Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Card-driven tactics games are sure coming out in droves these these days, arent they? The dark fantasy Deck of Ashes is but the latest of the contenders to throw his hat into the ring.

The word is sick. It was only mildly ill with human sin before, but now, the Ash Curse has been unleashed on everything. This is the consequence of the Outcasts a infamous group of four bandits and murderers seeking out Lady Death and the power contained in the Ash Box. Unfortunately, the Box broke as the Outcasts started fighting over it among themselves. They went their separate ways afterwards, tortured both by their pasts and the power coursing through them. But the mysterious Ash Priest seeks them out one by one to offer a solution: kill Lady Death.

So Deck of Ashes technically has four campaigns, one for each character. Theyre all quite similar: root around a node-map getting into battles and collecting loot until the timer runs out and youre faced with the boss of the area. Do this three times and youre off to off Lady Death herself. Hey, its like Slay the Spire, but with wandering around the map instead of relentless climb to the top!

The main difference between the campaigns comes from the character you choose. All Outcasts have their own stories as well powers and a deck of cards they use to battle (some neutral cards also exist). For example, Lucia the Eternal Flame is a fire wizard, offering some of the most impressive outright combat power, doling out Burn effects, and having the most cards that are cast with HP rather than Mana. Former leader of the group and present rogue archetype Sly the Dark Serpent is good with Bleed and Poison effects as well creating temporary cards (even from the decks of other characters), and so on.

The basics of combat remain the same between the four campaigns of Deck of Ashes. Your character has their HP, a slight to dodge or cause criticals, strenght (increases attack power), and five points of mana per turn to cast their cards. Your hand is usually drawn till you have six cards, but various affects can give you more. The most interesting bit here is that played cards go to the Deck of Ashes (gameplay element as title drop!). The default way to refresh them is to wait till your Battle Deck runs low enough that you cant draw up to 6 then you get the option to trade HP for cards.

Of course, various enemy, character, and card effects interact with this system. The Eternal Flame can power quite a few cards by discarding the hand or by having more cards in the Deck of Ashes. Some cards only work while theyre in the Deck. Various foes also discard or even renew cards for you. This isnt always a great thing some cards are better off discarded.

Those are known as Ash cards. But many of the cards in Deck of Ashes have various keywords and modifiers that make them more special than just having a straightforward result. Phoenix cards are great, as they return to your Battle Deck upon use. Non-playable usually goes on cards that do an effect when drawn (some of them are actually bad stuff like diseases). Theres also another system of keywords that describes the type of the card. This is important for some special effects, like Shield trait blocking damage from the next Strike card.

And after the battle, you pitch a tent, which gives you rest points that can be exchanged for healing and/or card restoration. And yes, its more economical to pay HP to get some cards back than to do it after the battle.

But any loot your collect in battle or by exploring the map nodes would be nothing without your camp. Located at the center of the map, this where you trade resources, craft new cards, and heal in Deck of Ashes. The blacksmith uses Ash to craft cards from recipes, and can use the same resource to upgrade cards with a variety of effects (this only works for the starting cards). The biggest use of Ash Master is to renew your deck for free, to burn some cards outside combat, and to get the Phoenix Ritual so that dying in battle wouldnt spell the end of the campaign. The merchant and healer are more much prosaic in their functions and a lot less important.

Each of your camp followers can also be upgraded by their specific resources that you can find in the wilds. Its important to increase your post-battle rest time as soon as possible if not for cards, then for HP restoration.

But enough about friends lets talk about the enemies in Deck of Ashes. They have stats just your character, and they can use a variety of abilities like healing others on death or deflecting every third Strike card back at you. Youll always see the next card theyre going to use, so you can react accordingly.

The enemies range from various disgusting beasts to humans to undead and demons. Again, each set of enemies can have typical traits. For example, beasts are likely to call in more beasts, while sea critters can lay eggs that will hatch after a few turns, and so on.

