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HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Shipping crate homes are a new craze sweeping the nation and has made its way to Huntsville.
KAGS HD News takes a look at how 540-square-feet can go a lot further than you think.
It's amazing what you can do with a few strips of wood, several tons of metal and a whole lot of welding.
"The original thought was having looked at tiny house projects was wouldn't it be cool if you could build apartments,” said Jack Wagamon, general contractor and part owner of “Cube Square.”
Jack and his sister Tina Felder are building a first-of-its-kind tiny apartment complex made completely out of shipping containers in Huntsville.
It’s an idea that they both admit wasn't completely their own, but simply came from doing a lot of online research on smaller homes.
"We had a maximum of 540 square feet to work with for an apartment unit,” added Tina, who is the Designer and part owner of the complex.
It’s an amount that doesn't sound like very much, when according to Multifamily Executive – a leading apartment guide, the average apartment size in 2013 was 982 square feet in the U.S.
“We ended up getting in a full-size walk in closet, full sized bath tub, bathroom, kitchen, living area, dining area and even a sleeping area,” Tina said.
The apartments are just a few blocks away from Sam Houston State University on Sycamore Avenue.
And while the shipping crate design, started with students in mind, Jack says he doesn't discriminate.
“If you've got credit and money, we're going to rent to you,” he said.
There will ultimately be 24 efficiency apartment units built four stories high in three buildings, using 36 containers.
While Tina says the adventure has been exciting, she does not plan on expanding anytime soon.
“This will probably just be a one off for us,” she said.
If you are interested in renting out one of the efficiency apartments, the units will be available August 2015.
The going rate is $1 per square foot. Jack tells KAGS HD that price is subject to change.
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