Post-pandemic in NYC there remains a mismatch between the supply and demand of property types available to lease. There is a historic housing shortage while simultaneously an abundance of Class B and C offices remain vacant. Office to residential conversions is often proposed as a solution to this discrepancy, but the challenges of this conversion type, such as the need for additional windows to meet air and light requirements and the cost to move or add plumbing and electrical systems to fit typical residential layouts, have resulted in few completed conversions and luxury prices to ensure profitability.

This study examines the possibility of conversion from office to shared housing type to increase efficiency and drive down conversion costs. Following zoning legalization with the passage of the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, single-room occupancy housing (SROs) is being reconsidered as one of several new small housing types that can increase the variety of affordable housing inventory. Historic offices spaces, such as those in the Garment District, are prime locations for this type of conversion as the existing floorplates have numerous operable windows, requiring limited intervention to build bedrooms with access to air and light.