accomplishment for its design, modular construction, and significant political maneuverings.

In this audio piece, we take you inside one of the units, which range from 260 to 360 square feet. Along the way we speak to tenant, Dario Luciano, a formerly homeless veteran turned fashion designer; the architect, nArchitects’ Mimi Hoang, who describes how her firm managed to make the small units feel spacious; and the developer, Monadnock‘s Frank Dubinsky, who explains why this remarkable project could never be replicated again.