Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Building Edition

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Building Edition

Promoting Adaptive Reuse to Support Community Goals

As a community evolves over time – experiencing periods of growth, stagnation and recession – the buildings that comprise it may also change. Often, however, decades-or even century-old buildings make up part of the fabric of a community. While they may not all be historically or architecturally significant, some of these buildings may be part of an important block or business center.

Recognizing the importance of these existing buildings, many communities are developing adaptive reuse policies and programs to encourage the repurposing of historic buildings over demolition and new construction.

Benefits of Adaptive Reuse

Adaptively reusing existing structures – rather than demolishing existing buildings to construct new developments – provides benefits including:

• preservation of a community’s unique architectural character;
• availability of smaller, more affordable spaces for small businesses or start-ups;
• reduction both of waste caused by demolition and of the energy required for new construction;
• creation of jobs in the local economy, especially in specialized trades needed to change the space for its new use; and
• support of the goals of the community’s comprehensive plan, which may relate to sustainability, neighborhood vitality, walkability, historic preservation and economic development.

Challenges of Adaptive Reuse Projects

Reusing existing buildings often presents unique challenges. Identifying these challenges and working with applicants to successfully alter buildings to fit their needs are both critical to preventing demolition, preserving buildings, and modifying them to accommodate modern uses.

Innovative Solutions

Flexibility and creative solutions are particularly important when the applicant is considering a change in use.

• Difficulty complying with building code regulation (especially with required sprinkler systems and firewalls) can be mitigated through the use of the International Existing Building Code and working with fire officials.
• Use restrictions, particularly regarding ground-floor residential, can be loosened in certain zoning districts to respond to the need for additional, middle-housing availability.
• The inability to accommodate required parking spaces on-site due to smaller lot sizes, can be addressed by allowing off-site spaces to count towards required parking, (offering reductions based on proximity to public transit), and permitting shared parking areas within a certain distance of the site.
• Site landscaping requirements can be adjusted to apply to the whole site rather than only certain areas when a site is small or uniquely shaped.
• A grease trap can be installed to accommodate a new type of food preparation, or the number or type of required seats relaxed to save the applicant money.
• Requiring new building treatments like materials used or articulation applied could be calibrated to apply only to additions constructed or investment committed.

Many of the challenges described above can be managed with simple edits to a community’s zoning ordinance or unified development code. Other challenges, however, focus less on the zoning regulations and more on finding and applying project funding, navigating complex procedural requirements (especially for applicants unfamiliar with the process,) and brainstorming creative solutions to complicated issues.

In order to promote adaptive reuse, each community must determine the appropriate flexibility for applicants and assist with creative solutions to preserve the community’s built environment.

This effort toward adaptive reuse will ensure older buildings remain in active use in the community for years to come.