With empty retail spaces becoming more prevalent in once-thriving shopping centers, property owners sometimes have to consider alternative uses for these spaces.
Businesses such as self-storage facilities, call centers, high tech firms, or light industrial companies may find those empty spaces desirable. In many cases, though, local officials need to change zoning ordinances to enable these new uses.
In such cases, it’s critical for officials to act fast, according to a Michigan real estate specialist quoted in a GlobeSt article. After about 18 months, an empty big box becomes very financially burdensome to maintain and the property can deteriorate.
Of course, the easiest and quickest way to fill a large empty retail space is with other retail. The U.S. has more retail space than it needs, so that option is not always tenable. In such cases, local officials who act quickly on zoning can be a huge help in getting the space filled.
Related Stories
| Nov 16, 2012
South Dakota prefers LEED over building code on state projects
“(LEED is) much better than a mandatory building code because you get a little wiggle room in these projects,” said Mike Mueller, a spokesman for the South Dakota Bureau of Administration.
| Nov 16, 2012
AAMA publishes quality assurance guidelines for Polyamide Thermal Barriers
The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) has published QAG-2-12, Voluntary Quality Assurance Processing Guide for Polyamide Thermal Barriers.
| Nov 16, 2012
New ANSI/BIFMA standards developed for educational seating
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has approved the newly developed safety and performance standard for educational seating: ANSI/BIFMA X6.1-2012—the first of its kind.
| Nov 16, 2012
Green building councils in 62 countries expect 60% of their work to be green by 2015
More than half of the respondents to a survey of members of the Green Building Council in 62 countries expect green projects to comprise 60% of their work by 2015.
| Nov 16, 2012
Voters approve fewer construction ballot measures in 2012 than in 2008
Voters passed fewer ballot measures related to construction projects this year than they did in 2008, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America.
| Nov 9, 2012
New ANSI/BIFMA standard adds point for lower formaldehyde emissions
The ANSI/BIFMA e3-2012 Furniture Sustainability Standard now includes an additional point for furniture products that meet a new, lower formaldehyde emissions limit.
| Nov 9, 2012
Higher bar on LEED may not be harder to reach
The U.S. Green Building Council expects to substantially revise LEED next year, requiring builders beginning in 2015 to take new and more-detailed steps to get buildings certified.