And this is probably the first area where I can start complaining about Deck of Ashes. The battles last far too long for the variety of enemies and cards that exist in the game. Pretty soon, youll master each characters MO and just start slaughtering low level foes. Its almost automatic: stack the damage effect you have the access to (Burn, Bleed, and/or Poison), and most enemies will go down quite easily. Notable exceptions are the ones that manipulate your deck or have some annoying traits, but the rest are not much more than HP bars that need to be depleted.

Thus, combat in Deck of Ashes mostly about spamming your good cards until the enemy drops. And if you built your deck right, youll end a battle without any health loss, and having restored most of the cards used. This becomes real tedious, real fast.

But whats even more boring is the game map. None of the loot ever feels exciting, as only various potions are something you can use immediately. New cards? Have to be constructed back at the base. Events? Theyre repetitive and dull, lacking in any sort of flavor even when theyre not just hey, one member of your camp offers one of their services outside the camp. Finish the campaign with one character, and youll use the next one to mill around the map killing the most difficult enemies and mining out resources to run down the damn timer faster.

Not like the bosses are that hard. Single enemies in Deck of Ashes are a lot less dangerous than several lesser enemies than can hit you with three attacks before its your turn again.

So gameplay has somewhat solid foundations made boring by balance. What about the visuals? Well, theyre generally good. The art in Deck of Ashes is of decent quality, stylized and grim. The enemy designs are vibrant if not always groundbreaking. Even the battlefield backgrounds have some dynamics to them. Loading screens and cutscenes may be still and of wildly different styles (seriously, loading screens are very much different from dark stylized art everywhere else in the game), but theyre good.

But the node map is boring, and the font choice doesnt match anything else at all Even worse: the taunts that level bosses belch out while you run around the map as well as Ash Masters advice to seek out Ash Storm anomalies are both repetitive and immersion braking. And only part of that is bad writing.

Writing is even more important to Deck of Ashes, since the game features a great degree of voicing. You characters drop quips at the start of battle and when killing enemies and both get old fast, especially with how many battles youre going through. The voice acting in cutscenes is of variable quality. Its good that the devs bothered to get voice actors that seem to be native English speakers, but they can have their failings as well (the merchant guy just the merchant guy).

Deck of Ashes would be a mildly interesting game if it wasnt that boring. The battles last too long and the node map is terrible. It doesnt help that map events are both repetitive and boring. As it is now, its mostly a waste of decent visuals.

Read the original:
Deck of Ashes review Burning through my cards - PC Invasion

Joo Franco is looking forward to what the future holds after making the decision to quit drinking earlier this year.

The Below Deck Mediterranean alum reflected on how far he's come and what's next for him in a post on Instagram on June 23. "I had it all. I lost it all. I chose not to let my poor circumstances turn into excuses. Making my mind up to becoming the person I have decided to be was the first step. Applying myself and investing in myself has been very rewarding and all it took was a change in mindset," Joo wrote. "Decide on a path and walk it!! Appreciate those backing you all the way."

The photo featured in the post showed Joo posing with all of the many certificates "and still counting!" he noted that he has earned in his four years in yachting so far. "This is my round two to becoming successful," Joo also shared in the post. "Round one was great! But this time Im happy."

Joo previously gave an update on how he's doing inhis new sober lifestyle while self-quarantined in South Africa in a video on his Instagram posted on April 10. "Firstly, in this quarantine, and since I said I'm not drinking, I have not had a single drink. It's been fantastic. I'm not going to tell you that it's easy for everyone, but it has been easy for me," Joo said. "I believe that once I made my mind up in not drinking, it's been really easy to stick onto it, partly because I'm probably super stubborn and also because I feel that it's not really that I had an issue with drinking; I feel that my mindset was that I never wanted to stop. And now in making a decision in when to stop, it hasn't been so difficult to stop entirely. So that's been great."

What has been "really tough," Joo said, is being apart from his fiance, Michelle Dicu, who lives in New York. "She was two days short of visiting me and coming top South Africa to spend this time with me. She was working at the time," Joo said in the video. "Yeah, we missed our window by two days, but positivity is strong within us. And we all know that people around us have it worse, and we [are] very lucky."

Joo has been using this time to tackle new challenges, such as building a car, which he has used the money he would have spent on drinking to pay for. "It has been extremely challenging, but my stubbornness will not let it get the [best] of me," he said. "And I will complete it, and I will show you guys what I've done and how I built a car from scratch."

