As remote work rose and demand for office space declined since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, developers have found converting some offices to residential use to be an attractive option.
Apartment conversions rose 25% in the two years since the start of the pandemic, with 28,000 new units converted from other property types, according to a report from RentCafe. By comparison, new apartment volume rose just 10% over the same period.
Of the total number of conversions, 11,090 new units are the result of office-to-apartment conversions, which have risen more than 40% between 2020 and 2021, representing an all-time high. An additional 77,000 adaptive reuse units are currently being converted.
Washington, D.C., leads the nation in most apartment conversions, with 1,565 new adaptive reuse units in 2020 and 2021—more than double the amount between 2018 and 2019. Overall, Washington, D.C., has 5.6% of the total adaptive reuse projects in the U.S.
Related Stories
| Jun 10, 2014
Built-in balcony: New skylight windows can fold out to create a patio
Roof window manufacturer Fakro offers a skylight window system that quickly converts into an open-air balcony.
| Jun 9, 2014
Green Building Initiative launches Green Globes for Sustainable Interiors program
The new program focuses exclusively on the sustainable design and construction of interior spaces in nonresidential buildings and can be pursued by both building owners and individual lessees of commercial spaces.
Sponsored | | Jun 4, 2014
Fiber cement panels bridge historic and modern at Minneapolis apartment complex
The design team for the Third North apartment complex specified Nichiha’s Illumination Series architectural panels in a blend of six colors—divided into swaths of reds and swaths of grays—that combine with a rectilinear shape to complement nearby brick.
| Jun 3, 2014
Libeskind's latest skyscraper breaks ground in the Philippines
The Century Spire, Daniel Libeskind's latest project, has just broken ground in Century City, southwest of Manila. It is meant to accommodate apartments and offices.
| Jun 2, 2014
Parking structures group launches LEED-type program for parking garages
The Green Parking Council, an affiliate of the International Parking Institute, has launched the Green Garage Certification program, the parking industry equivalent of LEED certification.
| May 30, 2014
MIT researchers create 'home in a box' transformable wall system for micro apartments
Dubbed CityHome, the system integrates furniture, storage, exercise equipment, lighting, office equipment, and entertainment systems into a compact wall unit.
| May 30, 2014
Developer will convert Dallas' storied LTV Building into mixed-use residential tower
New Orleans-based HRI Properties recently completed the purchase of one of the most storied buildings in downtown Dallas. The developer will convert the LTV Building into a mixed-use complex, with 171 hotel rooms and 186 luxury apartments.
| May 29, 2014
7 cost-effective ways to make U.S. infrastructure more resilient
Moving critical elements to higher ground and designing for longer lifespans are just some of the ways cities and governments can make infrastructure more resilient to natural disasters and climate change, writes Richard Cavallaro, President of Skanska USA Civil.
| May 29, 2014
Wood advocacy groups release 'lessons learned' report on tall wood buildings
The wood-industry advocacy group reThink Wood has released "Summary Report: Survey of International Tall Wood Buildings," with informatino from 10 mid-rise projects in Europe, Australia, and Canada.
| May 28, 2014
Moshe Safdie's twin residential towers in Singapore will be connected by 'sky pool' 38 stories in the air [slideshow]
Moshe Safdie's latest project, a pair of 38-story luxury residential towers in Singapore, will be linked by three "sky garden" bridges, including a rooftop-level bridge with a lap pool running the length between the two structures.
