Architect John Weigand: Here’s what cities with empty commercial space and housing shortages are learning
From converting work spaces to living space and a return to walkable cities, renovations of older commercial buildings are fundamentally changing the character of our cities for the better, writes Weigand in The Conversation
Architect John Weigand: Here’s what cities with empty commercial space and housing shortages are learning
“High vacancy rates are forcing developers to get creative. With reduced demand for older buildings, along with housing shortages in many American cities, some downtown buildings are being converted to residential use,” writes John Weigand, professor of Architecture and Interior Design and interim dean of theCollege of Creative Arts.
“These projects often include some percentage of affordable housing, underwritten by tax incentives. In October 2023, the Biden administration released a list of federal loan, grant, tax credit and technical assistance programs that can support commercial-to-residential conversions,” Weigand writes.
“As an architect, I’m encouraged to see these renovations of older commercial buildings, which are more economical and sustainable than new construction. In my view, they are fundamentally changing the character of our cities for the better. Even though only about 20% to 30% of older buildings can be profitably converted, architects and developers are quickly learning how to grade these structures to identify good candidates.”
Read Weigand’s article, “Cities with empty commercial space and housing shortages are converting office buildings into apartments – here’s what they’re learning” in The Conversation (June 13).
