Much has been written with much hand-wringing over the vacancies in office buildings due to people working remotely. Without a doubt it has had a devastating effect on downtown economies. I’ve seen first hand how small businesses like restaurants and shops have closed. There simply is not enough people and foot traffic daily in those downtown areas to keep the businesses alive.
The two developers have expressed to the city of Emeryville that they are interested in converting the building into residential units, the San Francisco Business Times reported.
But is not the end of the city. The city is simply changing into something different. And that means people have to change their preconceived notions about what a city is and how it operates.
For over a century we have built cities and infrastructure around the premise that people must travel to the work. But modern technologies today enable the work to travel to the people. The later is not only more efficient and reduces costs. But it also allows people to work in ways that aren’t possible in person.
“We need housing,” Desai told the Business Times. “I hope it happens, because it will show a different way of doing things. I mean, the city is all behind it. Now is really for the developers to make a deal.”
More importantly, this sea change has the potential to reduce one of California’s most vexing problems. Housing. The NIMYBY (not in my backyard) folks have been one of the main factors driving the housing crisis. No one wants new high density housing (apartments and condos) built near their neighborhood.
The conversion of high rise commercial buildings into real estate side-steps that problem completely. Typically the buildings have adequate parking, are located near public transportation, and have a range of small restaurants and shops around them.
By all accounts, this is a win-win for cities, residents, and developers. But it means change. And it means the downtown and commercial areas will radically change for a century or more.