| Characteristic |
Strong Candidate |
Poor Candidate |
| Floor plate depth |
Shallow — under ~65–70 ft from core to exterior wall, enabling window access for most units |
Deep — over 80+ ft, leaving interior areas without natural light or ventilation |
| Core placement |
Off-center or side core — allows double-loaded corridor with units on both sides |
Central core — limits unit layout options and reduces rentable efficiency |
| Construction date |
Pre-1990 — typically eligible under current conversion rules; solid masonry construction |
Post-2000 curtain wall construction — not eligible under most programs; also harder to convert |
| Floor-to-floor height |
10+ ft — accommodates residential finishes and still meets code minimums |
Under 9 ft — too low for residential ceiling heights after structure and MEP are accounted for |
| Building systems |
Outdated but replaceable — uniform risers, vertical wet columns, manageable asbestos |
Complex, custom, or distributed systems requiring full gut and significant structural work |
| Zoning district |
R, C, or M1 districts with residential use permitted or newly permitted under City of Yes |
Heavy manufacturing (M2, M3) — residential generally not permitted; requires rezoning |
| Existing tenancy |
Vacant or short-term leases expiring soon — clean path to possession |
Long-term office leases with creditworthy tenants — conversion may be 5–10 years away |
| Footprint size |
Manageable mid-size building — allows a clear, efficient unit layout |
Very large (400,000+ SF) — complex unit mix; phasing required; financing more difficult |
| Street frontage |
Multiple street-facing facades — maximizes number of units with direct light and air |
Interior lot with limited frontage — fewer window-eligible units per floor |
Bottom line: A building with a shallow floor plate, off-center core, pre-1990 construction, adequate floor-to-floor height, and expiring tenancy is a strong conversion candidate. A building that fails on two or more of these criteria should be evaluated for outright sale or redevelopment rather than conversion.
