Micro apartments – long a staple in dense urban cities like New York and San Francisco – are increasingly pushing over into secondary markets, a phenomenon that's partially driven by demand for more flexible housing options in the wake of COVID-19.

"Micro-units allow an individual the opportunity to live either independently or with a roommate at a price point that otherwise doesn't exist for the location and level of quality that is being provided," Josh Delk, vice president at Transwestern Development Co., tells GlobeSt.com.

SoPhi, a new project in the Twin Cities from developer North Bay Companies and owner/investor John Wolf, is one such development. The five-level building features 48 furnished micro-units ranging in size from 460 to 547 square feet.