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Location: That star on your map in the middle of the East Coast, DMV
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I just wanted to kick start this thread, since I think it's about time we keep up with the changes that are happening in the city with buildings being converted to residential use. The city is in dire need of adding more housing units to keep up with growth demand. It appears that DC has become a leader in the country for
converting the prior use of existing buildings into a new residential building.
I just pulled some examples below. These aren't only "office" to residential conversions. For this thread I'd like to cover all forms of building conversions to residential units being added in the city.
Hoping that MDAllstar and others can fill the thread up with much of the projects across the entire city where we see this happening.
Funny you post this thread as I was just thinking how DC seems to have pivoted so quickly adapting to post-Covid whereas some cities aren’t doing anything to pivot on any subject as if on pandemic auto-pilot waiting for things to just fall into place.
Funny you post this thread as I was just thinking how DC seems to have pivoted so quickly adapting to post-Covid whereas some cities aren’t doing anything to pivot on any subject as if on pandemic auto-pilot waiting for things to just fall into place.
It's not that other cities are 'behind the times', it's that other cities were either on this bandwagon years before the pandemic, or simply have different markets that don't require these conversions.
A lot of cities have much more residential units downtown already--and there's a lot of vacancy in these units due to people moving to greener pastures during the pandemic. So building more residential units isn't going to help the vacancy rate, overall. Washington DC had about 10,000 residential units in the downtown area, pre-pandemic. Chicago has 1.5 million residential units in their downtown area.
Another reason is that other cities tend to have much taller, larger buildings and while they may be mostly vacant, they aren't entirely vacant, which prevents conversion of the building. DC has much shorter buildings, making it easier to clear out an entire building and convert its use. In Chicago, for example, a 50 story building is short. By contrast most buildings in downtown DC are only 12 stories tall.
Denver and Detroit have no worse vacancy than they did before the pandemic. Austin and Boston actually have lower vacancy now than they did in 2019. There are many reasons for this but a lot of it is due to the type of businesses their downtown attracts. DC is almost exclusively government, consulting, and professional services. These are jobs that exist entirely on computers and thus can be done anywhere. That drove higher vacancy. Other cities are stronger in life sciences and research, financial services, healthcare, and transportation, which have been more likely to retain their office space during the pandemic.
It's not that other cities are 'behind the times', it's that other cities were either on this bandwagon years before the pandemic, or simply have different markets that don't require these conversions.
A lot of cities have much more residential units downtown already--and there's a lot of vacancy in these units due to people moving to greener pastures during the pandemic. So building more residential units isn't going to help the vacancy rate, overall. Washington DC had about 10,000 residential units in the downtown area, pre-pandemic. Chicago has 1.5 million residential units in their downtown area.
Another reason is that other cities tend to have much taller, larger buildings and while they may be mostly vacant, they aren't entirely vacant, which prevents conversion of the building. DC has much shorter buildings, making it easier to clear out an entire building and convert its use. In Chicago, for example, a 50 story building is short. By contrast most buildings in downtown DC are only 12 stories tall.
Denver and Detroit have no worse vacancy than they did before the pandemic. Austin and Boston actually have lower vacancy now than they did in 2019. There are many reasons for this but a lot of it is due to the type of businesses their downtown attracts. DC is almost exclusively government, consulting, and professional services. These are jobs that exist entirely on computers and thus can be done anywhere. That drove higher vacancy. Other cities are stronger in life sciences and research, financial services, healthcare, and transportation, which have been more likely to retain their office space during the pandemic.
What I mean is some cities aren’t pivoting at all to whatever needs cater to the individual markets/circumstances/etc yet DC has really tried to pivot in various ways Post Covid. Several other cities are pivoting in their own ways, but it’s nice that DC is one of the cities that is being proactive and not one with civic leaders and organizations doing nothing.
I just wanted to kick start this thread, since I think it's about time we keep up with the changes that are happening in the city with buildings being converted to residential use. The city is in dire need of adding more housing units to keep up with growth demand. It appears that DC has become a leader in the country for
converting the prior use of existing buildings into a new residential building.
