Our building analysis tool can quickly determine if an underused office building is a candidate for conversion to residential, healthcare, hotel, or senior living.
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Underused office buildings everywhere are on the verge of default.
About 60% of office inventory today is categorized as Class B, and much of this inventory is being left stranded as tenants seek out modern fully-amenitized Class A buildings. As demand for office space continues to lag, owners of these older assets are faced with difficult choices. What if they could be rescued and transformed for other uses?
Conversions+ by Gensler helps developers quickly determine if buildings are viable for conversion.
The tool examines site context, building form, floor plate, building envelope, and servicing to create quick, actionable conclusions about the viability of a building for conversion to other user uses. Specifically, the algorithm can assess possible conversion to residential, hotel, senior living, or healthcare uses.
10%
Site Context
30%
Building Form
30%
Floor Plate
10%
Envelope
20%
Servicing
- Scoring takes a matter of days.
- We’ve analyzed more than 1,300 buildings in 170 cities.
- 30% of buildings will be suitable for conversion.
- The construction period for conversions is 50% less than equivalent ground-up buildings.
- More than 5,500 units in design, development, and/or construction.
Our 4-step building conversion process is designed to be quick, efficient, and cost-effective.
STEP
1
Building Analysis
Conversions+ by Gensler unlocks new potential for stranded assets of all types.
STEP
2
Yield Studies
Buildings with a high algorithm score are developed further to provide sufficient information for a business case.
STEP
3
Development
The best opportunities are taken into full development to create incredible new housing.
STEP
4
Make Recommendation
We provide tailored recommendations to maximize your property’s potential based on our Building Analysis.
FAQs
CASE STUDIES

Pearl House (160 Water Street)
New York, New York
Vanbarton Group engaged Gensler to convert its downtown office building into a premier residential building to introduce new housing to New York City.
April 30, 2024

The Residences at Rivermark
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
The Residences at Rivermark is a transformative project in the beating heart of downtown Baton Rouge’s growing and dynamic cultural scene.
October 01, 2023

1 St. Clair West
Toronto, Ontario
After determining that demolishing 1 St. Clair West was not viable, Slate Asset Management enlisted Gensler to reposition it as a mixed-use development.
December 31, 2026

Metro Loft 219-235 East 42nd Street Conversion
New York, New York
The office-to-residential conversion of the former Pfizer headquarters will be the largest conversion in New York City history upon its completion, adding over 1,600 apartments, amenities, retail, and offices.
January 01, 2027

Franklin Tower
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
PMC Property Group transformed a vacant, outdated office building in Logan Square into an amenity-rich residential building with ample outdoor and retail space.
September 14, 2020

Mosaic by Willow Valley Communities
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Mosaic by Willow Valley Communities is a new 20-floor, 150-unit luxury senior living residence designed by Gensler that is located in downtown Lancaster.
August 20, 2021
LEADERSHIP

Steven Paynter
Building Transformation & Adaptive Reuse Leader, Principal
Steven Paynter is Gensler’s Global Building Transformation & Adaptive Reuse Leader based in Toronto.

Robert Fuller
Lifestyle Sector Leader, Studio Director, Principal
Robert Fuller specializes in complex projects that include planning and urban design, new buildings, office-to-residential conversions, and repositioning.

Harry Cliffe-Roberts
Building Transformation & Adaptive Reuse Leader, Studio Director, Principal
Harry Cliffe-Roberts is a Global Building Transformation & Adaptive Reuse Leader and Studio Director based in Gensler’s London office.

Duanne Render
Building Transformation & Adaptive Reuse Leader, Studio Director
Duanne Render is a regional leader of the Building Transformation & Adaptive Reuse practice who has been instrumental in establishing Gensler’s expertise in office-to-residential conversions.

John Badman
Residential Leader
John is a Residential Leader for Gensler’s Europe region, who is driven by a passion for making the home an integrated part of wider mixed-use neighbourhoods throughout our town...
RESOURCES

New Study Offers Data-Driven Approach for Office-to-Housing Conversions
Gensler, Brookings Metro, and HR&A Advisors unveil findings on how cities can transform underused offices into housing.
March 26, 2025

The Architect’s Newspaper Interviewed Robert Fuller and Peter Wang on Gensler’s Office-to-Residential Work
The feature covered Gensler’s office-to-residential work, including Pearl House, as well as the firm’s Conversions+ tool and research with Pew Charitable Trusts on innovative housing solutions.
February 26, 2025

How a New Vision for Flexible Co-Living Conversions Can Support Housing Affordability
Gensler and The Pew Charitable Trusts studied building typologies in seven cities to better understand the potential in this unique office-to-residential conversion model.
April 28, 2025
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Trends to Watch: What Other Cities Can Learn From New York City’s Conversion Boom
As U.S. cities experience high commercial real estate vacancy rates and housing shortages, developers have an opportunity to invest in and convert stranded assets.
January 29, 2025
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Quantity and Quality: Leveraging Office-to-Senior Living Conversions to Increase Capacity and Lifelong Well-being
Office-to-residential conversions have helped reduce vacancy rates and unlock housing. It’s time to repurpose the solution to meet the growing demand for senior living.
September 23, 2024
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Conversions for Healthcare: 10 Takeaways for the Future
As healthcare systems shift to a new model of distributed care, adaptive reuse of older buildings will be an important strategy to sustainably achieve their goals.
August 27, 2024
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Forbes Explored Ideas To Deliver Much Needed Housing in Urban Areas, From Office Conversions to Co-Living Concepts
The article featured Gensler’s Conversions+ solution and noted the firm is currently transforming over 3.7 million square feet of real estate in New York City to add more than 4,800 housing units.
November 04, 2024

A Story of Transformation: Hyatt’s Unique Blend of Community and Hospitality
Strategies for repositioning an aging hotel ground floor into a community destination.
October 01, 2024
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The Architect’s Newspaper Features Gensler’s Work to Convert the Former Pfizer HQ Into Housing
Gensler’s Robert Fuller says the office-to-residential conversion will add housing, amenities, retail space, and more, to help transform Manhattan’s Midtown East into a vibrant, 24/7 neighborhood.
January 31, 2025

Pearl House: Explore the Transformation of New York’s Largest Office-to-Residential Conversion to Date
Gensler and Vanbarton Group detail how they partnered to convert a 1970s office tower into a thriving residential community in New York’s Financial District.
June 12, 2024
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The Pew Charitable Trusts and Gensler Explore Transforming Office Buildings Into Affordable Co-Living Residential Buildings
Forbes spotlighted the feasibility study and shared rendered floor plans of the dorm-style units, which “could be profitable for a developer at a rent of $815 per month on average.”
October 28, 2024

ULI Published Insights on the Best Candidates for Converting Office Buildings to Residential Use
Gensler developed a scoring criterion for evaluating suitability to conversion. Building Transformation Leader Steven Paynter contributed to the report.
October 21, 2024

The Real Deal Profiled Gensler’s Office-to-Residential Conversions and Building Analysis Tool
The feature highlights Pearl House, Franklin Tower, the upcoming conversion of Pfizer’s former headquarters, and Gensler’s scorecard developed during a study for the City of Calgary.
September 03, 2024