The Arcade is the oldest shopping mall in the United States, having first opened in 1829. Evan Granoff, the owner of the mall, recently converted the building into apartments so that it would not be torn down.

The mall in Providence, Rhode Island has 48 living spaces in it, with their sizes varying from 225 to 800 square feet. Though the upper floors are apartments, the ground floor continues to be retail spaces, housing various stores and coffee shops.

Sharon Kinnier is one tenant of the building, and she uses her loft when she is in Providence for work during the week. She then flies home to Washington D.C. to be with her husband on weekends. Another resident is Dr. Naz Karim, who says that his small apartment is perfect for his hectic schedule that includes night shifts and traveling the world.

Though some of the apartments are very small, more and more Americans are living in tiny homes these days. These homes are seen as more manageable and cost effective for people, which is why this craze has swept the nation.

There are many people who love the idea of recycling these vacant buildings to serve a greater need.

“This concept would be great for senior living. Easy access to everything an urban area has to offer, public transport, common area to hang out, etc.,” one social media user commented, with another adding, “Why hasn’t someone done this to all the defunct shopping malls? I’ve seen larger shopping malls which have become deserted for years which would be amazing to turn residential.”

Find out more about this in the video below.