Office-to-housing conversions are being pursued as a potential lifeline for struggling downtown business districts that emptied out during the coronavirus pandemic and may never fully recover
By MAE ANDERSON, ASHRAF KHALIL and MICHAEL CASEY
In January, Pittsburgh announced it was accepting proposals to produce more affordable housing through the “conversion of fallow and underutilized office space.” Boston released a plan in October aimed at revitalizing downtown that included a push for more housing, some of which would come from office conversions. And Seattle launched a competition in April for downtown building owners and design firms to come up with conversion ideas.
But the conversion push has some skeptics. Housing advocates worry that the affordable housing requirements could get watered down. And even advocates of the conversion model say giving tax breaks to wealthy developers isn’t the best tool to achieve the goal. Jordan Woods, a 33-year-old federal government contractor, moved to an apartment in downtown Washington in 2019, attracted in part by the appeal of being able to walk to work. He said he was able to find dependable stores and restaurants that stayed open at night, but then the pandemic came and downtown became “like a moonscape” for more than a year.
“A lot of those services simply aren’t available right now in small city downtowns or mid-sized city downtowns, you know, they close up at night,” D’Aprix said. “The ability to really take our outdated office stock in the city is a true win-win because we not only shore up the office market, given the vacancy rates that we are seeing, but we also help reactivate our business districts, which really suffered right during the pandemic,” Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer said.
“What you saw was the fastest growing residential neighborhood in the city,” said Ross Moskowitz, a partner at the Stroock & Stroock & Lavan law firm who specializes in real estate, land use and public-private partnerships. “All of a sudden, you just saw strollers and dogs, so obviously that means that people are not just coming to work. They’re actually coming to stay.”
México Últimas Noticias, México Titulares
Similar News:También puedes leer noticias similares a ésta que hemos recopilado de otras fuentes de noticias.
New study names 3 Texas cities among the least sustainable in the U.S.The Alamo City also landed at No. 64 on list but got demerits for its high level of excess fuel consumption. Texas environment Sustainability SanAntonio SATX SanAntonioTX
Leer más »
Bay Area Cities Celebrate Earth Day with Trash Pick-Up EventsCities across the Bay Area held clean-up events to celebrated Earth Day on Saturday, allowing volunteers to both pick up little and build community with their neighbors.
Leer más »
5 Real Housewives Cities That Got Rejected By Bravo'Whatever casting we did, it wasn’t right and we haven’t gone back to do more' (via toofab)
Leer más »
In two states, gun violence pits blue cities against red legislaturesThe back-to-back mass killings in Southern states have illuminated the gaping chasm between the priorities of Democratic cities and their Republican-led states.
Leer más »
Cities reviving downtowns by converting offices to housingA growing number of developers are considering converting empty office towers into housing as part of an effort to revive struggling downtown business districts that emptied out during the pandemic. Many politicians see these conversions as a potential catalyst to bringing new housing to these dormant neighborhoods and, with that, restaurants, shops and other businesses serving these new residents. Some also see a chance to diversify neighborhoods with much-needed housing that is affordable to low- and middle-income residents. Conversion projects are underway in cities like New York, Washington, Pittsburgh and Dallas.
Leer más »
Cities reviving downtowns by converting offices to housingA growing number of developers are considering converting empty office towers into housing as part of an effort to revive struggling downtown business districts that emptied out during the pandemic
Leer más »