LB Insights: Converting commercial to mixed-use? Here's what you need to know...

by David Oettinger, National Practice Leader – Building Logistics

If you’re an architect or developer working on a project that’s converting a 100% commercial office building to a mixed-use or residential space, you’ll need to evaluate and most likely plan for greater volumes of trash, recycling, cardboard, organic waste, etc., as a result of the conversion.

To help in the evaluation/planning process, here are some key building logistics functions you’ll want to evaluate:

 Are existing trash and recycling compactors or dumpsters sufficient in size and in numbers to support an increase in waste and recycling materials?
What will the projected increase of trash, recycling, cardboard, organics, etc. be in terms of volumes?
 Will the existing loading dock be adequately sized to support additional needed compactors or dumpsters?
 Will compactor and/or dumpster hauling services need to be adjusted in order to support an increase in the amount of trash and recycling produced?
 If there are exiting gravity chutes in the building, will they support a greater volume and diversity of waste and recycling materials?
 Where should new waste and recycling holding rooms be located within the building? How large do they need to be?
 Are existing service elevators adequate in terms of load capacity?

Lerch Bates’s Building Logistics team is ready to help you navigate these considerations and create a customized solution that ensures optimal performance of your building. Reach out to our team to get started today, or learn more about our commercial to residential conversions feasibility studies here.