Joo, who took on his first job as a captain following Season 4 of Below Deck Med, has also been productive while in self-quarantine, studying to become even more knowledgable in all things maritime. "I believe that if I can't be on the water, I will learn more about the water, learn more about being a captain and the management side of things, learn more about the weather," he said. "Hopefully, I become an absolute guru in the theory, rules, and regulations, so that I can put it into practice when I come out of this alive and kicking and healthy."

The former bosun remarked how "not waking up a single day in almost 3 months with a hangover has been AWESOME" and showed his dedication to sticking to a new diet in a post showing off his new shorter 'do published on Instagram on May 19.

He also shared a little more about how he and his fiance have been getting through self-quarantine apart. "All thats missing in my life right now - my beautiful lady [Michelle] who is MILES away. Well get through it though!" Joo wrote. "I hope all those separated from their loved ones realise that its hard to be apart but it is temporary and would be harder to not have each other at all. We play backgammon and do yoga together online! She kicks my ass at both!"

In a more recent Instagram post from earlier this month, Joo revealedhow he stays focused even when times are tough. "Hours on hours of studying. Every time I hit a mental block and information stops sinking in, I make a coffee, stand outside, watch the ocean and remind myself why!" he said. "And I get back to it!"

Want more Below Deck Med? New episodes air every Monday at 9/8c or catch up on this season through the Bravo app.

See what's coming up for the Season 5 crew, below.

Preview

Christine "Bugsy" Drake Returns to Below Deck Mediterranean!

The Daily Dish is your source for all things Bravo, from behind-the-scenes scoop to breaking news, exclusive interviews, photos, original videos, and, oh, so much more. Subscribe to The Daily Dish podcast, join our Facebook group, and follow us on Instagramfor the latest news hot off the presses. Sign up to become a Bravo Insider and be the first to get exclusive extras.

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Joo Franco Shows Literally Everything He's Accomplished in Yachting in One Photo - Bravo

With no set timeline in place for the return of live music and events, many venues around the city are getting creative as summer starts to encourage folks to get out and about. Bostons House of Blues is no exception.

The live music venue has unveiled The Deck on Lansdowne, an outdoor space located atop the Lansdowne Garage. The new outdoor bar overlooking Lansdowne Street officially opens this Friday (June 26), and will be open Thursdays through Sundays until October.

The food menu is served up by House of Blues Boston chef Kevin Doherty with a focus on pizza, plus Mediterranean and fruit and cheese platters. The Sausage Guy is also on board, dishing out sausages and other grill items.

The drink list includes Harpoon IPA, White Claw, City Roots Cider, Jacks Abby, Fiddlehead IPA, Mighty Squirrel, Springdale Sour Series, Narragansett Del Shandy, Goose Island and more.

Transactions will cashless with contactless ordering and payment via phones for each table; seating is limited to parties of up to six guests.

The safety of our guests and staff is always our top priority and planned for accordingly, states Live Nation in a press release. We encourage those who are sick to stay home, and remind everyone coming to The Deck on Lansdowne to wear a mask when they are not seated at a table, wash their hands with soap and water and use hand sanitizer. We continue to implement preventive measures in line with the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other health agencies.

The hours for The Deck on Lansdowne will be Thursdays from 4 to 10 p.m.; Fridays from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturdays from noon to 11 p.m.; and Sundays from noon to close.

Read more here:
The House of Blues opens The Deck on Lansdowne to get us outside - Vanyaland

With more time spent at home, now is the perfect time to seize the everyday and tackle tasks around the home that you may not have had the time to in the past. From D.I.Y. fence and patio repair tips to how to create your own backyard oasis for your family, Canadian Tire and Yahoo Canada are proud to help Canadians get there by bringing you everything you need for the season.

As you prepare your outdoor space for BBQ and patio season, ask yourself this: When was the last time you gave your fence and deck a refresh?

If its been several years, chances are some upgrades and repairs are needed. If you notice any staining and discolouration, mildew or old wood fibres collecting (which are all caused by exposed elements) after inspection, determine if it's time to replace your wooden fixtures completely or make minor updates.

