Sustainability, and specifically adaptive reuse, has been part of BGK’s DNA for over 40 years. We’ve watched trends come and go, but reimagining existing buildings has endured because it consistently delivers environmental, economic, and social value for owners and communities.

You’ve likely seen headline examples: New York City’s High Line transforming an elevated rail line into a beloved public space, and Austin’s Seaholm Power District recasting an Art Deco power plant as a lively mixed‑use destination. Closer to our day‑to‑day work, BGK has helped public owners realize similar outcomes across Texas, reviving places, preserving resources, and creating future‑ready facilities.

What Do We Mean by “Adaptive Reuse”?

Unlike a conventional renovation that primarily repairs or refreshes finishes, adaptive reuse is a true transformation. It repurposes an existing structure for a new use — often with new occupancy types, modern building systems, and reconfigured circulation. Done well, it connects a place’s history with its future while reducing waste, shortening schedules, and strengthening community identity.

It’s not for the faint of heart. Success depends on thoughtful planning, rigorous due diligence, and a willingness to solve surprises decisively rather than “kicking the can down the road.”

Is Adaptive Reuse Right for Your Project?

To guide early conversations, we use a simple Go/No‑Go Decision Scorecard that helps teams visualize trade‑offs and align on next steps. Ask—and answer—these questions up front:

• Program fit: Will your required spaces realistically fit the existing structure and volumes?

• Budget & viability: What will it cost—and what are the cost drivers unique to this building?

• Schedule: Are there critical dates (move‑in, funding, academic calendar) the project must hit?

• Codes, zoning, and infrastructure: Will egress, accessibility, utilities, and site access support the new use?

• Land & location: Does reuse solve a land scarcity/site availability challenge?

• Sustainability & values: Does the approach align with your carbon, resilience, and stewardship goals?

• Cultural significance: Is the site historically or culturally important to the community?

Case Study 1: Austin Community College District — Highland Campus

Once a declining regional mall, Highland now thrives as an educational hub for ACC. A central challenge was transforming a former department store—essentially a large, windowless box—into inspiring, daylit teaching and collaboration spaces that honor community history and serve evolving programs (including the large‑scale ACCelerator computer learning environment). The project catalyzed broader district growth while proving how an aging retail asset can become a high‑performing academic campus.

Case Study 2: Central Health — Enterprise Headquarters & Multi‑Purpose Care Site

Central Health, Travis County’s public hospital district, is repurposing a former Sears into an administrative headquarters and central clinic. Consolidating staff from multiple leased locations into one owned facility will improve coordination and long‑term operating costs while expanding patient‑facing services. The project extends the useful life of a commercial shell to meet urgent civic needs—right where residents already are.

What We’ve Learned (So You Don’t Have to Learn It the Hard Way)

Start with suitability, not aesthetics.
Run early, engineer‑led studies to test floor‑to‑floor heights, structural loads, vibration, ventilation, and utility capacity against your program—especially for assembly uses, labs, or specialized spaces.

Coordinate with the AHJ early and often.
Bring code officials into the process to clarify egress, exiting, accessibility, and any change‑of‑use triggers that could affect scope, budget, or schedule.

Mind the thresholds.
Seemingly small dimensions can tip a project into more stringent upgrades (e.g., exit counts or live‑load categories). Right‑sizing a storage room or re‑planning an assembly area can avoid major structural work without compromising function.

Don’t defer critical upgrades.
If the team is mobilized and you know an upgrade is inevitable, do it now. Deferral tends to cost more later and compounds risk.

Assume the envelope needs love.
Older shells often require full roof/wall replacements, excavation, waterproofing, and thermal improvements. Budget exterior work up front to avoid surprises.

Trust, but verify existing conditions.
Accurate as‑builts are gold. When documentation is thin, invest in laser scanning and targeted destructive testing so you’re designing to reality, not guesswork.

Design for the next use, not just this one.
Future‑proof major systems (MEP, structural capacity, riser locations) and plan flexible “shell‑ready” zones so the building can adapt again.

The “Saddle Up” Phase (Our Due Diligence Playbook)

1. Discovery & Scanning: Laser scan, probe, and test critical assemblies; reconcile against any available drawings. These costs typically pay off in reduced errors and surprises later on in the project.

2. Risk Mapping: Document the unknowns, assign probabilities, and tie each risk to schedule and budget ranges.

3. AHJ Alignment: Confirm code paths, site/access constraints, utilities, and change‑of‑use implications.

4. Scope Strategy: Sequence work to tackle high‑risk upgrades when access is open; avoid partial fixes that create rework later on.

5. Contingencies: Layer contingencies (design, owner, and contractor) appropriate to the level of unknowns.

Budgeting & Scheduling—Plan for What You Can’t See (Yet)

• Build realistic allowances for envelope repair, selective demo, and unforeseen structural work.

• Carry design and construction contingencies that can be dialed down as verification progresses.

• Protect the critical path by front‑loading investigations and early enablement packages.

• If the site is active (campus or clinical), plan phasing and decanting early to minimize downtime.

Key Takeaways

• Decide early. Use a Go/No‑Go framework to align stakeholders before you fall in love with a plan.

• Do the homework. Prioritize verification (scanning/testing) over assumptions.

• Fix it while you’re there. Execute inevitable upgrades when access is open.

• Budget for the envelope. Expect roof, wall, waterproofing, and site work.

• Design for tomorrow. Build flexibility into systems and structure.

• Embrace contingencies. Unknowns are part of the model—plan for them.

If you’re weighing adaptive reuse for a public, civic, or higher‑ed project, we’re happy to pressure‑test the idea with our Decision Scorecard and a quick feasibility screen. It’s the fastest way to separate “great story” from “great project”—and to chart a path that’s right for your goals.