SIMONE DEL ROSARIO:

AFTER YEARS OF A SHIPPING CRUNCH, NOW WE HAVE…A CONTAINER SHIPPING GLUT? THAT’S RIGHT, WITH DEMAND FOR GOODS DRAWING DOWN, DEPOTS ARE NOW FILLING UP WITH THESE EMPTY VESSELS. HERE ARE SOME CREATIVE WAYS SHIPPING CONTAINERS ARE BEING REPURPOSED IN THIS WEEK’S FIVE FOR FRIDAY.

THE WORLD CUP IS RAMPING UP IN QATAR. AND THEY HAVE GOTTEN CREATIVE WITH VENUES. STADIUM 974 IS A TRANSPORTABLE 40,000 SEAT FACILITY MADE WITH 974 SHIPPING CONTAINERS. THE STADIUM CAN BE DISASSEMBLED AND MOVED ON TO THE NEXT WORLD CUP LOCATION IF WANTED. SHIPPING CONTAINERS ARE ALSO BEING USED TO CREATE 30,000 ROOMS FOR FANS AT A PRICE OF $203 PER NIGHT. THERE’S NOTHING LIKE A STEEL BOX IN THE DESERT. AM I RIGHT?

COMING IN AT 40 FEET LONG AND WEIGHING NEARLY 9,000 POUNDS, I GUESS THEY MAKE GOOD BARRIERS. ARIZONA GOVERNOR DOUG DUCEY INSTRUCTED THE STATE TO FILL GAPS ALONG THE SOUTHERN BORDER WALL WITH CONTAINERS AFTER CLAIMING THE FEDS WEREN’T DOING ENOUGH TO STOP AN INFLUX OF MIGRANTS. THEY’VE SO FAR FILLED FOUR GAPS IN YUMA COUNTY, THE FED’S TOLD DUCEY TO KNOCK IT OFF AND REMOVE THEM, BUT SO FAR HE’S DEFYING THAT ORDER.

LIVING IN SHIPPING CONTAINER HOMES ISN’T COMPLETELY UNPRECEDENTED. ENTER VINCENNES VILLAGE, A DEVELOPMENT IN CHICAGO’S SOUTH SIDE. THE 2 STORY HOMES ARE COMPLETELY CUSTOMIZABLE, FEATURING A TERRACE AND 10 FOOT CEILINGS. DON’T WORRY, THEY HAVE FAR MORE WINDOWS THAN THEIR QATAR COUNTERPARTS. THE HEAVILY ALTERED SHIPPING CONTAINER HOMES START AT 300 GS, COMING IN JUST UNDER CHICAGO’S MEDIAN SELLING PRICE OF 320 THOUSAND.

THE ABUNDANCE OF SHIPPING CONTAINERS IS BEING USED TO ADDRESS ANOTHER CRISIS IN LOS ANGELES. THE HILDA L. SOLIS CARE FIRST VILLAGE OPENED IN 2021 – OFFERING 232 BEDS IN CONTAINER-MADE UNITS TO SHELTER LA’S HOMELESS POPULATION. THEY COMPLETED THE 60,000 SQUARE FOOT HOUSING FACILITY IN JUST 5 MONTHS TO MEET THE CARES ACT FUNDING DEADLINE – WHERE THEY GOT MOST OF THE MONEY.

ANYONE IN SMALL BUSINESS CAN TELL YOU RETAIL SPACE CAN BE COSTLY. THAT’S WHY SHIPPING CONTAINER MARKETS ARE POPPING UP ALL OVER THE WORLD. TORONTO’S STACKT MARKET OPENED IN 2019 WITH 120 REPURPOSED CONTAINERS. THE PROJECT EVEN WON FAST COMPANY’S 2021 INNOVATION BY DESIGN AWARD FOR RETAIL. VEGAS HAS A SIMILAR PROJECT WITH THE OUTDOOR DOWNTOWN CONTAINER PARK. WHILE LONDON’S BOXPARK IS JUST ONE OF MANY PROOFS OF CONCEPT IN THE U.K.

SO WHAT’S GONNA HAPPEN WHEN THINGS PICK BACK UP AND THEY NEED ALL THESE CONTAINERS BACK? I GUESS THAT’S A PROBLEM FOR ANOTHER DAY. AND THAT IS FIVE FOR FRIDAY. I’M SIMONE DEL ROSARIO AND IT’S JUST BUSINESS.