The pandemic outbreak has adversely impacted the world. Today, several national and international organizations have taken several initiatives to curb down the spread of the virus says Maxwell Drever. In the recent past, we have all gone through social distancing rules and several lockdowns. Travel for some time was also limited. And in this line, it is essential to say that the pandemic has also adversely affected the hospitality sector.
Maxwell Drever says that resorts and hotels recorded reduced occupancies. But there has been a visible change amidst this chaos. Several hotels got transformed into affordable workforce houses to provide shelter to the middle and low-income groups. Therefore, affordable workforce housing is what is needed now. Today, developers and various realty groups are taking apt measures to offer the best solutions in this regard. But transforming a hotel into a house is not child’s play. It is essential to keep several factors in mind.
A few best practices to implement
Assess the space that a hotel brings with it
When you think of a hotel, you imagine a vast property. However, not all hotels get built alike. There are a few hotels that have a lesser property space in comparison to others. Hence, before converting a hotel property into affordable workspace housing, it is essential to assess its area. That way, the developers can decide the shelter it can provide to people.
Arrangement of the existing space
When a hotel is getting transform into an affordable housing unit, it is undergoing a re-arrangement of the space. Hence, the architects and designers need to assess whether the re-arrangement will be in sync with the plan they have about the affordable housing unit. A living space for the workforce will be categorically different than hotel accommodation. Hence, it is necessary to assess whether the hotel can support the remodeling and whether it will fit into the mold of an affordable housing unit.
The act of lessening the glamor
A hotel appears stylish and classy and has a certain visual appeal. But when the same property gets transform into an affordable housing unit, it needs to tone down the glamor and the high-end appeal. Ultimately, it is getting made for the middle- and low-income groups. That means there needs to be a point of association with this group. People residing in the affordable workforce units shouldn’t feel out of place. They should resonate with the space as a living unit. Here the onus lies on the designer to bring about such a transformation.
The proximity to the workplace
If an affordable housing unit is near the workplace of the workers and employees, it’s most beneficial for them. For Maxwell Drever, it is one of the most important factors to consider. The developers and real estate groups should focus on distressed hotels and motels near the workers’ workplace. That will bring about a better benefit for the occupants.
The conversion of the distressed and empty hotels into affordable workforce housing units has given a second birth to the otherwise non or less functional hotels. And as a whole, it resulted in social and economic development.