Quonset Huts, what goes around, comes around.

**dguy4evr** · August-19-16, 07:25 AM

Didn't get to see the whole article but it mentioned some famous designer wanting to build Quonset huts in Detroit. Is this true????
I remember the ones on Conner, used to know friends there when we lived in the Parkside Projects. Does anyone know what this is about? Will they be the same. Seems like a good idea for low income housing.

**lpg** · August-19-16, 09:33 AM

Don't know about this, but I do remember the huts on Mill Street in Ecorse in the early 50's.

**Jimaz** · August-19-16, 04:15 PM

Quonset hut village sprouts in Detroit neighborhood

**Hermod** · August-19-16, 05:17 PM

Back in an era of cheap energy for heating, they might have made sense. I don't know if they are better insulated now. I don't know that Detroit has a housing shortage.

**Jason** · August-19-16, 09:20 PM

Detroit both has and doesn't have a housing shortage. The city is full of cheap housing that's in terrible shape, and the housing that's in good shape isn't cheap. imo an affordable high quality physical environment and good transportation would help a lot. It's a shame that city government is in the shape that it is or else it could simply build new affordable/mixed income developments, with or without federal money. HUD and the Detroit Housing Commission aren't given enough credit or attention. Unfortunately the architects of these government developments keep costs down by being cheap rather than through thoughtful, creative, disciplined design.

For these quonset houses I'm skeptical about how expensive they are and how good of a home they'd make. I suspect that once you add the features that would make it comparable to a normal home it wouldn't be cheap anymore, or if you made the same sacrifices with normal wood construction if it wouldn't be even cheaper.

But still I think it's great that they're trying and I'm looking forward to seeing what they come up with.

**dguy4evr** · August-20-16, 06:21 AM

On a side note, has anyone ever looked into an inflatable shelter for the homeless that they could keep in a backpack or shopping cart? I don't know if this is viable or not but it would be a better alternative to just finding a doorway. With some of the new materials out there now it might be possible. This is not a fix but an alternative to the poor souls that refuse to go to shelters or warming centers. Maybe just a tunnel that they could crawl in to sleep.

**pkpk818** · October-14-16, 11:47 AM

Hi All:

I am actually the developer of these huts. We broke ground on the nine featured in that article, and just finished the first two.

I used the first two to learn about the medium. It was difficult. It's true, a lot of the money I saved by using a Quonset shell was reinvested in proper insulation. All in all, the result is affordable, interesting and beautiful! I used the Quonset hut for two reasons: 1. Affordability [[still was even after really beefing them up to an R40 insulation value!) and 2. Intrigue and Beauty. I was always drawn to these beautiful forms, and have always anted to live in one. The first one is for me

. And the second for my partner in a restaurant that we own together! If you guys are interested, I will post pictures of the finished product soon. Thanks.

All in all, the rent for these will be about 35% less than market rent, and the product is very unique. I love what we're building, as do our neighbors, hope you guys do, too.

-pk

**gnome** · October-14-16, 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by pkpk818

Hi All:

I am actually the developer of these huts. We broke ground on the nine featured in that article, and just finished the first two.

I used the first two to learn about the medium. It was difficult. It's true, a lot of the money I saved by using a Quonset shell was reinvested in proper insulation. All in all, the result is affordable, interesting and beautiful! I used the Quonset hut for two reasons: 1. Affordability [[still was even after really beefing them up to an R40 insulation value!) and 2. Intrigue and Beauty. I was always drawn to these beautiful forms, and have always anted to live in one. The first one is for me

. And the second for my partner in a restaurant that we own together! If you guys are interested, I will post pictures of the finished product soon. Thanks.

All in all, the rent for these will be about 35% less than market rent, and the product is very unique. I love what we're building, as do our neighbors, hope you guys do, too.

-pk

Dear Picky,

my church, St. Leo's, is across Grand River from your huts. I suggest to stop in at the office and introduce yourself . Ask for Angela. She could arrange for you to speak to the congregation thereby assuaging some of the fears the some folks have about your future plans

**Wesley Mouch** · October-15-16, 01:22 PM

Best of luck PK. I'm in favor of new ideas. 35% below market is a compelling stat.

**Jason** · October-15-16, 01:32 PM

I'd love to hear updates about how it is going.

**canuck** · October-15-16, 05:05 PM

The Cloverdale bowling lanes had a Qu'on set hutty-looking structure to them too. Wonder what might have been made from them also.

**pkpk818** · October-17-16, 04:27 AM

Originally Posted by gnome

Dear Picky,

my church, St. Leo's, is across Grand River from your huts. I suggest to stop in at the office and introduce yourself . Ask for Angela. She could arrange for you to speak to the congregation thereby assuaging some of the fears the some folks have about your future plans

Sure thing. Thanks.

-pk

**MSUguy** · October-17-16, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by gnome

Dear Picky,

my church, St. Leo's, is across Grand River from your huts. I suggest to stop in at the office and introduce yourself . Ask for Angela. She could arrange for you to speak to the congregation thereby assuaging some of the fears the some folks have about your future plans

I'm curious what some people worried about? I reading about this development on the one hand I was skeptical that'd it'd be successful, but on the other I thought it's so weird it might just work. But 'fear' isn't something that popped in my head when reading about it.

**Danny** · October-17-16, 01:45 PM

Building those Quonset huts in the black and blighted Detroit ghetto hood will be like keeping up the the Jetsons.

**Packman41** · October-19-16, 04:05 PM

Hello Picky:
Just curious. You say the rent would be 35% below the current market.
What do you think the cost per square foot per month would be to rent a unit?
What do you think the cost per square foot would be for a unit if you were to sell it?
What would be the area [[square feet) for a typical 2BR unit? or 3BR unit?

Thanks in advance

**MSUguy** · December-29-16, 10:52 AM

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Seeing the finished product they're kinda cool. I also didn't the know developer is behind the very awesome Katio and it sounds this guy is trying build up the area.

The huts are just the start for Kafka’s Grand River-area developments. He’s exploring another restaurant venture with his Katoi partners in a former radiator shop. Early next year, a Bay City firm called Populace Coffee will open a coffee-roasting plant on one of his Grand River buildings. Later in the year, Mendez Boxing, a New York-based boxing gym, aims to open.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/new...nity/95938738/