How does Adaptive Reuse Preserve Communities and Affordability?

Adaptive reuse is simply put, the process of converting old or abandoned buildings for new uses. It has consistently been gaining in popularity and we see no slowing of this trend following the COVID-19 pandemic and shifts in how populations are living and working. Beyond the use of space and models of consumption, we also see community demand for preserving historic buildings and promoting sustainable development in urban areas. DCH is a believer in preserving community architecture, sustainable development practices, and keeping community culture, but many doubt the affordability of these practices. We would like to explain the concept more fully and relate how it can be both affordable and ethical to employ adaptive reuse principles. 

Preservation of Community 

Many of our memories of childhood have specific landmarks in mind; a theatre, a riverwalk, or a place of worship are often sites of adaptive reuse. For this reason, preservationists and proponents of adaptive reuse contend that it can preserve the character and history of a community. Instead of tearing down these landmarks and replacing them with new buildings, adaptive reuse gives them new life and meaning, while retaining the architectural features that give the space its’ character. 

We see this increasingly in Dallas, especially in gentrifying neighborhoods, where new developments and businesses can displace locally owned businesses and residents through disproportionate increases in property values and rents. Adaptive reuse can help a social fabric of a community remain intact, especially when these principles are followed in concert with residential initiatives by developers, like DCH, who provide mixed-income and mixed-use properties that support affordability. 

Affordability 

Adaptive reuse can also promote affordability by providing opportunities for new housing and commercial spaces without the high costs associated with new construction. DCH has reused existing buildings, such as its’ Beckley site, and reformed it into an inviting residential development. It can be more feasible for local businesses to stay in business and serve the needs of their community in these types of reenvisioned spaces. A study by the National Trust for Historic Preservation found that adaptive reuse projects can be up to 50% more cost-effective than new construction, and these cost savings can be passed on to tenants or customers.

Adaptive Reuse in Action 

So, where are examples of successful adaptive reuse projects that have helped preserve communities and promote affordability? There are so many, right here in Dallas! We see not only our property at Beckley, but also numerous theatres witnessing a second life. Nationally, the Oakland School for the Arts, transformed a historic high school building into a performing arts center and the Japantown Cultural and Community Center in San Francisco, reused an old Nihonmachi (Japantown) YWCA building to create a community center that serves the needs of the local Japanese-American community. Numerous factories nationwide are being turned into attractions and hotels into sites for housing. Adaptive reuse shows so much promise not only for Dallas, but for America, in reenvisioning community without displacing residents and businesses. 

Adaptive reuse can promote affordability and preserve community in urban areas through preservation and creativity. It can also create opportunities for housing and economic development. However, adaptive reuse is not the only solution to housing pressures in urban areas. Adaptive reuse projects face regulatory and financing challenges that can often make them impossible to develop. Promoting sustainable and equitable development that benefits everyone requires all stakeholders, the residential associations, preservationists, policymakers, leaders, lenders, and nonprofits, like DCH, to think critically about community transformation and preservation and develop community-first solutions, whether they are reused or new.  Learn more about DCH here!