Office-to-apartment conversion projects are rapidly increasing in California, especially in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The rise of office-to-residential conversions is a response to housing shortages and vacant office space. Los Angeles ranks third in the nation for future conversions, with over 4,300 units planned, while San Francisco is offering incentives to encourage such projects. Nationwide, nearly 71,000 apartments are expected from office conversions in 2025. The trend is focused on converting newer office buildings, which are more adaptable for residential use, but these projects often face challenges in terms of feasibility.
Here’s a look at a few of the successful office-to-residentail conversion projects bringing new housing options to California’s biggest cities:
Jamison Properties Brings New Life to Downtown Tower
In Los Angeles, Jamison Properties is converting the 32-story L.A. Care tower into 686 apartments, using minimal structural retrofitting to save costs and time. This project is part of a broader effort to address the city’s housing crisis, with the city planning to expedite such conversions for post-1975 buildings.
Read more
Newport Beach Undergoes Ambitious Conversion Project
In Newport Beach, Irvine Co. plans to replace office space with residential buildings, including over 1,500 homes across multiple projects. These developments are part of the city’s strategy to meet state housing goals. The new units will help Newport Beach meet the 5,000 new units state regulators have legislated the city is obligated to plan for.
San Jose Will Be Home to Silicon Valley’s Largest Conversion
Jay Paul Co., a prolific Silicon Valley developer, filed plans in San Jose to redevelop a downtown office complex into a residential building that will bring 680 new homes to the city. The proposed project, known as CityView Plaza, aims to transform an entire block of office buildings into apartments and retail space. The first phase will include a 35,000-foot retail restaurant called the shops at CityView, and the upgrade of 150 Almaden, a 15-story office tower at the site.