While it may sound like a pricey job if left to the professionals, making repairs to your fencing and deck panels yourself can be a cost-efficient and fulfilling project you can do yourself. And with more time spent at home this year, its the perfect time to tackle any DIY passion projects you may have been putting off and revamp the ultimate outdoor space for your family to enjoy.

Plus, while more difficult and time-consuming tasks are of course for the adults of the house, safe tasks (even something as simple as sweeping!) are a great way to get the kids involved in a project that will leave everyone feeling like theyve made an impact!

To help you, weve rounded up helpful tips for ensuring you get the job done right and everything you need to do it.

Before you jump into fence or deck maintenance, its essential to determine whether you need to completely replace, or just restore.

According to Geno Scopelleti, who alongside his son Marino have owned and operated Sunnylea Homes, a Toronto-based general contracting company for more than 35 years, if half of the length of your fence is in poor condition, it might be time to replace the whole thing. By performing an inspection each year for any signs of decay (whether the wood is discoloured, soft, crumbling etc.) to ensure you catch problems early.

Story continues

Regardless of whether youre restoring a stained or damaged fence or deck or completely starting from scratch with a new build, youll need to sand. All wood, except manufactured items like composite wood need to be sanded. Start by using a sander with a heavier grit belt, using a palm sander for areas the belt sander cant reach. Then, doing a once-over with a lighter grit belt for an ultra-smooth surface thats ready for staining.

For precision and control, this Orbit Sander from MAXIMUM is made with a separate counterweight design that reduces vibration for improved comfort while its short height allows you to get closer to the workpiece.

If youre replacing deck or fence wood, its essential to start with a good cut job. And when it comes to woodworking projects, a portable saw is a must-have!

With so many options, it can be tough to know which is best for your project, but you cant go wrong with a circular saw, like this one from MAXIMUM. Its great for everything from cutting deck boards to doing small fixes around your house to make your space more enjoyable.

Any handyperson knows that cleaning and applying a protective coat of wood stain to your deck and fence can help extend the life of your hard work, while also giving it an instantly updated look.

This semi-transparent stain by Premier offers weather-repellent protection without obscuring the wood grain resists cracking and peeling for a long-lasting, natural Cedar-like finish.

The more time your deck and fence sit in the sun, the more damage will occur. To get rid of any mould, mildew or dust, we recommend cleaning wooden surfaces regularly especially if youve recently overhauled your deck or fence. Frequent maintenance will extend the life of your deck or fence and help prevent issues down the line.

Made without bleach or any harsh chemicals that can taint the finish of wood, Thomsons Deck Cleaner & Renewer instantly restores natural wood tone to old weathered wood while removing old wood fibres for a renewed look.

Canadian Tire and Yahoo Canada are helping Canadians seize the everyday this summer, with tips, tricks and everything you need for the season. Click here for more!

See the article here:
Tips And Tricks To Make Fence And Deck Repair Easy - Yahoo! Voices

'Below Deck Mediterranean' returned with an all-new episode this week and the center of which happened to be Peter 'Pete' Hunziker and his inappropriate behavior and language at work. Despite repeated requests, Pete has continued to call his superior Malia White "sweetheart". He was politely asked to drop it but when he didn't give up, Malia had to take the issue up with captain Sandy Yawn, who then gave the deckhands an earful and asked them to maintain basic protocol. "Malia's not your friend. No sweetheart, no sweetie, no dear," Sandy said.

Pete, however, was not willing to back down and continued questioning Malia about who may have called her a "sweetheart". Upon explaining, he promised to maintain decorum, but that lasted only a couple of hours. When the crew arrived at a local Spanish scenic spot to set up lunch tables for the charter guests, Pete struggled with placing the tables. When Malia and Jessica More tried helping him out with suggestions, he said: "Too many chief stews."

Clearly, there's a problem when it comes to taking orders or working in a team and Pete has proven that enough number of times. He was even recently fired by Bravo for his racist remarks on social media. "Peter Hunziker of Below Deck Mediterranean has been terminated for his racist post," the network posted on Instagram and added: "Bravo and 51 Minds are editing the show to minimize his appearance for subsequent episodes."

