this post was submitted on 18 Dec 2024
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There are more buildings/office spaces to rent than people wanting office space these days. There are LOTS of empty unrented buildings. He would have difficulty even finding a tenant.
An exceptionally small number (we're talking single digits in the world) of Class A office buildings are good candidates for this, and these are typically done with grants/subsidies from state or local governments. These are only in the most lucrative geographic locations where housing is at an absolute premium regardless of the cost.
For good value of converting office space look at Class C buildings. These are typically older and smaller office buildings (think built in 1910s-1950s). In these, there are ways to make cost effective residential conversions and these are happening by the dozen now.
Here's a guide to the different class of office buildings
The class B pic shown in your link would be a perfect candidate to retrofit to housing if it's unrented. The classifications you're showing are classes of rentals, not building construction.
According to the architectural studies I've read when I looked into this question for myself, you would be incorrect. Open floor plans are apparently pretty horrible for residential conversions. Many residential building codes require each bedroom to have a window with a screen for ventilation. Now look at that picture of the Class B. The only exposed areas that could have a window with a screen would be on the perimeter. Further, codes many have rules that say that you cannot have one bedroom accessible by passing through another, so that would exclude long skinny apartments unless the are a 1 BR. That would leave lots of square footage trapped in the middle unusable for bedrooms. Could you put windowless living rooms and kitchens there? Sure, but even then its very few residences when they could knock that building down and get many more windowed rooms on the same piece of land.
Class C's don't have these issues as they were built with small individual offices in mind and not open floorplans, which make for affordable cost effective conversion to residences.
I'm no building expert, but I am not aware of a difference in "class of rental" vs "building construction" you're making the distinction of. The studies I read only referred to them by class letter and never mentioned any distinction that you're referring to.
Here is a better example of the different classes in architecture: https://www.landzero.com/post/understanding-property-zoning-a-comprehensive-guide
As far as the windows, I don't know that site and the window requirements, but it's hard to see what's going on on the sides. The overhead trusses are easily accessible as well. Maybe, maybe not.
I disagree with you on what you think you can do with "Class B" , but I don't think you're wrong about anything, if that makes sense.
That looks like a guide on zoning, not on the layout inside office buildings or the age in which they were constructed.
I'm confused. You said this in the prior post:
If you say "its hard to see whats going on" or "maybe, maybe not", why did you say that picture was the perfect candidate?
Don't just take my word for it. Go look up the studies actually performed on Office-to-Residential conversion. There was one that evaluated something like 1250 office buildings in North America. Look up your local building codes for residential apartments. Some Class B are good candidates yes, but I doubt the one pictured is for some of the reasons I cited and more.
No, that doesn't make sense to me. I'm no expert in this field. I just read the studies commissioned by the Federal government or articles about those studies. I even replied on Lemmy with this info a few months ago citing those sources. You're welcome to take a look at it for more info here.