“Innovation Units” and Urban Living at ABX
On Thursday, November 15th, Dan Connolly will be part of a panel discussing what attracts and detracts emerging professionals from living in Downtown Boston, and urban living for Generation-Y in general. You can register for this panel here. There will also be a fullscale mock-up of an “innovation unit” on the floor of the expo.
One in Three Bostonians is between the age of 20 and 34, and with the country going through an “Echo-Boom”, this ratio is sure to increase. Boston’s world-class universities have helped to attract an educated and talented group of Millennials, however the recent recession has impacted their ability to find employment and housing opportunities. Boston’s high cost of living may force a talented pool of people to move to other regions of the country that provide a lower cost of living.
In an effort to retain this talented workforce, Mayor Menino proposed the idea of “Innovation Units” which are small apartments with shared amenities, located in an urban environment that this demographic is attracted to. The smaller square footage of living space is a trade off for; affordable rents, proximity to public transportation, walking distance to the workplace, and the location near entertainment and cultural venues. Having a high density of these types of units will create a vibrant neighborhood of young professionals and entrepreneurs.
In April of 2012, a partnership of STA, Artaic, ADD Inc, and Onein3 Mayor’s Advisory Council hosted a brainstorming and information gathering session of the targeted demographic of these “Innovation Units”. The goal was to hear directly from prospective dwellers about what they want in housing, and what attracts or detracts them from living in an Urban Environment.
In general, we found that Millennials are disappointed with the housing stock available to them in the region. They feel that any new construction is marketed towards luxury, and that they are left to fight over the rental scraps which are often located away from the city center. They do not mind sacrificing square footage for a modern unit in an urban area that is close to amenities and affordable. The City and State must do more to encourage developers to build affordable housing in downtown Boston, or we will lose this talented workforce to other cities, and the City of Boston will lose its vibrancy.
To hear more of our results and to join the discussion, please like our facebook page, and attend the Panel Discussion on November 15th.
Below, please enjoy some great examples of micro apartments and furniture for these spaces.