Meanwhile, fans are confused about why Pete is not being edited out completely from the show."Bravo is so messy and I love it. They said that we would edit out Pete this season on below deck but leave in scenes of him being a misogynistic a-hole. So great! #bravo #belowdeck," a fan commented. While another shared: "The bravo editors showing us how much pete sucks!! and he has the nerve to blame his sexism on being from the south!!! lol #BelowDeck #BelowDeckMed #BelowDeckMediterranean." Another tweeted, "Question for @BravoTV and #BelowDeck: are you incapable of casting men that arent absolutely vile misogynists? Here we are again with #BelowDeckMed." Another viewer cleared the air and shared that Bravo will start editing out his role on the show in the latter half of the season: "People dont pay attention do they?! @BravoTV was clear that editing Pete out would be the last half of the season since the first half was already edited. #BelowDeckMed."

Catch all the new episodes of 'Below Deck Mediterranean' on Bravo every Monday.

Link:
'Below Deck': Wondering why Pete hasn't been edited out of show despite being fired? Here's the real reason - MEAWW

An apartment builder that has developed projects in central Dallas is making the jump to the north side of U.S. Highway 380 in Denton County.

Developer ZOM Living plans to build a 378-unit rental community near the corner of U.S. 380 and FM1385 in Aubrey.

The rental community will be just west of the Windsong Ranch community and is near where the PGA of America is building its headquarters and golf courses.

Called Mezzo, the apartment project is being built by ZOM in partnership with Civitas Capital Group. The first units are set to open in the third quarter of 2021.

Our Mezzo site is convenient to an expanding array of retail and entertainment venues, excellent schools, and the highest concentration of suburban corporate employers in the state of Texas, Jason Haun, ZOMs Development vice president, said in a statement. With Mezzo, we will bring a new level of quality, unit features and amenities to this growing submarket north of Dallas.

Synovus Bank financed construction, and Stanford Construction is the general contractor. The architect for the project is JHP.

Mezzo is the latest in a series of apartment projects in the U.S. 380 corridor west of the Dallas North Tollway. That area is seeing widespread residential and retail growth.

Based in Orlando, Fla., ZOM has done multiple projects in North Texas. It is building a 41-story high-rise in downtown Dallas Arts District that will open starting later this year. ZOM also just completed a 376-unit rental community in McKinney.

We are excited to break ground on our seventh project in the Dallas market and 12th project overall in Texas, Greg West, ZOMs chief executive officer, said in a statement.

See original here:
New apartments are in the works on U.S. 380 in Denton County - The Dallas Morning News

NEW YORK, June 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --CIT Group Inc.(NYSE: CIT) today announced that its Real Estate Financebusiness provided a $35.9 million senior secured loan for construction of a new 183-unit apartment building in Stamford, Connecticut.

The project, a joint venture between Fields Grade Development and Alpine Residential, is located on Canal Street in Stamford, within walking distance of several large employers. The site is also a short distance from the Metro North railway, providing easy access to Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan and other stops along the New York-Connecticut rail corridor.

"This financing helps advance our plan to construct an attractive multifamily residential building with ground-floor retail space and other associated amenities in a premier Stamford location," said Rob Caulfield of Fields Grade Development. "We appreciated CIT's agility and expertise in developing the right financing package while overcoming the challenges of doing business during the COVID-19 pandemic."

"We're excited to contribute to the realization of this top-quality residential project in a highly desirable area," said William Rosato of Alpine Residential. "We are pleased to collaborate with Fields Grade Development and CIT in moving this project forward to a successful completion."

"This project is a great fit for our portfolio of projects in major metropolitan areas," said Chris Niederpruem, managing director and group head for CIT's Real Estate Finance business. "We are pleased to open a relationship with Fields Development and Alpine Residential in supporting this project, which we are confident will be an attractive residential property for the long term."

CIT's Real Estate Financebusiness, part of the Commercial Financedivision, originates and underwrites senior secured real estate transactions. With deep market expertise, underwriting experience and industry relationships, the group provides financing for single properties, property portfolios and loan portfolios.

