30 May Look what shipping containers are going to be used for next downtown Wichita project
Tom George knows apartments. He converted the former Kellogg and Sunnyside elementary schools into apartments.
For his latest development, though, he took an idea from a friend.
George is getting ready to open eight apartments made from shipping containers at 430 S. Pattie, which is across from his Kellogg apartments.
“It’s kind of a new concept,” he says. “I’m just trying it out, but they turned out pretty stinking cool.”
The property came with his school purchase, and George says he wasn’t quite sure what to do with it. He says he remembered a friend talking about doing shipping container apartments years ago.
“She just never did it,” George says. “It was a great concept. . . . So rather than just keep an empty lot, I thought I’d try this.”
Part of his impetus is what George calls the lack of affordable apartments downtown.
“You can’t get into a decent apartment for less than 800 bucks, and most of them average over $1,000.”
He plans to charge $480 to $500 for approximately 400-square-foot units.
That’s about the size of studio apartments he has elsewhere, and George says those are the most popular with renters.
“The more I research the upcoming trends of renters in general . . . everybody’s going to micro apartments.”
George says the units will have patios and ample parking, which he says is another issue with downtown apartments.
Anyone interested in renting one of the units can call 316-806-2670.
George says he’ll consider building more shipping container apartments depending on how these do.
“I’m scouting other areas.”
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