White House announces push to convert empty commercial buildings to housing

[thatdemguy]

34. I can answer a lot of the questions, I am currently doing 340 apts in baltimore

In 2 former office buildings. It is not as simple as moving people in, they gut the building back to a shell and everything but the floors and exterior walls are new. Its a completely new electrical, plumbing and havc.

They are not low income but certainly not high end rent, and they are exempt from some ADA requirements, due to historic requirements. Almost every apt is convertable to ada, but none are done from scratch.

The historic requirements are nuts, the one building has 1175 items that must be preserved and restored. And some of those items that count as one is the stair railings in 17 floors of one stair well.

The cost per sq foot is higher than a new building due to a few things, the only saving grace is the build speed. We are on schedule to do the 112 unit building in a year, and we have the same size building in DC that will take 2.5 years. Just due to having to build it from scratch.
The buildings in baltimore will have an average rent of 1350 for a 1 bedroom, 1200 for the studios.

Have any questions just reply to my post. I am the electrical contractor.