Archinect - News

Small and mid-size cities are attracting more millennials

2018-05-04T15:24:00-04:00

Mid- or second-tier cities, loosely defined as those under a million people that aren’t regional powerhouses like Austin or Seattle, are increasingly seen as not just places to find a lower cost of living, easier commute, and closer connections with family, but also a more approachable, neighborhood-oriented version of the urban lifestyle that sent many to the larger cities in the first place.

Census data shows that smaller metros are seeing more migration from millennials while larger cities are experiencing slower growth. These smaller cities have been attracting new growth in part due to investing in green spaces and parks, upswings in local tech hubs, and downtown redevelopment.

Comic-strip ads created as marketing to entice millennials to move to a Chicago suburb

2018-04-10T13:51:00-04:00

Welcome to Homewood, Illinois, a suburb of 20,000 that is marketing itself to urbanites as a hidden hipster gem. The town, which is about 25 miles south of downtown Chicago, just launched a new advertising campaign called “Think Homewood.” Ads posted inside trains on the L’s Blue Line and elsewhere in Chicago contrast the laid-back vibe of Homewood to the stress of city living. The ads are comic strips drawn by illustrator and Homewood resident Marc Alan Fishman.

The Chicago suburb Homewood harnessed the graphic skills of a local artist to launch their comic-strip ad campaign, Think Homewood, in order to attract millennials. Joining the list of suburban towns that must now work to attract the demographic they were originally intended for, Homewood strives to market itself as a diverse neighborhood for young families.

Homewood ad campaign by artist Marc Alan Fishman.

Think Homewood addresses the inconveniences of city life, especially for those with kids, and promises a stress free alternative. The campaign plays off millennial tropes including love of avocados, children named "zen", and brunching at farm-to-table cafes.

Homewood ad campaign by artist Marc Alan Fishman.

Startup "Getaway" rents out tiny modern houses in the woods for urbanites to escape

2017-12-29T14:13:00-05:00

The savvy emphasis on escape and disconnectedness and repose has resonated among the millennials Getaway aims to reach. In each of its markets, outside New York, Boston and Washington, Getaway’s houses are booked solid on weekends, and in early 2017, the company, founded by two Harvard graduates, raised $15 million in venture capital funding, which suggests that a tiny house campground may soon be coming to a forest near you.

Getaway positions its retreats just outside major cities where individuals are encouraged to recharge and reconnect in nature. Tapping into the tiny house phenomena that rapidly gained popularity among millennials after the 2008 housing crisis, Getaway houses can be rented at just over $160 a night. The vacation rentals provide pamphlets and literature urging guests to remove themselves from stressors such as work, email, texts, and competition. A wooden box is provided to lock away your phone with no wifi available in the area (for those unable to confine their phone to the box).

In China, 70% of millenials own property

2017-04-06T17:44:00-04:00

Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably read some think piece about how millenials aren’t buying homes. Sometimes this is construed as a cultural thing, but it probably has more to due with coming of age during and after the Great Recession.

In any case, according to a BBC article, that’s not universally the case. In China, 70% of millennials own their own home and 91% plan to buy one in the next five years. Meanwhile, in Mexico, 46% of millennials own property and, in France, 41% do. The US edges out the UK and the UAE for the fourth spot, with 35% owning property.

It's now more common for young adults in the US to live with their parents than in any other scenario

2016-05-25T13:00:00-04:00

In that age group, 32.1 percent of people [ages 18-34] live in their parents' house, while 31.6 live with a spouse or partner in their own homes and 14 percent live alone, as single parents or in a home with roommates or renters. The rest live with another family member, a nonfamily member or in group-living situations such as a college dorm or prison. [...] the rise in the number of young adults living at home started before the economic crash — and so did the possible contributing factors.

The analysis, done by the Pew Research Center, also makes clear that this isn't the all-time high for young adults living at home – that topped out in 1940, at 35%. Still, at that time, it was more common for young adults to have shacked up with a spouse or partner.

Pew is also careful to couch the analysis in the context of other demographic developments, such as the rise of male unemployment and the fact that young adults working today make "less than they would have in their parents' day". And interestingly, as women made more, the rate of women living at home increased as well.

More on shifting residential demographics:

The next battleground for personal privacy: gyms?

2015-12-03T14:23:00-05:00

“In the last 20 years, maybe 25 years, there’s a huge cultural shift in people that ultimately affects gyms,” said Bryan Dunkelberger, a founding principal of S3 Design, which has worked for clients like Equinox and the Sports Club/ LA. [...] And the millennials, these are the special children. They expect all the amenities... Privacy, they expect.” [...] “It’s funny, they’re more socially open with everything — Facebook, social media — yet more private in their personal space”