Breathing New Life into Vacant Spaces

October 9th, 2025

Across cities and suburbs, vacant office buildings with half-empty parking lots have become a defining trend. Remote and hybrid work, accelerated by COVID-19 in 2020, created a structural market shift, pushing the national office vacancy rate to a new record high of 20.6% in the second quarter of 2025, according to The Business Journals.

The transformation from a vacant call center to a vibrant multi-use tenant space.

For property owners and communities, the question becomes urgent: What can we do with these spaces? The answer may be adaptive reuse.

What is Adaptive Reuse?

Adaptive reuse is the transformation of existing buildings for new uses, not only for practicing sustainability and preserving neighborhood character, but also for meeting the evolving needs of a community.

The Opportunity of Adaptive Reuse

Where some may overlook vacant buildings, Galloway sees potential.

Many suburban office buildings already contain features that make them ideal for conversion into schools: expansive parking lots, exterior space for playgrounds and fields, and secure access points. Retail spaces present different opportunities, with tall ceilings and open layouts that make them well-suited for recreation and fitness.

Additionally, historic buildings can be good candidates for mixed-use developments such as the conversion of an historic building in Wichita, KS into a sandwich shop, video production studio, and Galloway’s own regional office.

Adaptive Reuse in Action

• Colorado Christian Academy (Englewood, CO)
  An 80,000-square-foot call center was transformed into a private school serving preschool through eighth grade. The client envisioned half the building as classrooms and half as small private offices, meeting post-pandemic demand for flexible, smaller workspaces. Galloway incorporated hospitality design principles to create durable yet sophisticated interiors, design for diverse users, and include client-requested “special moments” like a library tree installation.
• Ambleside School
  This church-to-school conversion required navigating zoning and neighborhood concerns about increased daily traffic compared to occasional church use. Galloway supported approvals, traffic studies, and site planning while ensuring the project gained community trust.
  

  The before and after of a reimagined space in Ambleside School.

• The Hive on Broadway
  A redevelopment project that transformed into a mixed-use center, infusing it with retail outlets, dining establishments, and a primary storage anchor to invigorate the current setup. A complete overhaul of the architecture was done to create inviting storefronts and reimagined outdoor spaces.
• VASA Fitness Centers
  Galloway reimagines large-format retail buildings into fitness facilities. With clear heights above 17 feet and a post-and-beam structure free of load-bearing walls, these spaces easily accommodated open courts, fitness areas, and flexible recreation layouts. Large parking areas originally designed for retail are an added advantage.
• Firestone Redevelopment
  A 10,000-square-foot multi-tenant retail and commercial building was transformed with a modern façade to pay homage to the historical significance of the original Art Moderne building’s architecture and preserve the character of the historic neighborhood.

Galloway’s Full-Spectrum Approach™

No two adaptive reuse projects are alike. The key, according to Hoshi Brooks, senior interior design manager and principal at Galloway, is to know what exists and what’s needed.

“We analyze the building, identify what’s required for a successful conversion, and balance that with client goals and jurisdictional requirements, says Brooks.

Clients may involve Galloway after buying a building or bring the team in early to assess options with brokers. In either case, Galloway evaluates zoning, approvals, and whether systems such as sprinklers, HVAC, utilities, water taps, and egress meet the new use. In the case of Colorado Christian Academy, its proximity to Centennial Airport required extra county approvals and a noise study.

An existing stairwell was transformed into an open concept space featuring a slide and book nook for Colorado Christian Academy.

Early engagement of a general contractor is equally critical. In a volatile construction market, contractors provide real-time cost, lead-time, and material insights.

“It’s always better to have the general contractor upfront,” Brooks notes, adding that aging mechanical or HVAC systems often hide costly surprises.

Galloway’s collaborative culture strengthens our projects. Our interior designers work closely with civil, structural, and MEP engineers to solve issues holistically.

“I know enough about other disciplines to guide clients and consult our in-house professionals when it gets technical,” says Brooks. “We are one company, and we help each other to ensure each project’s success.”

Building Sustainable Communities

Whether transforming offices into schools or retail into fitness centers, adaptive reuse breathes new life into vacant spaces. Leveraging existing structures not only reduces waste but also preserves neighborhood character and creates meaningful community connections. Reuse projects can often be faster and more cost-effective than new builds, provided existing systems are sound. And they offer the added benefit of sustainability by minimizing demolition and landfill waste.

As Brooks explains, adaptive reuse is not just about code and construction. It’s about honoring the investment of clients and shaping spaces that reflect both the client’s vision and community needs. With Galloway’s Full Spectrum Approach™, today’s vacancies become tomorrow’s opportunities.