Hi all; I am trying to put together a talk for a conference on affordable housing. The audience is mostly not -for -profit groups and those involved in funding affordable housing in distressed communities. The discussion is about turning non-residential buildings in neighborhoods into housing. Everybody knows about the elementary school that you turn into senior apartments. I am trying to find interesting examples of other types of buildings. Our firm has turned an auto body shop into a loft type house, a nun's infirmary into senior housing, and we have a small church ready to start construction that will become 5 condo units. Anybody have interesting examples out there you would like to share? I will want to talk about the architectural aspects of the project, but also about what the renovation did for the neighborhood. (ie, turned an eye sore into a viable tax producing property, brought a new mix of residents to the neighborhood, saved a historic structure, etc.
Much of the housing boom in downtown Los Angeles has been all about converting old office buildings (above the 1st floor) into lofts and apartments.
Many of these great old buildings were built as far back as the 1910s. As standards for office space modernized, and as newer office buildings appeared as a result of redevelopment in the 70s and 80s, many of these 12-story behemoths went empty, except for ground-floor retail uses.
Tom Gilmore was one of those spearheading the move to allow residential use of these upper office floors starting in the 90s. Definitely a for-profit undertaking (though not necessarily profitable, to listen to some), thousands of new housing units have resulted. Downtown's demographics have grown and changed remarkably in just a few years (some say for the better, others say not).
I am looking more for stuff in residential neighborhoods or small towns. Sorry I did not make that clear. Most of these not for profits are in the small towns in Pennsylvania between Pittsburgh and Philly, and don't really have a downtown or office buildings Their 'dauntaun' as we say in Pittsburgh consists of a strip of retail stores with old original apartments above.
Oct 1, 09 3:41 pm ·
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non-residential bldgs turned into housing in a neighborhood?
Hi all; I am trying to put together a talk for a conference on affordable housing. The audience is mostly not -for -profit groups and those involved in funding affordable housing in distressed communities. The discussion is about turning non-residential buildings in neighborhoods into housing. Everybody knows about the elementary school that you turn into senior apartments. I am trying to find interesting examples of other types of buildings. Our firm has turned an auto body shop into a loft type house, a nun's infirmary into senior housing, and we have a small church ready to start construction that will become 5 condo units. Anybody have interesting examples out there you would like to share? I will want to talk about the architectural aspects of the project, but also about what the renovation did for the neighborhood. (ie, turned an eye sore into a viable tax producing property, brought a new mix of residents to the neighborhood, saved a historic structure, etc.
thanks!
Much of the housing boom in downtown Los Angeles has been all about converting old office buildings (above the 1st floor) into lofts and apartments.
Many of these great old buildings were built as far back as the 1910s. As standards for office space modernized, and as newer office buildings appeared as a result of redevelopment in the 70s and 80s, many of these 12-story behemoths went empty, except for ground-floor retail uses.
Tom Gilmore was one of those spearheading the move to allow residential use of these upper office floors starting in the 90s. Definitely a for-profit undertaking (though not necessarily profitable, to listen to some), thousands of new housing units have resulted. Downtown's demographics have grown and changed remarkably in just a few years (some say for the better, others say not).
thanks Citizen, you are a good citizen indeed.
I am looking more for stuff in residential neighborhoods or small towns. Sorry I did not make that clear. Most of these not for profits are in the small towns in Pennsylvania between Pittsburgh and Philly, and don't really have a downtown or office buildings Their 'dauntaun' as we say in Pittsburgh consists of a strip of retail stores with old original apartments above.
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