Downtowns have experienced a dramatic renaissance in recent years. But many still struggle with unused and underused spaces, ranging from abandoned manufacturing facilities to obsolete warehouses to vacant lots.
Filling in the gaps isn’t easy. In fact, downtown leaders often need to figure out ways to encourage developers to invest in infill projects.
The November issue of Downtown Idea Exchange reports on seven strategies for encouraging infill development. One of the most significant: Adopting an adaptive reuse ordinance.
The article explains, “Historic preservation and adaptive reuse often don’t happen because the rules around them are onerous. It’s no easy task to fit an old building into new guidelines around parking, fire safety, design, or density. Downtown leaders should work with their municipalities to establish new rules.”
These ordinances have been shown to spur big results. For example, in Los Angeles, 4,300 downtown housing units were added in a three-decade span before the city passed an adaptive reuse ordinance. In the decade after the new rule passed, developers added 7,300 downtown residences.
More on strategies to encourage infill development appear in the November issue of Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter.
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