New homes in existing buildings
Updated: 3 days ago
At Greenbuild International Conference 2026 in New York City, Omgivning Founder and Principal Karin Liljegren, FAIA, shared a practical look at the development opportunities within existing buildings. Her presentation examined how building type, public policy, and design decisions affect whether an adaptive reuse project can move forward.
Karin Liljegren joined Kate Bubriski of Arrowstreet, Scott Campagna of IMEG, and Michael Malinowski of Applied Architecture and AIA California for “From Vacancy to Vitality: Adaptive Reuse for Housing and Decarbonization.” Drawing on Omgivning’s work in Los Angeles, she explored the choices that can turn underused commercial properties into housing
Start with the building type
Karin compared historic buildings, older offices, more recent towers, concrete warehouses, mini malls, and industrial properties. Each presents a different combination of opportunities and costs. Historic buildings such as The Craftsman offer recognizable character and the potential benefit of historic tax credits, but can be expensive to convert. Office buildings with deep floor plates require more careful planning, and the ability to retain building systems can make a substantial difference to feasibility.
Karin compared historic buildings, older offices, more recent towers, concrete warehouses, mini malls, and industrial properties. Each presents a different combination of opportunities and costs. Historic buildings such as The Craftsman offer recognizable character and the potential benefit of historic tax credits, but can be expensive to convert. Office buildings with deep floor plates require more careful planning, and the ability to retain building systems can make a substantial difference to feasibility.
Her examples also showed the potential of partial conversions, light courts, and mezzanines. A warehouse may offer room to introduce a courtyard, while a commercial center may accommodate housing above retained retail. The question is how to work with each building’s structure, proportions, and existing systems to create useful space without taking on unnecessary construction.
Pair policy reform with financial incentives
Los Angeles provided a case study in both the possibilities and limits of policy. Karin revisited the city’s early adaptive reuse framework, including streamlined approvals, alternative building standards, and dedicated agency staff. She then examined how rising costs and more difficult financing can slow conversions even when supportive policies are in place.
Her central point was that policy and financial incentives need to work together. She discussed tools such as faster permitting, flexibility for partial conversions and additions, reduced fees, property tax abatements, and financing tied to energy and infrastructure improvements. Presented as approaches cities can consider, these measures address different parts of the gap between a promising building and a viable housing project.
Use design to improve feasibility and livability
Karin’s design examples addressed both construction costs and the value of the completed space. Retaining usable materials and systems can reduce the scope of replacement work. Where appropriate, mezzanines, adapted mechanical penthouses, and rooftop additions can create more usable area. These opportunities need to be evaluated alongside major costs such as structural retrofits, utility capacity, façade work, and fire and life safety requirements.
For deep office floors, she showed how residential layouts and shared amenities can make use of different parts of the building. Interior areas can accommodate storage, laundry, recreation, and other uses with less dependence on daylight. Ground floors can support live/work space, resident amenities, and street activity. Her façade studies also compared retaining existing windows with introducing inset balconies, showing how individual design choices can affect both the project’s scope and the experience of living there.
Across the presentation, Karin connected the potential of existing buildings with the practical work needed to realize it. Successful reuse depends on understanding what a building can offer, identifying the costs that could prevent a conversion, and coordinating design and policy to make housing achievable.