Lamar Johnson Collaborative (LJC), a full-service architecture firm headquartered in Chicago, announced the debut of the firm’s Adaptive Reuse Scorecard, a proprietary methodology to quickly analyze the viability of converting vacant office and commercial buildings to other uses, such as hotels and residences.
“Working with existing structures involves complexities that often create a lengthy pre-development process, requiring developers to commit significant resources before they even determine a project is viable,” said Alan Barker, firm principal. “LJC’s Adaptive Reuse Scorecard enables us to assess a potential conversion project much more quickly and earlier in the process, something we anticipate will become even more important given conversations in the industry about the potential of adaptive reuse as a solution for the housing shortage and option for vacant commercial buildings.”
Developed by the firm’s architects, designers, engineers, and development and construction experts with experience in the nuances of adaptive reuse projects, the scorecard focuses on seven categories:
- Development potential
- Building form
- Building systems such as elevator and heat/AC
- Connectivity—walkability, parking and access to public transit
- Amenities and sustainability
- Building skin
- Intangible factors, which include a building’s history, reputation and marketing potential
Adaptive Reuse Scorecard Metrics
A weighted score of one to 100 is assigned to each of these categories, which are then averaged to determine a building’s suitability for adaptive reuse. Projects with a total score above 70% are considered viable candidates for conversion.
“As a subsidiary of Clayco, LJC is able to tap the expertise of our partner companies to generate insights about a potential project’s design, engineering, construction, glazing system and other factors to quickly create an integrated assessment of a building’s suitability for adaptive reuse,” Barker said. “Given the inherent unpredictability in adaptive reuse projects, clients benefit from this methodology because it provides flexibility, encourages innovation, and enables us to address unforeseen conditions as they arise.”
After further refinement to finalize the design and budget concepts—and with client signoff—the design, engineering, and preconstruction process begins.
With its scorecard beta testing complete using a sampling of buildings in the Chicago and Los Angeles areas, the firm looks forward to working with developers in cities across the country on adaptive reuse candidates. “We anticipate there will be a growing volume of this type of work, and the scorecard will undoubtedly help us to quickly evaluate projects and select those that pencil out financially for our clients,” Barker said.
Firms interested in having a potential conversion project analyzed by LJC using its Adaptive Reuse Scorecard should contact adaptivereuse@theljc.com.
About Lamar Johnson Collaborative
Lamar Johnson Collaborative (LJC) is a Chicago-based full-service design and architecture firm that provides integrated delivery and full turnkey solutions across multiple industries. LJC’s services include architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, planning and urban design, sustainability and technical/quality assurance. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Clayco, a full-service, real estate, architecture, engineering, design-build and construction firm. Though LJC works closely with companies in the Clayco family of brands, more than half of its business is with outside developers and general contractors.
Related Stories
Sustainability | Jul 13, 2023
Deep green retrofits: Updating old buildings to new sustainability standards
HOK’s David Weatherhead and Atenor’s Eoin Conroy discuss the challenges and opportunities of refurbishing old buildings to meet modern-day sustainability standards.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 11, 2023
Converting downtown office into multifamily residential: Let’s stop and think about this
Is the office-to-residential conversion really what’s best for our downtowns from a cultural, urban, economic perspective? Or is this silver bullet really a poison pill?
Adaptive Reuse | Jul 10, 2023
California updates building code for adaptive reuse of office, retail structures for housing
The California Building Standards Commission recently voted to make it easier to convert commercial properties to residential use. The commission adopted provisions of the International Existing Building Code (IEBC) that allow developers more flexibility for adaptive reuse of retail and office structures.
Adaptive Reuse | Jul 6, 2023
The responsibility of adapting historic university buildings
Shepley Bulfinch's David Whitehill, AIA, believes the adaptive reuse of historic university buildings is not a matter of sentimentality but of practicality, progress, and preservation.
Multifamily Housing | Jun 19, 2023
Adaptive reuse: 5 benefits of office-to-residential conversions
FitzGerald completed renovations on Millennium on LaSalle, a 14-story building in the heart of Chicago’s Loop. Originally built in 1902, the former office building now comprises 211 apartment units and marks LaSalle Street’s first complete office-to-residential conversion.
Multifamily Housing | May 23, 2023
One out of three office buildings in largest U.S. cities are suitable for residential conversion
Roughly one in three office buildings in the largest U.S. cities are well suited to be converted to multifamily residential properties, according to a study by global real estate firm Avison Young. Some 6,206 buildings across 10 U.S. cities present viable opportunities for conversion to residential use.
Multifamily Housing | May 16, 2023
Legislators aim to make office-to-housing conversions easier
Lawmakers around the country are looking for ways to spur conversions of office space to residential use.cSuch projects come with challenges such as inadequate plumbing, not enough exterior-facing windows, and footprints that don’t easily lend themselves to residential use. These conditions raise the cost for developers.
Sustainability | May 11, 2023
Let's build toward a circular economy
Eric Corey Freed, Director of Sustainability, CannonDesign, discusses the values of well-designed, regenerative buildings.
Office Buildings | May 4, 2023
In Southern California, a former industrial zone continues to revitalize with an award-winning office property
In Culver City, Calif., Del Amo Construction, a construction company based in Southern California, has completed the adaptive reuse of 3516 Schaefer St, a new office property. 3516 Schaefer is located in Culver City’s redeveloped Hayden Tract neighborhood, a former industrial zone that has become a technology and corporate hub.
Libraries | Mar 26, 2023
An abandoned T.J. Maxx is transformed into a new public library in Cincinnati
What was once an abandoned T.J. Maxx store in a shopping center is now a vibrant, inviting public library. The Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library (CHPL) has transformed the ghost store into the new Deer Park Library, designed by GBBN.