Quote Originally Posted by Russix View Post
Care to eloborate on why you would need to hollow out portions of the building?
Typically, residential buildings work best in narrow buildings because of code restrictions.

1. By code, all bedrooms must have 1 window UNLESS you consider it a loft where all space partitions do not reach the ceiling.

2. So you could make it a loft and still follow code, but then there's egress. Since every unit must have a window you are setting up a linear double loaded corridor condition for the building wide floorplan, assuming you don't hollow out voids within the building. Because your loft setup requires narrow and deep configurations, you'd need a ton of stairwells to meet life safety travel distances. And even with the double loaded corridor option, what will we do with all that empty wasted space in the center? You aren't going to build a loft that occupies a half city block deep with windows on only one end!

The next two come down to people's preferences of space.
3. By choosing the loft option, you have a lot of dark spaces and likely no bedrooms with windows. I would not want that, and most people don't. Lofts that occupy deep and narrow spaces tend to sell or rent for less because they are dark. Selling for less would not be good considering our renovation costs would be very high.

4. Your next option is to hollow out voids in the center of the building so that units can be placed in the interior of the building and still have access to daylight and fresh air. The double loaded corridor is no longer linear, but a circuit within the building. Your units are now shallower and you can probably consider them standard residential construction instead of a loft. You've resolved the stairwell issue with at least having a few less for fire egress. Unfortunately you've created apartments or condos with unpleasant views. Essentially they face a light court and look into other people's apartments. You could probably sell quite a few of them, but at a low cost.....again, how will you pay for an expensive renovation.


Hope that explanation provides some insight.