I just pulled some examples below. These aren't only "office" to residential conversions. For this thread I'd like to cover all forms of building conversions to residential units being added in the city.
Hoping that MDAllstar and others can fill the thread up with much of the projects across the entire city where we see this happening.
It's not that other cities are 'behind the times', it's that other cities were either on this bandwagon years before the pandemic, or simply have different markets that don't require these conversions.
A lot of cities have much more residential units downtown already--and there's a lot of vacancy in these units due to people moving to greener pastures during the pandemic. So building more residential units isn't going to help the vacancy rate, overall. Washington DC had about 10,000 residential units in the downtown area, pre-pandemic. Chicago has 1.5 million residential units in their downtown area.
Another reason is that other cities tend to have much taller, larger buildings and while they may be mostly vacant, they aren't entirely vacant, which prevents conversion of the building. DC has much shorter buildings, making it easier to clear out an entire building and convert its use. In Chicago, for example, a 50 story building is short. By contrast most buildings in downtown DC are only 12 stories tall.
Denver and Detroit have no worse vacancy than they did before the pandemic. Austin and Boston actually have lower vacancy now than they did in 2019. There are many reasons for this but a lot of it is due to the type of businesses their downtown attracts. DC is almost exclusively government, consulting, and professional services. These are jobs that exist entirely on computers and thus can be done anywhere. That drove higher vacancy. Other cities are stronger in life sciences and research, financial services, healthcare, and transportation, which have been more likely to retain their office space during the pandemic.
Huh?
The entire City of Chicago only has 1,217,686 total housing units across 227.7 square miles.
How does Chicago have 1.5 million residential units just in downtown? That cannot be correct.
I am glad we are converting a lot of these older buildings in downtown DC, old BRAC space in Baileys Crossroads/ Crystal City VA, Alexandria, etc. In an area with a chronic shortage of housing we should be doing this wherever possible!
You are correct that I was wrong--15,000 units downtown.
You are also a bit wrong. 2010 census showed 1.5 million housing units for the entire city (not 1.2 million, and note that estimates for 2020 census estimate that this number has increased to 2.2 million, which most of Chicago's increase being downtown--but official numbers haven't been released yet).
What I mean is some cities aren’t pivoting at all to whatever needs cater to the individual markets/circumstances/etc yet DC has really tried to pivot in various ways Post Covid. Several other cities are pivoting in their own ways, but it’s nice that DC is one of the cities that is being proactive and not one with civic leaders and organizations doing nothing.
And what said was that a lot of cities don't need to pivot to anything. Healthy economies don't chase after trends. They are diverse and prepared for the ebbs and flows. Because by the time any trend has become apparent, it's too late to pivot.
DC has a history of chasing after trends (example: streetcars). And being behind in anticipating trends (example: Food trucks, scooters). These things haven't gone well.
And what said was that a lot of cities don't need to pivot to anything. Healthy economies don't chase after trends. They are diverse and prepared for the ebbs and flows. Because by the time any trend has become apparent, it's too late to pivot.
DC has a history of chasing after trends (example: streetcars). And being behind in anticipating trends (example: Food trucks, scooters). These things haven't gone well.
Post pandemic recruiting, economic development, running businesses, etc. does need to pivot. Post pandemic isn’t a food truck trend.
Airlines, hotels, economic developments, offices, telework policies, commuting habits, etc. all have to pivot in some type of way. Some more than others. Discount airlines don’t need to change as much whereas airlines that chased business travelers do. Whether that’s taking out 1st class, reducing it, less shuttle flights between DC/NY/Boston, etc.
I was particularly thinking about Charlotte too and how their leaders and stuff are sitting on pre-pandemic auto-pilot which I don’t feel like getting into other cities much. I made a general statement and I feel like DC is doing what it needs to adjust to post-pandemic. Some more than others. But the world has changed and it’s not the same as an electric scooter trend…
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