About CIT CIT is a leading national bank focused on empowering businesses and personal savers with the financial agility to navigate their goals. CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) is a financial holding company with over a century of experience and operates a principal bank subsidiary, CIT Bank, N.A. (Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender). The company's commercial banking segment includes commercial financing, community association banking, middle market banking, equipment and vendor financing, factoring, railcar financing, treasury and payments services, and capital markets and asset management. CIT's consumer banking segment includes a national direct bank and regional branch network. Discover more at cit.com/about.

MEDIA RELATIONS:John M. Moran212-461-5507[emailprotected]

SOURCE CIT Group Inc.

http://www.cit.com

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CIT Provides $35.9 Million in Financing for Construction of Apartment Building - PRNewswire

People in a west-endneighbourhood will get a chance tonight to express their opinion ona controversialbuilding project that will bring 44 people experiencing homelessness and low-income individuals to the community.

At issue is the future of a vacant lot near Dundas Street West and DovercourtRoad where the Toronto Police Service 14 Division station once stood, on Harrison Street.

Local residents say they'd been led to believe13 single-family homes were slated for the lot. But that plan was scuttled earlier this month when council voted to fast-track the construction ofa modular 44-unitbuilding instead.

Scheduled to be ready for September, the building is to be reserved for people experiencinghomelessness and will also provide affordable housing for people with low incomes.

City staff say the COVID-19 pandemic, which has hit homeless shelters especially hard, spurred the decision to fast-track the project. So far, 610 COVID-19 cases have been linked to city shelters.

Staff will hold the second of two virtual town-hall meetings Wednesday evening from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. so people in the neighbourhood can provide their feedback.

"As COVID hit us, we wanted to expedite our response to homelessness, and a quicker delivery of housing," said Abi Bond, executive director of the city's housing secretariat.

"Because we hadn't reached a conclusion on this site and because the location is so good, we decided to shift gears and look at a different kind of housing delivery on this particular site."

But the speed with which the city shifted gears on the site plan has angered some in the community.

Michael Smele said the suggestion that single-family dwellings would be built on the site "fit in really well. It's a very family [oriented]community lots of schools nearby, lots of daycares."

He said the current project is happening too quickly and without proper consultation a concern shared by neighbour Gustavo Jabbaz.

"On June 2 we got this pamphlet saying the plans have changed;we're going to put in a site for homeless people," he said.

"No consultation, no questions, no nothing."

The city held the firstvirtual town-hall meetingslast week, but not everyone who wanted to speak was heard, according to Smele, who sat in on the meeting.

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As of Tuesdayafternoon, a petition asking the city to rethink the plan to build a modular apartment building had close to 400 signatures.

Not everyone in the neighbourhood is against the planned use of the site, though.

Resident Shay Zeyad told CBC Toronto: "I think it's a great idea." As someone who has a home, she said, "I don't have the privilege to talk about other people who don't."

Both Bond and Coun. Ana Bailo, who represents the area and also chairs the city's planning and housing committee, denied that the plan to house 13 families on the site was ever carved in stone.

"In April,council came to realize that we needed a better response to the homelessness issue that was in front of us," Bailosaid.

"We have 8,000 people who are sleeping either on the street or in our shelters and we think that providing housing with dignity and trying to respond to the pandemic with more permanent solutions is a good way to move forward."

And Bailo acknowledged the city is moving ahead unusually quickly.

"There is no question that it is moving fast, but we've asked the city to do unprecedented things: We've asked businesses to close their doors for months, we've asked people to stay home," she said.

"We've had to respond to this pandemic in unprecedented ways."

Both Bailo and Bond said neighbours will still have a chance to offer their input. But according to Bond, that input will be limited to things like the height of the building, and the density of the development.

"We've been trying to be clear with the community that no one gets to choose their neighbours," Bond said.

"So this isn't a consultation about who is moving in. This is a consultation about the project itself."

More here:
Fast-tracked plan to build apartments for people experiencing homelessness gets push-back from neighbours - Yahoo News Canada

Busy with her career and friends, weekend travel and walking the lakes, Aditi Jariwala didnt need much from an apartment just a place to sleep, shower and hang her clothes before she dashed out again.

