The Westminster Arcade in Providence is America's oldest existing shopping mall, with a structure dating back to 1828. As its fortunes began to wane in the late 1900s, the building was shuttered several times. But in 2008 a massive five-year renovation took place, and real estate developer Evan Granoff had a novel idea: Why not convert the upper floors into microapartments?

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By 2013 the Arcade Providence Microlofts were on the market—with a waiting list. (To date, even the model unit has been rented.) The immensely popular microapartments, most of them just 225 square feet, line the second and third floors of the mall's gallery, exposed to the massive atrium's skylights. Independent designer fashion brands (no major labels allowed) fill out the ground-floor retail spaces, creating a unique vibe.

So what do the spaces actually look like inside, and what types of people live there? Have a look: