Tipton Housewright
I attended Easter services at a grocery store. But it’s not what you think; communion was not served in the wine aisle. Actually, the space was once a grocery store, but now it is a thriving 30,000-square-foot church with an attendance of approximately 1,000 people per week.
Until just a few months ago, it was a vacant anchor space in a declining suburban strip shopping center. Now it has colorful interiors organized in a lively, contemporary and very functional way. The concrete floors have been stained and left exposed. The ductwork and steel structure have been painted black. And there’s plenty of parking out front.
This was a win-win for the landlord (he sold the space to the church), the church (their total cost of purchase plus improvements was less than half the price of comparable new construction), and the community (they have a thriving church filling a once-derelict piece of real estate).
As the recession has plowed through the retail industry, it has left in its wake an unprecedented number of store closings. Many once-thriving brands have had to reexamine their real estate needs and close a large number of stores or simply close the entire chain. The list of closings is long and varied but includes names such as Office Depot (126 stores), Dillard’s (26 stores), The Home Depot (15 stores), Macy’s (11 stores), KB Toys (356 stores) and Circuit City (567 stores). Some of these shuttered stores are loosely categorized as big boxes. While there is no precise definition of big box, they are always one story and 25,000 square feet or more with ample, usually surface, parking.
Landlords, developers and concerned communities are trying to figure out what to do with these stores. Some may indeed return to viable retail uses, but what about the others? What about the vacant stores that are in marginal locations or overbuilt markets? What about the stores that remain vacant while waiting for the economy to return to full health so that they can be filled once again with merchandise and shoppers? The answer for many will be to recycle the space into alternative uses.
Architecturally, big box retail is one of the most flexible and easy to adapt building types available. Big box stores have efficient column spacing, usually around 30 feet. Clear heights are generous, creating a sense of spaciousness. Mechanical systems are typically simple rooftop units with ductwork that can easily be reconfigured and rerouted for new uses. If more mechanical capacity is needed, the typical flat roof easily accommodates more units where needed. Roof structures are light-weight structural steel which can be reconfigured for skylight openings or easily reinforced for extra mechanical systems. Since big boxes are only one story, a few columns can even be removed and the structure reinforced if greater spans are needed. Big box tenants typically have plenty of electrical capacity due to their high levels of lighting and cooling. This type of store always has plenty of parking; the typical 5:1,000 retail parking ratio provides adequate space for virtually any use.
Putting new uses in existing big box stores is not only economical and practical, it is also sustainable. Saving a big box store and recycling it into a new use preserves significant amounts of energy and material consumed during construction, as well as time and economic resources. In fact, the recycled big box can be renovated and repurposed to be much more energy and water efficient than the original retail store. New mechanical systems that use less energy can be installed. New insulation in the walls and ceiling can reduce energy consumption as well. Skylights and new lighting systems can reduce the amount of electricity used. New windows can provide ventilation and outside views scoring LEED points. New plumbing fixtures can be specified to use less water. Improvements to landscape and storm-water systems can reduce the impact on the environment.
By recycling a big box retail store, the new occupant can save significant dollars over the price of constructing a completely new facility. Total occupancy costs can be 35 to 50 percent lower than new construction when recycling an existing building. Of course, there are many variables that can influence the final cost. Since the big box format is relatively new, expenses for the abatement of hazardous materials are usually not an issue.
The biggest expenses will likely be in mechanical, electrical and plumbing reconfigurations, as well as life safety and code-related systems.
In Dallas, a 120,000-square-foot freestanding cinema and restaurant complex was recently recycled for use by Fellowship Bible Church. Significant structural reconfigurations were needed to combine three movie auditoriums into one sanctuary space. In addition, the interiors were entirely demolished and a completely new arrangement of spaces was constructed. The project was completed for approximately $100 per square foot.
Of course, churches aren’t the only new uses for old big box stores. They are ideal for call centers, which consist of large concentrations of open cubicle space needing high ceilings and lots of parking. Medical office space, schools, libraries, community centers, city halls and fitness centers are all viable uses for big box space as well. Placing non-retail uses in a retail environment can bring benefits to a community by creating a healthier mix of uses. It can also bring a 24/7 user to the property instead of one that is only open during business hours.
The repurposing of big box retail space into new uses is only limited by the imagination and creativity of architects, developers and communities. The longer the economic downturn persists, the more new uses for old retail will be found and the more rewards will go to those with the creativity and foresight to create these win-win solutions.
— Tipton Housewright is a principal architect at Dallas-based Omniplan Inc.