The new Seraph building may herald a new era of adaptive reuse in downtown Salt Lake City.
A former office tower in downtown Salt Lake City is now a luxury 217-unit residential tower, reports Tony Semerad in The Salt Lake Tribune.
“With many office properties currently underutilized — both in Utah and nationally — and high interest rates pushing up the costs of new construction, some commercial real estate experts are suggesting that adaptive reuse has become an increasingly viable way for cities to add housing.” The renovated tower, dubbed Seraph, offers apartments from studios to three-bedrooms at luxury prices.
The same developer, Hines, is working on another Salt Lake project that is now stalled. After demolishing a historic theater building, Hines shelved plans to build a 400-unit apartment building that would have included some subsidized units.
According to Hines, adapting the building will reduce carbon emissions by as much as 74 percent compared to building from the ground up. “Given its rapid population growth, flexibility in city zoning and many older, underutilized office buildings downtown, Hines officials said, Salt Lake City ‘presented a compelling environment’ to make the Seraph conversion happen.”
FULL STORY: A 1960s SLC office tower reopens as luxury apartments, showcasing reuse as path to new housing
Co-living ‘Microapartments’ Cost Half as Much to Build as Typical Studios
In 10 major U.S. metros, an analysis found that converting office buildings to small co-living units could dramatically cut the costs of construction.
Office Conversions Have Increased Every Year This Decade
Since the pandemic, office vacancy rates remain high, leading many cities to adjust zoning codes to accommodate adaptive reuse.
Office Conversion Sees No Sign of Slowing
The adaptive reuse of office buildings for residential and other uses will grow by as much as 63 percent in 2024 over last year.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
5 New England states march closer to 800 megawatt wind energy project
Securing federal approval for the project may be complicated under the Trump administration, which has historically been hostile towards domestic wind power.
Baltimore to break ground on $50 million Transit Priority Project
The project will bring faster bus trips, safer streets and better bike connections to Baltimore.
Airbnb launches $250 million 'last-dollar financing' housing accelerator, makes first investment in Austin
The company will put $6.4 million towards affordable housing development in Texas’ capital.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association