A group of Austin developers say a new portable, “micro unit” development could be headed to Austin and several other cities.
A Huston-Tillotson University professor is heading up a project called Kasita — a twist on the Spanish word Casita for “small home” — to build the project, which will consist of modular and moveable units.
Jeff Wilson, CEO and founder of Kasita who has been referred to as “Professor Dumpster” for living in a converted Dumpster for a year, will be involved in a new idea on micro-living in Austin.
The tiny units will be about 200 square feet, with 10-foot ceilings and can be relocated to other Kasita sites in other cities, executives said.
The project will target urban Millennials and professionals and singles who want to live near city centers. Units could also be used for student housing and other populations, executives said.
Developers say units will “feel spacious and full of light” equipped with traditional amenities such as a queen size bed, walk-in shower, refrigerator, convection oven and cooktop, dishwasher and laundry machines.
Each Kasita will plug into traditional utilities.
Developers say they’ll eventually post prices to rent or buy Kasitas, but say that rents will be at half the market rate for a studio.
Wilson is teaming up with Kasita co-founder Taylor Wilson for the plan, which was announced at the South by Southwest Eco conference this week. The two Wilsons are not related.
The Kasitas will be available in Austin beginning in 2016 and in potentially ten other cities starting in 2017. Future Kasita homes could include Portland, Los Angeles, Brooklyn and Stockholm, Sweden.
In Austin, the project is slated for two different sites near downtown and in East Austin, Taylor Wilson said. However, a specific location has not been finalized, he added.
Taylor Wilson announced a micro-unit concept project earlier this year. In March, Taylor Wilson announced a ‘micro-unit’ apartment project, Spire, for the East Austin area. However a site for that plan is still pending.
Each unit was an estimated 400 square feet.
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