[0:05] HELLO BLOOMINGTON. I’M MAYOR TIM BUSSE, AND THIS  IS THE COUNCIL MINUTE FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 5.  [0:10] AT OUR MEETING THIS WEEK, THE CITY COUNCIL HAD  A GOOD CONVERSATION ABOUT OFFICE BUILDINGS IN   [0:15] BLOOMINGTON. MORE SPECIFICALLY, THE DISCUSSION  FOCUSED ON WHAT THE CITY COULD OR SHOULD DO TO   [0:21] FACILITATE CONVERTING OFFICES INTO  A DIFFERENT USE, LIKE RESIDENTIAL.  [0:26] SOME QUICK BACKGROUND AND WE’LL START WITH A  QUIZ: ANY IDEA HOW MANY OFFICE BUILDINGS THERE   [0:31] ARE IN BLOOMINGTON? IF YOU GUESSED 107, YOU’RE  A PRETTY GOOD GUESSER. 107 OFFICE BUILDINGS,   [0:38] GENERALLY SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE CITY BUT  CONCENTRATED ON 494 AND ON LYNDALE AVENUE.   [0:44] YOU’VE PROBABLY HEARD THAT OFFICE VACANCY RATES  ARE HIGH IN SOME AREAS WHICH IS DUE TO CHANGING   [0:48] WORK PATTERNS – PEOPLE LEARNED DURING THE PANDEMIC  THAT WORKING FROM HOME IS A GOOD OPTION – AND AS A   [0:54] RESULT A LOT OF COMPANIES ARE ECONOMIZING WHEN  IT COMES TO OFFICE SPACE. HERE IN BLOOMINGTON,   [0:59] OUR OFFICE VACANCY RATE IS ABOUT 15 AND A  HALF PERCENT. LOWER THAN DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS,   [1:05] BUT HIGHER THAN THE REST OF THE  TWIN CITIES AND OTHER SUBURBS.  [1:08] WITH THE HELP OF STAFF, THE COUNCIL TALKED OUR WAY  THROUGH THE PROS AND CONS OF CONVERTING SOME OF   [1:13] THAT OFFICE SPACE INTO SOME OTHER USE. ON THE  PLUS SIDE, CONVERTING OFFICE INTO RESIDENTAIL   [1:19] COULD PROVIDE MORE HOUSING OPTIONS INCLUDING  OPTIONS RELATED TO THE CO-LIVING DISUCSSION WE   [1:24] HAD LAST WEEK. CONVERSIONS CAN BREATHE NEW LIFE  INTO TIRED OR UNDERUTILIZED BUILDINGS AND TO THE   [1:30] SURROUNDING AREA. REUSE CAN HELP SPUR ADDITIONAL  REDEVELOPMENT IN AN AREA AND IN MANY CASES,   [1:36] REUSE IS A BETTER OPTION THAN A TEAR DOWN. THERE  IS ALSO A TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESSFUL OFFICE TO   [1:42] RESIDENTAIL CONVERSTIONS IN MANY CITIES, AND  I’VE HAD AT LEAST ONE CONVERSATION WITH AN   [1:47] OFFICE OWNER WHO WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER  HOW THEY CAN CONVERT HERE IN BLOOMINGTON.  [1:51] ON THE FLIP SIDE, CONVERSIONS COME WITH  CHALLENGES. OLDER BUILDINGS MAY HAVE DEEP FLOOR   [1:56] PLANS, OUTDATED SYSTEMS, AND DESIGN LIMITATIONS  THAT MAKE RESIDENTIAL USE MORE DIFFICULT.   [2:02] ADDITIONALLY, CURRENT CITY POLICIES AND CODES MAY  NOT ALWAYS BE IDEAL FOR THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS.   [2:08] AND ALSO, THE SWEET SPOT FOR OFFICE VACANCY RATES  IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN FIVE AND TEN PERCENT SO   [2:16] BLOOMINGTON IS NOT THAT FAR AWAY FROM BEING  IN BETTER POSITION FROM A VACANCY PERSPECTIVE.   [2:21] AND AS A COUPLE OF COUNCILMEMBERS POINTED OUT,  IT WOULD BE PROBLEMATIC IF WE ENCOURAGED OFFICE   [2:26] CONVERSIONS, AND THEN RAN INTO A SHORTAGE  OF OFFICE SPACE A FEW YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.  [2:31] THE BOTTOM LINE; THE COUNCIL ASKED CITY STAFF TO  CONTINUE LOOKING AT THIS, TO DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL   [2:37] MATERIALS, AND CONSIDER STREAMLINING SOME  POLICIES TO MAKE CONVERSIONS MORE DOABLE.  [2:43] WHILE NOT EVERY BUILDING WILL BE A FIT, THE  CITY IS PREPARING TO HELP PROPERTY OW…