Adaptive Reuse More Popular Than Ever, Study Says

The past decade saw more old commercial buildings transformed into residential buildings than any decade previous.

2 minute read

September 29, 2020, 12:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Brooklyn, New York City

solepsizm / Shutterstock

Alexandra Ciuntu explains the findings of a recent study by RentCafé, which quantifies the number of buildings converted from commercial to residential years in a 70-year history of adaptive reuse

According to the study, the last decade saw more adaptive reuse projects completed than ever, led by Chicago and New York City. Here's how Ciuntu summarizes the nature of adaptive reuse, as well as the key findings of the study:

The U.S. has its fair share of beautiful old buildings — many of them historical — that are often underused or even abandoned. But, through adaptive reuse, they can be repurposed and converted to residential use. This trend took off in last decade, when 778 old buildings were transitioned into apartment communities. In total, 1,876 such buildings have been converted into apartments since the 1950s. From abandoned dispensaries to vintage gramophone factories, we dug into Yardi Matrix data to uncover where these projects are most common and what they were in their past lives.

The article includes several useful charts and infographics to illustrate some of the report's findings, including this breakdown of adaptive reuse projects by decade.

Drilling down to geographic specificity, the report identified the Big Apple and the Windy City as two leading practitioners of adaptive reuse. In terms of numbers of buildings converted, Chicago leads the pack. In terms of number of apartment units created, New York leads the pack. Los Angeles and Philadelphia both appear at the top of the list in both metrics as well.

The study also quantifies the kinds of old commercial buildings most likely to be converted to residential uses, with factories leading the way, just ahead of hotels.

Tuesday, September 22, 2020 in RentCafé

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Looking out at trees on 4th Street in downtown Los Angeles, California.

LA’s Tree Emergency Goes Beyond Vandalism

After a vandal destroyed dozens of downtown LA trees, Mayor Karen Bass vowed to replace them. Days later, she slashed the city’s tree budget.

7 hours ago - Torched

White and blue Sacramento regional transit bus with one bike on front bike rack.

Sacramento Leads Nation With Bus-Mounted Bike Lane Enforcement Cameras

The city is the first to use its bus-mounted traffic enforcement system to cite drivers who park or drive in bike lanes.

April 23 - Streetsblog California

View of downtown Seattle with Space Needle and mountains in background

Seattle Voters Approve Social Housing Referendum

Voters approved a corporate tax to fund the city’s housing authority despite an opposition campaign funded by Amazon and Microsoft.

April 23 - Next City