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
| Aug 11, 2010
Corporate campus gets LEED stamp of Gold
The new 100,000-sf corporate headquarters for The Thornburg Companies in Santa Fe, N.M., earned LEED Gold. Designed in the “new-old Santa Fe style” by Legorreta + Legorreta, with local firms Dekker/Perich/Sabatini and Klinger Constructors on the Building Team, the green building sits on seven acres and features three distinct but interconnected office spaces with two courtyards and ...
| Aug 11, 2010
Office developer offers prebuilt units
Metropole Realty Advisors, owner and developer of the newly renovated 681 Fifth Avenue office building in Manhattan's Plaza District, has created a 6,000-sf, full-floor prebuilt unit that functions as both a model unit and built space for tenants unwilling to incur the cost of a build out. Designed by MKDA Designs, the space features contemporary finishes, 14-foot ceilings, and warm, neutral to...
| Aug 11, 2010
Carpenters' union helping build its own headquarters
The New England Regional Council of Carpenters headquarters in Dorchester, Mass., is taking shape within a 1940s industrial building. The Building Team of ADD Inc., RDK Engineers, Suffolk Construction, and the carpenters' Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee, is giving the old facility a modern makeover by converting the existing two-story structure into a three-story, 75,000-sf, LEED-certif...
| Aug 11, 2010
Office complex will incorporate a bit of Summit, N.J., history
Greenock Capital Management and CB Richard Ellis have broken ground on the 46,570-sf Claremont Corporate Center in Summit, N.J. The two-story, Class A office complex will incorporate the adjacent turn-of-the-century Risk Mansion, family home of Dr. William H. Risk, who settled in Summit in 1873. The mansion will be the focus of the facility, with new, modern offices and below-grade parking cons...
| Aug 11, 2010
RMJM unveils design details for $1B green development in Turkey
RMJM has unveiled the design for the $1 billion Varyap Meridian development it is master planning in Istanbul, Turkey's Atasehir district, a new residential and business district. Set on a highly visible site that features panoramic views stretching from the Bosporus Strait in the west to the Sea of Marmara to the south, the 372,000-square-meter development includes a 60-story tower, 1,500 resi...
| Aug 11, 2010
LEED Platinum office complex opens in Morristown
The new headquarters for the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation in Morristown, N.J., is on track to achieve LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Designed by Minno & Wasko Architects and Planners, Lambertville, N.J., the $9.5 million building includes four floors of office space and an adjacent 791-space parking deck.
| Aug 11, 2010
'Feebate' program to reward green buildings in Portland, Ore.
Officials in Portland, Ore., have proposed a green building incentive program that would be the first of its kind in the U.S. Under the program, new commercial buildings, 20,000 sf or larger, that meet Oregon's state building code would be assessed a fee by the city of up to $3.46/sf. The fee would be waived for buildings that achieve LEED Silver certification from the U.
| Aug 11, 2010
Goettsch Partners wins design competition for Soochow Securities HQ in China
Chicago-based Goettsch Partners has been selected to design the Soochow Securities Headquarters, the new office and stock exchange building for Soochow Securities Co. Ltd. The 21-story, 441,300-sf project includes 344,400 sf of office space, an 86,100-sf stock exchange, classrooms, and underground parking.
| Aug 11, 2010
Green HQ going up in Miami
Formgroup, Coral Gables, Fla., has been commissioned by communications company CIMA Telecom to design its 24,000-sf headquarters in Miami. The nine-story, LEED Gold pre-certified office building will get 25% of its power from solar panels and will minimize energy usage with the help of automated window shades and occupancy sensors.
| Aug 11, 2010
Manhattan's Pier 57 to be transformed into $210 million cultural center
LOT-EK, Beyer Blinder Belle, and West 8 have been selected as the design team for Hudson River Park's $210 million Pier 57 redevelopment, headed by local developer Young Woo & Associates. The 375,000-sf vacant passenger ship terminal will be transformed into a cultural center, small business incubator, and public park, including a rooftop venue for the Tribeca Film Festival.