In Sacramento last year, a developer revealed an ambitious plan to convert an old factory, a former ice plant and storage facility, into apartments, restaurants, offices, and stores. The developer liked the gritty industrial feel of nine connected buildings that formed the oldest part of the historic plant, where he planned to build the office and
Schools have a lot of options when they need space. One of them is buying and converting an old building. Credit: Flickr CC user US Department of Education Occasionally schools have to close, leaving large, empty buildings in their wake. People have frequently found interesting ways to repurpose them, turning the old buildings into community
Some churches have to decide between building a new church or buying a preexisting building for their permanent home. Both paths can make sense. Credit: Flickr CC user Rick Camacho A couple of years ago, a church in Clayton, California, announced to its members that it was moving out of its downtown building. They had
People have restored and repurposed old churches across the country. You never know what stories an old church can tell. Credit: Flickr CC user Want2Know Churches used to be the cornerstone of a growing town. Oftentimes, they are the oldest buildings in a community, and the setting of a city’s most famous moments. These seemingly
Since the recession, new office construction has slowed down considerably. Despite adding jobs, many American cities have seen few new office projects. Speculative office building — when developers begin construction without locking down the leases – has been even rarer. The times are changing, however, and the cranes are starting to be seen atop rising
One story that affects commercial real estate has drawn little attention in the business press – the federal government has shed millions of square feet of office space and warehouse space in recent years. In a move to save money and maintenance costs, the Obama Administration embarked on its “Freeze the Footprint” policy. The Department
A converted church can be a great place for a house, and a great way to preserve your parish legacy. Image from Wikimedia Historically, conversions have been a pretty big source of trouble when it comes to churches. Martin Luther didn’t convert, per se, but a lot of people converted after him, and that caused
Playa Vista, a Westside neighborhood, is home to the new Los Angeles tech boom. Image from Wikimedia Commons Silicon Valley is more of a culture and way of life then it is an actual physical location. The growth of the tech industry has had an incalculable influence over the Bay Area and, by extension, over
Credit may be tight for some borrowers of home loans, but money is readily available for solid commercial projects. Credit: Flickr CC user fsecart If you’re thinking about getting a commercial loan for your real estate needs, you might be a little wary. Chances are good that you’ve heard credit is “tight” right now and
Commercial real estate deals, no matter how promising, sometimes fall apart. Some deal breakers can be spotted from a mile away, but curiously, the developer fails to see them. In the midst of the recession in Santa Rosa, CA, a developer dreamed up a massive project that would have delivered not only a great magnet
Certain school projects really get people’s attention, and we are not talking about building new classrooms or labs. Auditoriums, ball fields, and high school stadiums tend to get people off their couches and out to the school board meeting. This is especially true with another kind of a project: a pool. There’s no doubt that
