There has been a lot of post-pandemic interest among developers about converting vacant office spaces to something more leasable, like residential apartments. That interest, though, has yet to turn into a groundswell of adaptive reuse, mainly because office-to-residential conversions can be complicated and expensive due to incompatible floorplates, ceiling heights, and code restrictions, to name but a few of the impediments AEC firms often cite.
As something of a compromise solution, one firm, NELSON Worldwide, has been touting a project it completed in March 2022 in Minnetonka, Minn., that converted a four-story building, which had been leased by a single tenant, into a Class A multi-tenant office space known as Crest Ridge, with a three-level attached parking ramp and heated garage.
The appeal of this 116,000-sf building, which was first constructed in 2008, is its location on the urban fringe, a wooded seven-acre campus with a lake, walking trails, and scenic views, says David Filak, NELSON’s Associate Principal and Regional Practice Leader-Asset Strategy.
The goal of the client, Larson Capital Management, for this conversion was to maximize the building’s leasability, and to add amenities that would attract different tenants. The conversion, however, presented challenges: the client wanted a big cafeteria in the building’s basement to be upgraded to leasable space. There was also a staircase that connects the floors of the building that needed to be brought up to safety and fire codes, partly by adding vestibules at the landing of each floor.
New amenities included a self-service food and beverage area at the base of the staircase; a fireplace, pool table, and perching stations near full-height windows; and a 70-person training and conference room adjoining a pre-function space. The building’s fully equipped fitness center was relocated to the first floor and upgraded. There’s new flooring on the second floor, and new furniture in the common areas that include a shared entertainment space.
The campus, which connects to Interstate 394, is within a half-mile of numerous restaurants and retail stores.
Listening to clients’ needs
![Interior of Crest Ridge, with self-help vending machines](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-14%20at%203.43.23%20PM.png)
Working with a local general contractor Gardner Builders, NELSON designed the building plan for multi-tenancy on behalf of the landlord and leasing team’s goals. Upon completion of the conversion, Old Republic Title leased 2½ floors. The building currently has four tenants, including Walker Methodist, One10, and Functional Neurology. Functional Neurology and Walker Methodist worked with NELSON on their fitouts. Filak says that the project’s budget, which initially had been $2.6 million, was trimmed by $1 million by scaling back on some amenities.
Since completing this project, NELSON has been getting inquiries from other developers interested in this kind of conversion. “A lot of developers and tenants are going through investigative processes,” says Filak. He adds that by listening to Larson Capital’s goals, “we were able to help them at every step of the way,” including with its leasing strategy in relation to the building’s interior design.
NELSON Worldwide contends that architects can identify strengths and weaknesses of a building by conducting a comprehensive analysis for repositioning, abetted by innovative technology like artificial intelligence. Transforming the building to meet current and changing market demands can improve its rental potential and expand the building’s lifespan.
Related Stories
| May 25, 2011
Developers push Manhattan office construction
Manhattan developers are planning the city's biggest decade of office construction since the 1980s, betting on rising demand for modern space even with tenants unsigned and the availability of financing more limited. More than 25 million sf of projects are under construction or may be built in the next nine years.
| May 18, 2011
Lab personnel find comfort in former Winchester gun factory
The former Winchester Repeating Arms Factory in New Haven, Conn., is the new home of PepsiCo’s Biology Innovation Research Laboratory.
| May 16, 2011
Virtual tour: See U.S. Green Building Council’s new LEED Platinum HQ—and earn CE credits
A virtual tour of the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Platinum HQ is available. The tour features embedded videos, audio podcasts, and information on building materials and products used throughout the space. By taking the virtual tour, professionals can earn GBCI Continuing Education hours for the LEED AP with specialty and LEED Green Associate credentials.
| May 11, 2011
DOE releases guide for 50% more energy-efficient office buildings
The U.S. Department of Energy today announced the release of the first in a new series of Advanced Energy Design Guides to aid in the design of highly energy efficient office buildings. The 50% AEDG series will provide a practical approach to commercial buildings designed to achieve 50% energy savings compared to the commercial building energy code used in many areas of the country.
| May 10, 2011
Google hires Ingenhoven Architects to design new Mountain View office
The current Googleplex is straining at the seams and yet the company is preparing its biggest hiring surge ever, so Google decided now’s the time to build its own office space—a first for the Internet giant. The company hired Ingenhoven Architects, a German firm that specializes in sustainable architecture, to create plans for what could be a 600,000-sf office.
| Apr 13, 2011
Office interaction was the critical element to Boston buildout
Margulies Perruzzi Architects, Boston, designed the new 11,460-sf offices for consultant Interaction Associates and its nonprofit sister organization, The Interaction Institute for Social Change, inside an old warehouse near Boston’s Seaport Center.
| Apr 13, 2011
Red Bull Canada HQ a mix of fluid spaces and high-energy design
The Toronto architecture firm Johnson Chou likes to put a twist on its pared-down interiors, and its work on the headquarters for Red Bull Canada is no exception. The energy drink maker occupies 12,300 sf on the top two floors of a three-story industrial building in Toronto, and the design strategy for its space called for leaving the base building virtually untouched while attention was turned to the interior architecture.
| Apr 13, 2011
Former department store gets new lease on life as MaineHealth HQ
The long-vacant Sears Roebuck building in Portland, Maine, was redeveloped into the corporate headquarters for MaineHealth. Consigli Construction and local firm Harriman Architects + Engineers handled the 14-month fast-track project, transforming the 89,000-sf, four-story facility for just $100/sf.