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Unique home made of shipping containers is first of its kind in Minneapolis
By Harry Colbert, Jr., editor-in-chief
Somewhere in a shipyard a couple of old rusty shipping containers were plucked from obscurity and given a second chance at life. They now sit in North Minneapolis and will soon offer a family a first chance at a fresh start.
The containers – five in total – now form a two-story home on Irving Avenue North in the Jordan neighborhood. The home is the first such build in the Twin Cities.
The modern home is unique both because of its look and because of its environmental footprint as it is designed to a Department of Zero Energy Ready Home standard. That was important to the home’s builder, 33-year-old Dave Schiller, owner of Paragon Designs.
“The aspect of being green and repurposing something is what drew me to the idea of creating a container home,” said Schiller.
This first of its kind home made of old shipping containers could be the new trend in homebuilding. Photos by Harry Colbert, Jr.
A former resident of North Minneapolis, Schiller said he was intentional about the placement of the one-of-a-kind home.
“Back when I was looking for a location for this home I saw there was an abundance of vacant lots in North Minneapolis – a lot due to the tornado that came through in 2011 – and the lots were owned by the city. This lot is right next to the Boys and Girls Club (Jerry Gamble branch of Boys and Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities) and I think it’s really cool to have this home right next to that,” said Schiller.
To further endear the home to the neighborhood Schiller planted 10 apple trees in an adjacent lot that he hopes will soon provide daily community snacks.
So, what’s in store for the home’s future owner?
The two-story home made of four 40-foot shipping containers and one 20-foot container offers three bedrooms and two full baths. The unfinished basement comes with washer and dryer. The detached garage offers two parking stalls. The main level is an open concept design with a center-island stove and butcher block countertops. The home is on the market for $280,000.
To insure neighborhood stability there are stipulations for whomever buys the home. The purchaser must agree to occupy the home for at least five years and their income must fall within 80 percent of the average median income. Those stipulations were a part of Paragon’s land acquisition from the city.