Converting Commercial Office Building to Residential Buildings from an Elevator Perspective

By Justin Soberman

As more cities look for creative solutions to address housing shortages and underused office space, converting commercial office buildings into residential properties has started to become a popular option. While these projects focus on many different things, elevators are a key component that deserves careful attention. In fact, from an elevator standpoint, these conversions can present both challenges and unexpected opportunities.

One of the most surprising aspects of converting an office building to residential use, is that the building may actually have more elevators than it needs. Office buildings are typically designed with a higher number of elevators per square foot to handle short, intense periods of peak traffic, like the morning rush or lunchtime. These patterns reflect the predictable schedules of office workers who tend to arrive and leave around the same time each day.

In contrast, residential buildings have a much more varied pattern of elevator use. People leave for work at different times, run errands during the day, or may work from home entirely. This means there’s generally less pressure on the elevator system in frequency and volume. As a result, converting an office building to residential use often reveals that it is over-elevatored.

This over-capacity can lead to some interesting design and financial opportunities. Sometimes it may actually make sense to remove one or more elevators. Doing this can free up valuable floor space, reduce long-term maintenance and energy costs, and simplify building operations. It is important to consider however, that any changes to the elevator system need to meet residential building codes and accessibility requirements. It can also be difficult to facilitate this process. Even so, the potential upside is worth evaluating early on in the project.

Of course, removing an elevator shaft isn’t always possible or practical, due to structural or cost limitations. But even then, excess elevator capacity can be put to good use. For example, one elevator could be dedicated to deliveries and move-ins, while others serve daily resident traffic. Some developers have even explored converting unused shafts into storage or mechanical space.

Another key consideration is the age and condition of the existing elevators. Older elevators that haven’t been modernized may require significant upgrades to be suitable for residential use. Modernization efforts could include quieter operation, updated control systems, or better accessibility features. Even in buildings where the elevator system has already been updated, developers should still assess whether the design and finishes align with residential expectations, which may differ from office buildings.

Security and access control are also part of the conversation. In a residential setting, elevators often need to limit access to certain floors or units. Adding key fob systems, intercoms, or smart access technology can make the building more secure and resident friendly, and is something that should be considered.

As part of a review to determine an adequate elevator system, an elevator consultant would perform computer simulations based on the anticipated building population.

These simulations asses handling capacity, the percentage of the buildings population (typically around 6 percent) that the system can safely and efficiently transport within a 5 minute period, as well as acceptable waiting times, which are usually in the 45 second range. This analysis helps determine the number of devices, capacity and speed of a system needed.

Ultimately, elevators play a bigger role in office-to-residential conversions than most people expect. The elevator system can affect everything from resident experience to layout flexibility and operating costs. By considering these systems early in the planning process, developers can avoid headaches, and in some cases, even create new value.

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