Can empty office towers be converted into housing? | About That

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Vacant downtown office buildings are being converted into living spaces to try to address Canada's lack of affordable housing. Andrew looks into how practical the process is, and its potential.
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Опубликовано:

25 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 87

@usswat66 Год назад

Yes anything can be turned into homes. Just depends on if it's financially viable and if anyone wants to live there.

@mattbosley3531 Год назад

Yes, that is the problem. Sometimes it costs more to convert an existing building than to build a new one. And sometimes there are zoning issues.

@mikeb5664 Год назад

Just another condo building.

@WTF_888 Год назад

Hope to see this happening in Toronto where housing shortage is so bad. It makes so much sense to convert these useless office buildings (when most people nowadays don't want to return to office) to residential units. Plus no need to touch the Greenbelt.

@globalfoodaction6748 Год назад

We have low office vacancy in Toronto. Very low chance you'll see this. Calgary and others have a lot of empty offices

@CoconutPatel Год назад

There's no need to touch the green belt regardless. We can build up in existing GTA communities

@JJUnohu Год назад

Canada is a vast and empty country....screw the green belt....just build....wherever, however

@yerabbit6333 Год назад

@@globalfoodaction6748 actually vacancy rates in Toronto are pretty low, currently sitting at 15% - maybe not as low as the other cities mentioned but it's still significant

@brainwells6634 Год назад

They are doing the same thing in Chicago, NYC, Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, Seattle,

@SeanBZA Год назад

By me a good chunk of office space has been converted, mostly into student accommodation, as there is a regular shuttle service to the university so having a single set of buses is a lot cheaper to run. They also get used during breaks as tourist accommodation, making good use of the space again, as they are central to the city, and with good public transport to the beaches and other entertainment spots.

@dasalekhya Год назад

ONLY housing will not help - it has to be *multi purpose* ..may be some short term stay + some essential shops (grocery, pharmacy), restaurant or two ... may be a doctor clinic ... that will work

@omglovemeimsweating Год назад

yes all retail space should have to have housing above it, its such a waste otherwise.

@dasalekhya Год назад

@@omglovemeimsweating true. Here in Edmonton, they do have some such multi purpose buildings (bottom is parking + retail, with housing above), but still there are tons of empty offices

@mikeb5664 Год назад

I'm sure all planning includes commercial on ground and 2nd floor areas, residential above.

@dennis2376 Год назад

They have to take everything out for electrical and plumbing it is because of code. It makes sense for old office to be converted because most companies want new. Very cool idea! This should happen in BC.

@mikeb5664 Год назад

The building needs to be refitted. Along with finishes, MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) needs to be refitted for residential use. It's very possible. You can just as easily turn them into a source of food production with indoor growing.

@bcase5328 Год назад

Air ventilation/circulation are different in residential than in commercial settings.

@SnowWhite-hr4ho Год назад

Actually this has already happened

@jctai100 Год назад

Please please PLEASE just make it affordable housing, we DON'T need more "luxury" condos.

@benstrachan3418 4 месяца назад

Unfortunately in most cases it needs to be oversized luxury apartments due to lighting constraints.

@realtissaye 4 месяца назад

due to plumbing and lighting constraints it makes more sense for office-residential conversions to be large, low density, luxury apartments. plus, increasing housing supply of any kind will reduce housing prices for all

@shawndejong6699 Год назад

can empty office towers be converted in to housing? Yeah... that's what condos are. The issue is going to be plumbing, electrical and fire safety.

@mikeb5664 Год назад

I'd imagine this is already in the planning phase for some buildings. Shopping Malls have been repurposing for years.

@malkeitkaur3046 Год назад

Really wow. Can you name me one?

@cynthiameyers7529 Год назад

SOME of the empty office towers can be converted into housing, but it's harder than it looks. Some buildings are too old and don't have good ventilation. Most of them also don't have the right electrical outlets to support a stove in order to build a proper kitchen. Furthermore, all the bathrooms (male and female) are usually concentrated at one end of the hall and only a limited amount of plumbing extends throughout the whole floor. These buildings are also not located near any amenities that can support a whole community. However, the good news is that with a lot of investment and redesign, the good buildings can be converted into something akin to a dormitory for students and young professionals to live in and whole floors can me dedicated to selling amenities, too. It has a potential to be a new way of living for future generations.

