Flexible Use Buildings

Most residential design is single use with few possible options for change.  Location, structure and layout are rarely adaptable to anything other than small office functions.  Isolated in a field of houses, commercial potential is minimal. The future for most single family houses is at risk since future demographics don’t support growth in their resale market.  The Flexible Use Building provides the diversity of use, small scale individual ownership and adaptability required for the Townlet's economic health. 

The Flexible Use Building is built to change. A typical scenario would be that a young person could purchase a three story building and:

• Age In Place
• Single and Young Married No Childern
• Rent the ground floor to a retail tenant.
• Live on the second floor.
• Rent the third floor apartment.
• Married With Childern
• Rent the ground floor to a retail tenant.
• Live on the second and third floors.
• Empty Nest
• Rent the ground floor to a retail tenant.
• Live on the second floor.
• Rent the third floor apartment.
• Elderly
• Move to the ground floor.
• Rent the second and third floors as apartments

Aging in place has many advantages, however, it is just one of many possibilities that include:

• Apartment Rental All Floors
• Office Rental All Floors
• Ground and Second Floor Office Rental, Third Floor Apartment Rental
• Ground and Second Floor Retail Rental, Third Floor Apartment Rental
• Ground Floor Restaurant Rental, Second and Third Floor Apartment Rental
• Etc.

The Flexible Use Building is designed to accommodate the engineering and fire code requirements of most community uses while adjacent buildings within a connected group can expand into adjacent floors to allow flexible expansion. Central utilities and modular construction allow change with minimal disruption.