The Bloc House rental project is a planned development of a micro-unit housing community designed to expand affordable rental options in Dallas.

The project will involve construction of an approximately 350-square-meter building comprising 72 rental units. By focusing on smaller, efficiently designed apartments, the development aims to help drive down rental prices in a city where housing affordability remains a growing challenge.

Located near Carroll and Columbia avenues, east of Deep Ellum and close to Columbia Avenue, the Bloc House project is intended to serve middle- and lower-income residents. Developers say the micro-unit concept could also help reduce homelessness by offering more attainable housing options within the urban core.

According to details submitted to the Dallas Plan Commission, apartment sizes will range from about 350 square feet for the smallest units to just under 800 square feet for the largest—comparable in size to many conventional apartments despite the “micro-unit” label.

The land was purchased in 2023 by developers Alex Lowe and Jon Hetzel. They told city planners that downsizing individual units allows construction and operational costs to be reduced, making rents more affordable. Construction will be monitored under Dallas Builders Association guidelines and will comply with occupational health and safety standards.

While pricing details and leasing timelines have not yet been announced, the developers emphasized that the project is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach, but rather a flexible housing model aimed at meeting diverse urban housing needs.

Meanwhile High Street Residential (HSR), the residential development arm of Trammell Crow Company (TCC), has commenced construction on a 394-unit multifamily project directly integrated into Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s (DART) SMU/Mockingbird Station.

Reported in 2023:

Preparation of smaller units rental housing

Hetzel said so in an email. “At this point we are going through the pre-planning process and some of the required information, such as the exact size of the space and the estimated rent, is still being priced.” “Our target size for the space is around 350 square metres.” Lot #

Is located near the Santa Fe Trail that leads from Deep Ellum to White Rock Lake.So said

Chief economist Jay Parsons. “Small micro units have always been more popular than the real thing, not just in Dallas but across America”

So-called “micro units” are typically between 200 and 400 square feet. Tiny rental houses are growing in popularity in urban areas where high apartment rents prevent residents from securing housing.

Dallas has no planned rental projects with a large number of small apartments. However, some of these units will  be affected by several changes to the downtown works

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