@jasmines.6325 Год назад

You can make afforable housing if you make dorm style living, keep the bathrooms and kitchen the same snd make it communal and just create Japanese internet cafe style rooms ( where people actually live full time).

@mofomoco Год назад

My company can redesign unused commercial spaces into residential units and much cheaper than most people expect.

@cindyloomis-torvi3396 Год назад

The City of Calgary is working on converting two large buildings down town into apartments.

@randydyck9353 Год назад

Thanks for the dash of hope Andrew. All new developments have to follow the "Building Code" of the area.

@timehathtcg Год назад

honestly they should let people convert it, already built, it can't be that hard to maek it livable

@fernandajanicas5776 Год назад

I was talking about this with my friend a couple months ago, why not turn them into affordable apartments so people can rent or buy them.

@jasmines.6325 Год назад

Yes, if they let the price fall down to a very low level and let individuals renovate like they did with warehouse lofts back in the day

@richardspillers6282 Год назад

What about other commercial properties like auto shops and single and two stories business buildings? A lot of shops already have showers.

@mofomoco Год назад

Coming from a designer, yes; this is possible and much easier than everyone thinks.

@kyerwhite4177 Год назад

A few 1960s structures in Halifax have been or are in the process of being converted into new housing. I believe it’s better for the firemen to convert the structures, rather than to tear them down. There’s a great example of this in Sydney Australia

@Alex__palumbo Год назад

new age Lofts! :) I say bring it on! We need it!

@M..................... Год назад

Does the vacancy relate to who's leasing? I'd love to hear how those who lease are using the spaces. I'm guessing the actual vacancy rate is higher than these numbers.

@SeanBZA Год назад

Very likely much higher, as probably a good chunk are stuck with a long lease, even if they only use a fraction of the space now, and have turned the majority of it into storage instead, or are using it for warehousing space, because they cannot get out of the lease without penalty.

@jasonnolan394 Год назад

We need affordable RENTAL housing in every part of this country. We don’t need more expensive condos that are snatched up by wealthy investors, REITS, Airbnb entrepreneurs, etc. Trudeau plans to bring in hundreds of thousands of more immigrants to backfill the aging workforce, but we need double that number in AFFORDABLE RENTALS to house these new immigrants as well as all the Canadians who are homeless or under housed. We are paying more and more of our pay for rent for smaller and smaller spaces. If all your money goes to food and shelter and there’s nothing left, then you can’t participate in the wider economy. And you become part of the working poor unable to save or afford extras. I have always has good paying jobs, and considered myself middle class. But now I have been forced to downsize and pay twice the rent I paid 10 years ago for half the space. And many of my colleagues are also struggling. What worries me most, is that I will be retirement age in 9 years, and I have no idea how I will afford to live anywhere on CPP/OAS.

@shauncameron8390 Год назад

But they're being built, because that's what current city zoning laws allow and condos are one of the handful of housing with a decent ROI.

@sch-corp 9 месяцев назад

Why are you using square feet as a measurement? You guys are in metric Canada right?

@cmbakerxx Год назад

Most of the downtown housing in Cleveland is converted office space. Many of those building are much older buildings from late 1800s and early 1900s. The problem is the buildings from 60s through early 80s. The construction was trash and its easier to start over. Most downtown offices want premium spaces with high ceilings, large open spaces and lots of window area, this is impossible to fit into older buildings. It makes sense that conversion is cheaper. You dont need to construct the foundation and structure. In addition tons of savings on permitting, utility connections, and other red tape. Cities want the building occupied

@michaelrmurphy2734 Год назад

Same thing here where I live. From 1960s on they were built quick and cheap to get office rentals. Fifty, sixty years later what shape are they in? I guess as long as the structure is sound it might work.

@michaelj3414 Год назад

Any Londoner, when mentioning vacant office space, will immediately say "Farhi". He's been a sour taste in Londons real estate landscape for years.

@MrAshraf1949 Год назад

It's very difficult to convert as hotels are they're concrete.

@mikeb5664 Год назад

You don't really touch the concrete. Just work within the existing structure.

