Adaptive Reuse in Action!

How did we get an office to multi-family conversion approved by the Town of Middletown, RI in just 45 days?

Rhode Island developers know that securing approval for multi-family housing is a lengthy, expensive process consisting of zoning, planning board meetings and strong push back (to say the least) from local homeowners. This process can be very challenging, costing upwards of $500,000 over the course of at least three years with no guarantee of approval.

In 2023, Rhode Island's Adaptive Reuse Law changed that process for certain developments, and therefore, the outlook for market rate and affordable multi-family rental housing in the Ocean State is clearer and brighter than before.

Adaptive reuse can be a sustainable, economic solution for vacant buildings like the 71,000 square foot, Class A offices at the former KVH World Headquarters. Repurposing existing quality structures, rather than rebuilding, reduces waste, materials and labor, allowing us to more efficiently serve the undersupplied apartment submarket on Aquidneck Island.

The Town of Middletown adopted these new regulations and zoning codes in 2024, and as a result, we received final approval for 81 multi-family units in 45 days at a cost of approximately $27,000, shaving off years and hundreds of thousands of dollars, which will allow us to maintain lower rents. Renovations are already underway, and we plan to lease these units in 2027.

Together with the Town of Middletown, we are thrilled to transform a vacant building in an unused corporate park into a vibrant, residential development for the community!

Learn more about this exciting project here.

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