Im a minimalist. I dont want a lot of space because I dont have a lot of junk, said Jariwala, 24. Keeping things clean with no clutter gives me a clearer mind.

When Minnesotas stay-at-home order was issued, instead of taking the bus downtown for her job in banking, Jariwala joined the legions of workers who left the office to labor at home.

For her, theres no spare bedroom, den or basement alcove. Jariwalas apartment totals 374 square feet.

I moved my monitors on my table so I use it like a desk. If I have a call, I sit on my plushy armchair, she said. Now I eat at my coffee table.

Jariwala lives on the fourth floor at Tula, a two-year-old building in Uptown Minneapolis, where her rent runs $1,250 a month, plus $100 for utilities and internet. Shes among the scores of tenants of a new style of teeny-tiny apartments that have popped up like so many miniature mushrooms.

Often called micro units, they are downsized studio apartments located in upscale buildings in desirable, walkable neighborhoods Uptown, Dinkytown, North Loop, Northeast and along the Green Line in St. Paul. Tenants augment their own tight quarters through common spaces like snazzy co-working spaces, fitness centers, party rooms, dog runs and rooftop gardens where they can socialize, relax and work.

Generally speaking, we see that all of the newer apartment units have gotten smaller the one- and two-bedrooms as well as the studios, said Brent Wittenberg, vice president of the Twin Cities office of Marquette Advisors, which tracks trends in market rate apartment inventory in the Twin Cities region.

Theres no exact definition for micro units, but as a rule of thumb, they are apartments that measure 500 square feet or smaller and are classified as studio units.

Marquette Advisors found that while 7.5% of the 200,000 apartments in the seven-country metro region are studios, the share of one-room units is shooting up. Their research compiled in the first quarter of 2020 noted a 33% hike in the number of new studios over the past five years.

The micro units started in Minneapolis and now theyre branching out. Were starting to see units under 500 square feet coming to the suburbs, too, Wittenberg said.

Smallest of the small

The smallest of the small apartments arrived about a decade ago in the U.S. cities long known for high density and soaring rental costs. Sometimes whittled down to a mere 220 square feet, early micro units gained traction among renters in Seattle, San Francisco, New York and Boston.

As housing availability tightened nationwide, micro units became a popular alternative in most other metro areas. The reduced-size dwellings are currently being studied as one solution for housing the growing number of homeless people.

In the Twin Cities, the shrunken spaces appeal to single professionals 40 and younger.

Small apartments fit with the millennial mind-set, which is all about maximizing the experiential components of life. Its not things that define you; its your experiences, said Lisa Walden, a workplace and generational consultant with Minneapolis-based Good Co.

Micro units buck the baby boomer idea that homes give you status. Millennials dont want to be tied down like that, she said.

Walden, 34, a millennial herself, thinks the green aspects of a small footprint also appeal to younger tenants.

From an environmental standpoint, using less is appealing, from the construction materials to cost of their utility bills.

Cramped or efficient?

One persons cramped and claustrophobic is another persons compact and efficient.

Micro units are the Swiss Army knife of apartments, cleverly designed to maximize a floor plans every square inch with floor-to-ceiling or oversized windows and higher ceilings that give an illusion of space. Even furnishings pivot; some dwellings of 350 to 450 square feet have hideaway Murphy beds and convertible tables that fold up to add to living space.

Balconies were considered impractical in the Twin Cities because of the weather but we started adding them. Everyone wants that indoor/outdoor element to extend their space, put out their herb pots, said developer Curt Gunsbury, whose business, Solhem Companies, has in the past decade developed more than a dozen Twin Cities apartment buildings featuring micro units.

He builds his micro units with walk-in closets, full bathrooms code requires them to be accessible, meaning large enough to accommodate a wheelchair and a kitchen equipped with a stove, refrigerator and dishwasher.

Large dining room space is no longer valued; young people dont want them. They work on their computers so theyre looking for a place to perch, he said. TVs used to drive the space but because flat screens are shallower, you can shrink 2 feet from the living area.

