Adaptive Reuse: Reinvigorating Old Buildings, Communities

Courtesy of the Lawrence Group

An old hotel turned into trendy apartments; a restaurant built in a former bank; and a warehouse divided into cool office spaces are three prime examples of adaptive reuse. In today’s climate of sustainability, the benefits of adaptive reuse are attracting new attention from property owners and developers. Repurposing an existing, underutilized structure to give it a new lease on life benefits owners, the environment, and communities.

Adaptive reuse is the practice of refurbishing an existing building for a new purpose. The term became popular in the early 1970s when Boston’s Old City Hall was converted into an office and retail complex. In the decades since, adaptive reuse has enabled some famous transformations – from the conversion of a decommissioned cheese factory into one of Arkansas’ premier art centers to an historic aircraft hangar becoming the home of Google.

The practice, however, goes back centuries. There’s evidence that ancient Romans saw the benefits of adapting structures rather than tearing them down. In Roman times, a voting center was transformed into an entertainment venue; after the fall of the Empire, Roman buildings were often used as churches, fortresses, and more.

Reuse, Restore, Or Preserve?

Adaptive reuse is sometimes confused with other definitions for architectural renovation projects on old buildings. It’s important to note that restoration and preservation are not the same as reuse, although they both seek to bring a structure back to its original state, at least aesthetically.

Restoration returns a renovated or dilapidated site to its original glory. For example, Notre Dame Cathedral has been undergoing restoration work since a devastating fire in 2019. The goal is to restore the landmark to its pre-fire condition.

Preservation seeks to freeze a structure at a moment in time. For example, sites of historic significance are often preserved to protect their heritage. Modern means of weather protection and climate control are introduced strategically only to maintain the building’s original features.

Adaptive reuse reimagines buildings that have outlived their original purpose. Instead of restoring an abandoned shopping mall as a retail center, adaptive reuse might transform it to become an event venue. Communities tend to see the greatest benefit from adaptive reuse projects that turn single-use spaces into multi-use environments, like Boston’s Old City Hall.

“Cities around the world encourage adaptive reuse for the benefits it brings to local neighborhoods. In the first place, adaptive reuse protects a city’s unique heritage. Renovating buildings rather than tearing them down preserves the character of historic areas,” said Greg Trost, Associate Principal at St. Louis-based design firm Lawrence Group. “It also revives dying urban centers. In recent decades, urban sprawl has pulled much commercial space out of city centers. Once-thriving neighborhoods are left to fade into obscurity or, worse, blight. Adaptive reuse reverses that. Multi-use renovations encourage new business development in established neighborhoods. Communities become more walkable, more vibrant, and more economically stable.”

Reuse takes advantage of a building’s best features while modifying it for modern life. For example, the popularity of the industrial aesthetic created demand for housing in historic factories and warehouses. These repurposed buildings breathe new life into long-neglected industrial districts while simultaneously relieving pressure on housing stock.

Another example is transforming institutional buildings like schools and hospitals into mixed-use commercial developments. These sites are already situated in prime locations with spacious layouts and plenty of parking. Repurposing them revives mixed-use neighborhoods and boosts a community’s tax rolls.

Types Of Adaptive Reuse

There are five common approaches architects take when planning an adaptive reuse project: renovation, integration, preservation, facadism, and infrastructural, according to Trost. Here’s a rundown of each one:

• Renovation: Renovation entails equipping a building for its new purpose while preserving its original aesthetic. For example, when Dunn Library at Simpson College was adapted into a center for academic support services, architects updated the layout and mechanical systems while carefully preserving the vision and mid-century features created by the original architect.
• Integration: Integration involves building around the original structure, and incorporating it into a new, larger building. For example, when the Grand Center Arts Academy wanted to restore the historic Sun Theatre, Lawrence Group architects integrated a modern stair tower and elevator to comply with life safety regulations. Similarly, when a new, blast-resistant vestibule was added to the Federal Reserve Bank, it was integrated to complement the building’s existing exterior.
• Preservation: When combining preservation with adaptive reuse, as much of the building’s original features are preserved as possible. When the Southside National Bank was adapted from commercial offices to multifamily housing, the bank lobby was restored to its original glory. A similar restoration occurred with the lobby and executive office floors of the Park Pacific high rise.
• Facadism: In facadism, a building’s public face is restored and preserved, while the structure behind it is demolished and built new. For example, turning City Foundry STL in Midtown St. Louis into a creative, mixed-use development involved exhaustive interior demolition and reconstruction, all while preserving the original building envelope.
• Infrastructural: Infrastructural adaptive reuse repurposes public works like railways and tunnels for non-industrial use. The Grand Hall at St. Louis Union Station was once a bustling travel hub for railroad passengers. Today, the historic landmark is an upscale restaurant and event space.

“Adaptive reuse has a number of benefits over new construction. It provides cost savings to building owners, has a lower negative impact on the environment, and creates physical and psychological benefits for the community,” said Trost. “The owners of underutilized buildings may find adaptive reuse is faster and less expensive than demolition and rebuilding. If the building is structurally sound, construction time can be reduced by a third or more. Reusing existing materials like tiles, metalwork, and lumber reduces the need to buy new products. Reclaiming materials benefits the environment as well. For example, reusing the lumber in the existing structure means lower demand on forests for new timber. The environment also benefits from the reduced demolition waste associated with adaptive reuse. Tearing an entire building down to rubble creates exponentially more waste and debris than renovating select areas.”

Communities are often the big winners in adaptive reuse projects. Breathing new life into dilapidated buildings reverses urban blight; adapting the function of these buildings to accommodate modern life reinvigorates the neighborhood.