Page 142 - Beyond Decommissioning

Relevant factors for redevelopment 123

A noteworthy factor came to public attention recently. Inadequacies introduced
during renovation works at Grenfell Tower, London may have contributed to the
71 fire deaths during the accident of June 14, 2017. According to a report issued
by fire safety experts, poorly installed fire barriers, gaps around window frames,
and flammable cladding and insulation were introduced to the London 24-story res-
idential tower in renovation works before the fire. The report does not say whether
fault stays with the design or the installation of the features introduced during the ren-
ovation works. But it states that had the building remained unaltered the fire would
have been unlikely to spread. “Grenfell Tower, as originally built, appears to have
been designed on the premise of providing very high levels of passive fire
protection,” states the report. Apparently, five key breaches of fire safety regulations
could have contributed to the tragedy (Dezeen, 2018). These considerations may have
an impact on the opportunity of, and requirements for, reuse.
Zoning codes are often regulatory barriers to the adaptive reuse of industrial build-
ings. Zoning achieves health, safety, morals, or the general welfare objectives by sep-
arating uses into districts on a zoning map. Complementary details include minimum
standards for each district, such as use, height, setbacks, parking requirements, bulk, lot
sizes, density, etc. Most zoning codes prohibit mixed uses. In fact, to determine if a new
use is compatible with existing zoning is not obvious. Many zoning codes have been
amended numerous times and are difficult to interpret. A variance is thus often required
in order to change the use of an industrial building. There can be costs and lengthy
delays associated with this administrative process. Besides, public review is typically
prompted by an application for a variance, which could induce significant delays.
Particular challenges are to be encountered if the industrial area under redevelop-
ment has not normally been used for housing, is located in a commercial district, or is
on a congested site. Parking for housing projects can be very contentious. Siting
parking underneath an adaptive reuse project can be costly, so creative strategies to
locate parking facilities may be essential. Zoning is a typical issue where agreements
or ideally partnerships with local or regional authorities can be key to the success of a
reuse project. One example of local zoning codes easing the adaptive reuse of old
buildings is given in Housing Toolbox (2018).

5.9 Key assets

Experience proves that the development appeal of a decommissioned site critically
depends on one or more key assets remaining from the site’s operations. These assets
provide important factors influencing a specific redevelopment option or generically
improve the attractiveness of the site by offering a range of redevelopment options. An
important task in assessing the redevelopment chances of a site is to identify these key
assets. Once identified these assets should be protected from degradation until the site
is proposed to developers.
Most important, successful adaptive reuse should account for the location of the
property. Location can heavily impact various components of the property, especially
(Sugden, 2017):