During the pandemic, the Solhem buildings added rules and guidelines to keep the much-prized community spaces open for tenants and spare them from cabin fever.

In the era of social distancing, groups were forbidden from gathering in common areas. Furniture in lounges, lobbies and libraries was rearranged to discourage the very coziness the areas once promoted. The distance between exercise machines in building gyms was widened. Cleaning crews come in more frequently, armed with hospital-grade disinfectants.

Not scared away

Theres little doubt that the many restrictions brought on by the pandemic will linger. The course of the coronavirus has proven unpredictable, and some public health officials warn that a second curve is coming and may disrupt workplace routines again later this year.

But the risk of a rebound doesnt seem to be scaring renters away from their pint-sized urban apartments.

Its not going away. Were still bullish on the micro trend and city living, said Wittenberg. After 9/11, a great exodus to the suburbs was predicted. The reverse happened.

With five new apartment buildings now under construction or on the drawing board, Gunsbury has not backed away from the number of micro units that will be included in the mix of rental options, along with one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. He admits he is slightly surprised that so few of his tenants have opted out of the micro units since the shutdown.

Weve had more people extend leases than we expected. Not a single one has said theyre leaving because the place feels too small, he said. Typically, tenants transition because theyre ready to buy a house or they have a job transfer. Right now, people who have jobs are sticking with them.

But Aditi Jariwala will be moving from her 374-square-foot unit when her lease is up later this summer. Shes decided to bide her time and move back to her family home in a St. Paul suburb.

In the old world before the pandemic I would have renewed. But the rent was going up, and it didnt make sense to sign on at a higher price for the Uptown life without all the bars and restaurants and shopping, she sighed.

Maybe it would be fun to try a different neighborhood when things get back to normal. But I still wont want a big place.

Kevyn Burger is a Minneapolis freelance writer and broadcaster.

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Twin Cities micro apartments put to the test during the pandemic - Minneapolis Star Tribune

DARLINGTON As a third generation bar owner, Jared McGranahan is excited to follow in the family footsteps. Starting on July 1, McGranahan will be the new owner and operator of Boobys Bar, formerly Trailside Bar.

I have always wanted to get into the business, McGranahan said. This just felt like it was an itch we needed to scratch.

The bar venture had been an idea brewing inside McGranahan and his wife Kelleys heads for a while. Both have worked in the industry in different way; Kelley worked as a bartender in the past and before teaching, Jared was a Budweiser distributor.

They began talking about it more over the winter and took a chance to call owners of Trailside Bar and ask about its for sale status.

Once things got going, they really took off, Jared said. The next thing you know we are negotiating a price.

They agreed on everything in February and will close on the building on June 29.

McGranahan is originally from Darlington. His father, Bob McGranahan, owned a bar in Darlington for several years and his grandmother ran a bar in Green Island, Iowa. The name Booby originated from when Jared was little. He was told he looked very much like his father, whos nickname was Booby so he was called Little Booby.

Its a hand-me-down childhood nickname that seemed to stick, McGranahan said.

McGranahan, his wife and their family, 4-year-old daughter Brooklyn and sons Clint, 2-years-old and Hank, 8 months old are very excited about coming to Darlington.

We are absolutely excited to get into the community and get to know people. It is a great community and we are excited to get to know all the different faces, he said.

As a huge sports fan, Jared sees sports as a great avenue to bring people together.

I really want to meet the needs of a wide variety of clientele. I personally want to make sure we are catering to a diverse mixture of sports fans, McGranahan said.

They are open to having bands come in and play and getting in tune with the local music scene with some help from family members who are in local bands.

I want to make a party out of anything.

They will be open Wednesday thru Fridays at 6 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays open at noon. McGranahan hopes that when football season for college and NFL start they will be opening earlier during the week.

They will be specializing in a 32 ounce Long Island and hope that when you come to Boobys you will walk away knowing you had the best Long Island youve ever had.

We want people to know that they can come into Boobys and have a great social experience without costing them an arm and a leg. Boobys is about creating an environment to get the community together and have a good time and creating an inviting atmosphere.

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Booby's will be busting with a good time - Swnews4u