Telecom Hotels Revitalize Urban Cores

Developers are turning faded structures into "telecom hotels," rebuilding the pillars of the old economy. Cities need to figure out how to take advantage of these assets.

1 minute read

July 24, 2000, 9:30 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


Throughout the US, real estate investors are turning old office buildings, obsolete manufacturing plants, old wharehouses, and underused retail centers into telecom or carrier hotels. Instead of packing the buildings with manufacturing machines, companies are filling them with racks of switches, routers, computers and generators. These structures are being rehabbed to house the backbone of the Internet Economy. Planners are only now realizing the potential windfall, and they need to figure out how to take advantage of the assets -- especially if they are in economic depressed areas. This feature story from The Industry Standard cites examples from Los Angeles, New York, and Clevland.

Thanks to Chris Steins

Monday, July 24, 2000 in The Industry Standard

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

Bird's eye view of manufactured home park.

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing

Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

March 25, 2025 - Shelterforce

U-Haul truck on road with blurred grassy roadside in background.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?

Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

March 27, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Close-up of rear car bumper in traffic on freeway.

Research Shows More Roads = More Driving

A national study shows, once again, that increasing road supply induces additional vehicle travel, particularly over the long run.

March 23, 2025 - Road Capacity as a Fundamental Determinant of Vehicle Travel

'Opaeka'a Falls on the island of Kauai surrounded by lush green forest and blue sky.

How Protecting Kauaʻi’s Forests Safeguards Fresh Water

A University of Hawaiʻi study shows that protecting Kauaʻi’s native forests from invasive species significantly boosts groundwater recharge, making it a cost-effective strategy to secure fresh water and enhance climate resilience.

45 minutes ago - University of Hawai'i News

Aerial view of Gary, Indiana at golden hour with prominent white bulbous water tower on left historic stone church on the right.

Gary, Indiana to Expand Transit Service, Bike Share

The city plans to launch a bike share system in April and expand service on its bus routes.

1 hour ago - Mass Transit

Close-up of open charging port with charging cable plugged in on yellow electric school bus.

Pittsburgh Rolls Out Electric School Buses

Pittsburgh Public Schools has launched its first electric school buses, with plans to fully electrify its fleet over the next 14 months, aiming to create a cleaner, more sustainable transportation system supported by new charging infrastructure.

2 hours ago - CBS Pittsburgh