Urban park from shipping containers

[RecycleMichael]

http://www.lasvegassun.com/photos/galleries/2013/nov/25/1125_container_park_opening/?_ga=1.91562714.1966545609.1386463885#/0

[TheArtist]

 When in London last I stumbled across a BoxPark there.  Thought something like that would be great here in our downtown.  Wish there were a space around the Guthrie Green and Kaiser would put one in.  It made for a great street with lots of fun little shops that were actually quite nice and interesting.  Google image search  London Boxpark.   I have had lots of people come into my shop asking about locations that might be available for them to put in a shop.  Unfortunately many of the buildings, in my area at least, can't be currently used (Enterprise Building for instance) or do not have sidewalk access except through a lobby and the building owners are not willing to put an entrance in for them, or its a space that's too large for a small business owner to tackle, and or any small space that might be available is not near enough any other shops or potential shops for there to be a draw.  

[Red Arrow]

When in London last I stumbled across a BoxPark there.  Thought something like that would be great here in our downtown.  Wish there were a space around the Guthrie Green and Kaiser would put one in.  It made for a great street with lots of fun little shops that were actually quite nice and interesting.  Google image search  London Boxpark.  

I went there but I'm not sure what I am looking at.  It appears to be shipping containers turned into stores.  Not a bad idea but is this a "permanent" thing?

[TheArtist]

I went there but I'm not sure what I am looking at.  It appears to be shipping containers turned into stores.  Not a bad idea but is this a "permanent" thing?

From what I gather in this instance they are to be there for 4 years. The property was available for that time because the developer apparently had plans to build something there in 5 years time. However in other cities I have heard of that have done similar things they are indeed permanent.

From an article in The Atlantic Cities...by Julia Levitt

The concept is simple enough: it's a small mall, comprising more than 40 retailers, cafes, restaurants and galleries, housed compactly within a stack of shipping containers on a formerly vacant lot. The execution, however, is striking. According to the project's founder, brand consultant Roger Wade, every detail of the minimalist park was crafted specifically for the young, hip and urban.

Boxpark occupies a 500,000 square-foot site at the base of a rail station served by London's Overground, the suburban rail extension of the Tube. Although the 2012 Olympic legacy projects and East London's burgeoning tech and creative industries are expected to accelerate the growth of this area, the firms that jointly control the property don't intend to break ground on a permanent project on the site for another five years. Wade arranged to lease the land in the interim and set about cultivating a mix of tenants for his experimental project.

The Boxpark team recently announced that U.K. mobile phone entrepreneur Charles Dunstone has become a financial backer and non-executive chairman, increasing the potential for similar projects elsewhere. Wade is working with European retail property company Corio to explore opportunities to bring the pop-up malls to more markets around Europe (beginning with Amsterdam), and says he may expand to the U.S. eventually.



Boxpark brings some solid green principles to the table, though it doesn't carry formal certification. The containers and supporting structures were assembled on-site in a matter of weeks, saving on costs and waste. The box walls are thickly insulated, making heating more efficient and eliminating the need for air conditioning (on the brisk opening day, the heat generated by one café's refrigeration equipment was sufficient to keep the space comfortable).

When the term is up, the entire modular structure can be disassembled and recycled into future Boxparks, leaving the site unscathed. No doubt its greatest contribution to sustainability, however, is the instant transformation of an empty corner into a vibrant, transit-oriented neighborhood space. There's not a parking spot to be found on-site, but there's a rail line, multiple bus connections, bike parking and thousands of apartments and workplaces within walking distance.

Wade is sensitive about Boxpark being known as the world's first shipping container mall - there are already rumors of skirmishes over credit for the idea.

In my opinion, this isn't so important, as the real smarts behind the space – the retail mix and overall style – is much harder to imitate than the container concept anyway. Some stores, like Marimekko and Dockers, are brands' first entries in the U.K. market; others represent the first standalone storefronts for compelling products like Urbanears headphones. Wade, who until December 1 was the project's sole financier, says he used his discretion as a private owner to create flexible, affordable leases (some are as short as 12 months; others the full five years) to enable many local independents to participate.

[modernism]

http://www.ahmm.co.uk/projectDetails/120/OKSea

[TheArtist]

http://www.ahmm.co.uk/projectDetails/120/OKSea

Going in to OKC soon?  Well that will kill any hopes of having anything like it here for another 20 years or so.  Not that this is the best example, but we must keep our reputation of "catching up", even with OKC.  Can't be catching up unless your behind and that's obviously where our city leaders, private and government, like us.  Wouldn't DARE do aaaanything, large or small, to help us leapfrog ahead.

[Rookie Okie]

This concept would be such a great and natural fit somewhere in the Brady. 

[Conan71]

"Sea cans" are the ultimate recyclable. We use them for long term storage modules at work. We also use them to install complete mobile boiler rooms which can be used for any variety of temporary uses: emergency steam when the main boiler system goes down at a school, office building, hospital or an industrial steam user. They can also be handy for a permanent installation if the customer doesn't want to construct a boiler room or for use in the oil patch.

I've seen these used for emergency generator sets, portable chillers, portable work shops, etc.

Used 20'x8'x8' containers run $2000 to $2500 and 40'x8'x8' run $4000 to $4500, or roughly $14 to $15 a square foot if you were using them for a home or office.  Not a bad base cost for the bare structure.  I would love to build a container house some day.

[AngieB]

I want one in the back yard for a studio! That would be awesome.

[Conan71]

I want one in the back yard for a studio! That would be awesome.

I know the guy to call if you get serious about it.  We could even do any modifications like a side door or windows.  We've even got someone who can run electric inside it to code.

[SXSW]

This concept would be such a great and natural fit somewhere in the Brady. 

It could work there or the Pearl, both post-industrial areas where this would fit in perfectly.

[Red Arrow]

I want one in the back yard for a studio! That would be awesome.

Check your zoning, etc.  You may not be allowed to have one.