@AlexSuperTramp- Год назад

Nice! more Anis, he's great

@abbynormalbrain8301 Год назад

probably no, unless millions spent on plumbing bathrooms. guess could always crap in a bucket?

@thisutuber Год назад

Many singles will happily share common kitchens and even washrooms...for the right rent. Mainly eat out anyway..

@cindyloomis-torvi3396 Год назад

As of February 6, 2023, our vacancy rate is down to 23%.

@CLRY198586 Год назад

They should convert them in all cities. People working from home cuts down on pollution. It just makes sense.

@malkeitkaur3046 Год назад

It make sense to you, me and others but our politicians want more $ to keep their pensions coming.

@rerunrescue8904 10 месяцев назад

It goes without saying that this is not going to be "affordable" housing. It never is.

@tiffaniiee Год назад

yes, there are literally so many ways we can improve housing. The issue is always if the government will allow it lol

@AmanSS890 Год назад

As a designer this is possible.

@alirmortazzavi Год назад

Are we swapping empty office buildings for empty residential apartment buildings? If the office buildings are empty where are the people who worked there and would have money to buy the new apartments?

@michaelrmurphy2734 Год назад

Indeed, none of the new or rebuilds seem to be "affordable housing".

@mikeb5664 Год назад

They won't be empty. Everyone is downsizing office space as you can now share a desk with 1-2 other people because you work hybrid.

@okzzvil7617 Год назад

First, when you are in Canada, you should use metric system. Report it in square meter.

@erich214 Год назад

Yes, although certain industries, such as construction, still use imperial due to the large influence of the US.

@okzzvil7617 Год назад

@@erich214 lah, it's only in North America. Adopt changes and your are good to go. Just a matter of time. Imperial will be obsolete.

@dennis2376 Год назад

Some of us can cope with both. :)

@useyourmind5 Год назад

"Can they??" man...some people are like, child-level intelligent eh haha

@michaelrmurphy2734 Год назад

The new buildings never should have been built in the first place. Not across Canada and not here in Halifax. So much of this is just spinning investors and banks to put money in the developer's pockets. If the building is needed is beside the point. The downtown of Halifax used to be a place I wanted to go to. Not anymore. OK, so you build or rebuild a tower downtown. Now what? Will anyone living twenty floors up be able to get food without having to drive a car to a suburban shopping area? No shops or services for any new residents in a downtown core.

@dennycybalski5766 Год назад

They can I have successfully done it

@scottblackburn2969 Год назад

Cubical sized bedrooms

@dennis2376 Год назад

Sadly better then no bedroom.

@davidcantor293 Год назад

Of course they can lol!

@cherylsibson2529 Год назад

Yeah, hope they can list it on low income housing projects.

@Dontworry1 Год назад

Based on the rendering it won’t be, but prices in Alberta are the lowest in the country so it’s definitely affordable for most

@TheRJRabbit23 Год назад

They need to build more. This is getting ridiculous

@mikeb5664 Год назад

They are building more new residential. But it makes sense to repurpose existing buildings.

@Kubie750 Год назад

God I hope not. The poor should have to work for a living. Here we are giving people prime real estate. Terrible

@theonh9365 Год назад

Maybe they should to a hong kongnese style cubes, and let homeless people stay.

@Suzeaphone Год назад

Why not have communal bathrooms and kitchens so it can be affordable to convert and rent?

@SnowWhite-hr4ho Год назад

Maybe the kitchen but not the bathrooms

@shauncameron8390 Год назад

LOL. There's a reason why flophouses stopped being a thing a long time ago.

@realtissaye 4 месяца назад

bro who wants to use communal bathrooms 😂

@rorymcclernon4674 Год назад

And they'll all get bought by 'investors' driving the prices up to ridiculous levels.

@sarahkercheval8964 4 месяца назад

Hey need to make micro apartments. Stop making expensive fancy condos for rich people. Folks need cheaper housing.

@aaronjoseph7239 Год назад

Build it and homeless will come to your city. Good luck

@ianhowes8141 Год назад

And who is going to pay? Giving useless culls a free place to live won't solve anything - it will just encourage more people to make the decision to sponge off the government rather than taking responsibility for their own lives.