NYC Testing Modular, Stackable Post-Disaster Housing

OEM Commissioner Joe Bruno on Tuesday announced that a
prototype of interim post-disaster housing has been set up. It is a
factory-made modular stackable unit that can keep disaster victims in their own
neighborhood in permanent housing quickly.

Several city employees will live on and off for the next
year in the townhouse-like stack of one three-bedroom unit and two one-bedroom
units.

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UPDATE:

Hi Gary:
 
My company built the prototype for NYC OEM & DDC
mentioned in your article. If one needs more info on the concept (which is the
first ever national system to provide high-quality urban density housing
compliant with the nation’s urban building codes) they are welcome to contact
me.  Mark Line Industries partnered with American Manufactured Structures
and Systems and Garrison Architects to design and fabricate.  The project
was partially funded by a FEMA block grant and the client is New York City’s Office of Emergency
Management and Department of Design and Construction (DDC) with oversight being
provided by USACE.  The Weather Channel’s AMHQ show did a walkthrough
amongst other things that I can link you to if you’d like more info.  (And
the city itself has a great deal of info on their website for the project). 
You can use my contact info below as a POC if needed.
 
Thanks again Gary.
 
John R. Morrison, LEED Green Associate
Marketing + Business Development Director
 
Bristol, IN
/ Ephrata, PA /
Roxboro, NC 
O:  (574) 825-5851 x 239F:   (574) 825-9139C:   (574) 575-0039

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The basic model, a 480-square-foot one bedroom unit, has a
combined living room and kitchen, a wheelchair-accessible bathroom, and a small
bedroom.

The architect who designed this modular interim housing with
indoor heating and air conditioning said it can be placed on city land or even
on top of a large store, and can be set up in days. The stack in Downtown
Brooklyn took just two days to go from delivery to livable.

What is not clear is the cost effectiveness. The architect
said a single one-bedroom unit costs $132,000 now. With mass production, it
could go down to $100,000.

If operational and financially viable, it will be at least
two years before the stackable housing could house disaster victims in New York City.