Architecture can be considered an art form because of its creative design process. When it comes to hotels, architecture is part of the attraction, especially for tourists looking to explore the local culture. National brands bring travelers comfort and trust through familiarity. However, some tourists gravitate toward local appeal, originality, and innovation.
Adaptive reuse is a real estate industry term applied to properties that are repurposed through renovation. Turning an old bowling alley into a shopping center is one example. Another might be an old ice skating rink converted into a lodging facility.
Developers have more flexibility in remodeling old structures into new designs rather than spending much more money on demolition followed by new construction. There are countless reasons why an owner would want to take the adaptive reuse approach beyond trying to save money.
Venturing into the hospitality business might be the driving concern in a tourist town. However, most adaptive reuse projects take place in urban or downtown areas. A major advantage to these projects is they don't take as long to complete as new construction.
One of the top reasons a firm adopts the adaptive reuse strategy is to preserve cultural history. A building might be famous simply for its age or the era it represents. If a historic event took place at the building, it might have value as a tourist attraction. A famous building that survived a well-known earthquake or fire might have local historical relevance.
Another reason for remodeling an old building is to give it a fresh appearance without making drastic changes. For example, adding brick to the building helps strengthen its resistance to environmental factors and provides timeless aesthetics.
In some cases, you might simply want to bring an old structure up to the current code so that it's safer for tenants. This concept lowers risk, favors and can even help lower insurance costs. Perhaps all the building needs is a new roof, which can last for decades. Upgrading a well-known local structure can attract local press, creating new excitement around town and beyond.
Now that sustainability is becoming a serious business goal across multiple industries, the concept of adaptive reuse fits right into this paradigm. Renovation toward greater efficiency with better insulation, lighting, and electronics can be promoted to the community as means of achieving sustainable solutions.
Tearing an old building down to replace it with new construction from scratch can be costly and unnecessary. If the goal is to attract hotel guests, you don't need a brand new building as much as one that looks comfortable from the outside. Renovation can make a huge difference in attracting walk-in traffic. Contact Nikki Fox at ParkWest General Contractors for more information on how to modernize your hotel.
