Archived version: https://archive.ph/vL1mC
Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20230806071111/https://www.businessinsider.com/employees-work-from-home-benefits-as-good-as-raise-2023-8

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] girlfreddy@lemmy.world 19 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

The upside to these empty buidings is they can - and should be - transitioned to housing. It's just the rich companies who own the buildings don't want to have to invest any money in that.

Gov'ts should force them to, but that won't happen either. :/

[–] cybersandwich@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I am all for converting commercial to residential. However, a civil engineer or architect (I can't remember)on reddit explained all of the reasons that's not practical or sometimes even feasible due to how commercial buildings are constructed. Plumbing, electric, HVAC, etc aren't designed for units. Retro fitting is cost prohibitive to the point where they'd need to be torn down and built from scratch.

I don't know how accurate that is, but it sounded legit.

[–] girlfreddy@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yet other engineers have said it can be done by refitting the window-facing offices as sets of single/double units with the interior of the floor as communal kitchen/gathering spaces, and separate floors for larger family units and spaces.

It's not that hard to figure out ways to do it but companies will have to be forced, either by threat of bankruptcy or gov't rules.

[–] cybersandwich@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

communal kitchens sounds like a freaking nightmare. Thats not realistic or practical. You are asking people to "just change their culture and social norms".

[–] girlfreddy@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You seem to think that everyone would want what you want.

If it's not to your taste, don't live there. But there are thousands of unhoused people who may very well enjoy that vs living in a shelter or on the street.

[–] PersnickityPenguin@lemm.ee 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Office floor plates are typically far too large for residential. Bedrooms require windows facing the exterior by code. Then the plumbing requirement will gut the building.

[–] girlfreddy@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Offices already have plumbing on every floor for bathrooms.

And the idea to change over offices to residential is gaining traction ... so go talk to them about how it can't be done.