What Do You Call Apartments Built On Stores?

Last Updated on July 17, 2023 By Emma W. Thomas

Apartments built on stores are commonly known as “apartment buildings with commercial or retail space on the ground floor.” These types of buildings are designed to have residential units, such as apartments or condos, located above commercial spaces, like stores, restaurants, or offices. They are a common urban development strategy that allows for mixed-use properties, promoting convenience and vibrancy in city centers.

How Convenient Are The Mixed-Use Buildings?

A sudden increase in population leads to people seeking better housing options to accommodate everyone. It is the case in all cities and urban areas. There is less space with many people living and opening up businesses. Despite the pollution and high population, people prefer living in the cities. They even set up their businesses in the same place. Due to this, property developers started building stores on the first floor to serve as commercial centers. They reserved the upper floors for residential purposes by setting up apartments.

Mixed-use buildings are very convenient for any city dweller. Some people work and live under the same construction. Who would not want to save a dime from moving costs? The other thing with these building types is that they provide almost everything. You find a drugstore, shopping Centre, food vendors, and entertainment options on the commercial floor.

Despite such an excellent option, some people dislike the idea. They claim that these places tend to be noisy compared to the suburbs. Other than that, is it not pleasant to wake up to the smell of fresh pastries and coffee? We all have different tastes and preferences. That is why mixed-building apartments are a good option for some people. In other cases, they tend to be unbearable to others. When asked whether mixed-use buildings are convenient, the Answer is yes. They serve well for commercial users and residential tenants.

What Is The History Of Mixed-Use Buildings?

Mixed-use buildings reappeared in real estate 50 years ago. That is when cities and urban centers started rejuvenating. In the 2000s, the US registered a sudden rise in population. It was the perfect timing for the high people to meet this housing option. At this time, people realized that they could live and work in the same building. If not, they could get other services on the lower floors of the same building they lived in.

In the 2000s, people referred to these building types as walkable communities. The name came from the activities carried out in these places: living, working, shopping, and playing under one roof. All these took place by walking with no vehicles involved. Real estate developers reported increasing demand for these building types as time passed. The reasons there was a rise in demand for mixed-use properties include;

• a registered increase in demand for residential and commercial units in urban areas and cities.

• It was also because of a sudden change in consumer behavior. More property owners preferred mixed-use buildings due to their high profits.

• The idea of a mixed-used building provided better land-use practices than other property types. Environmentalists referred to them as sustainable development options.

• They also offer better economic development than other housing options. Businesses close to residential areas tend to do better than distant ones.

What Are The Different Types Of Mixed-Use Buildings?

There are three main categories of mixed-use property. They include;

Vertical developments; in these building types, you find three divisions. The uppermost floors are residential units. On the middle floors, there are offices. The ground units have retail stores for business settings.

Horizontal developments; mostly, you find them in the form of a single-use building. The only difference is that they offer everything in walkable distances. For instance, they contain business units, residential and offices.

Walkable mixed-use properties; serve as a combination of both horizontal and vertical developments. You find them in markets, outdoor plazas, or event places.

Other than just an ordinary store, there are other methods of building a mixed-use property. There are no limits on what to put on the first floor, with the upper ones being residential apartments. Different types of mixed-use developments depend on what goes below the residential units. There are four main types which include;

Live-Work Apartments

In Live-work apartments, tenants live and work in the same building. In most cases, you find business partners who live adjacent to each other. 

Main Street Mixed-Use Buildings

These models are among the oldest mixed-use building types. They contain residential rental apartments on the upper floors, and the ground units serve as a commercial center.

Mixed-Use Hotels

Mixed-use hotels are unique. These types hold different businesses under one roof without residential options. For example, you find a hotel, retail area, food outlets, fitness Center and amusement all under one roof.

Office And Residential

In this case, the ground floor is commercial and reserved for offices. There are residential apartments on the upper floor, which are family units.

Examples Of Buildings In The US Include:

Name of the building	No. of storeys	Number of units	Location
The Bartlett	23	700	Arlington, Virginia
Poste	5	124	Cincinnati, Ohio
Cove	5	60	Seattle, Washington
Vine	11	300	Hoboken’s, New Jersey

What Are The Disadvantages Of Mixed-Use Buildings?

Anything that comes with advantages has some downsides. Mixed-use buildings come with a few disadvantages. They include;

Noise Pollution

Mixed-use properties reduce air but noise pollution. If you decide to live in such buildings, expect to experience noises from the restaurants and retail centers. There is much traffic from shoppers and diners, creating noise. However, some developers ensure that residential units are noise-proof to avoid such cases.

Conflicts Over Space

As a landlord, when you decide to invest in mixed-use developments, ensure to solve the car parking space issue. Such building types come with numerous people coming in and out. It is usual for people who go shopping to park their vehicles close. It is not a pleasant scenario when residents find their parking space taken. Such cases bring out unnecessary conflicts. 

Do Mixed-Use Properties Have Advantages?

Mixed-use properties benefit the government, owners, business people, and tenants. Some of the essential benefits of such buildings include;

They enhance foot traffic within the premises. After the re-introduction of these housing types, most Americans expressed their interest. The National Association of Realtors took a study on mixed-use buildings. They found that most respondents preferred mixed-use developments. They said it was better to have walkable offices and restaurants around. One of the best things about these buildings is the increased foot traffic. 

Mixed-use developments reduce the cost of infrastructure development. Such building structures hold more people under a small tract of land. For facilities like a sewer system, they need just one. It is enough to cover the entire building. Some come with over 500 residential units and 100 business stores. In such a case, the government saves a lot of money. They do not install many sewer lines like they would in single-use developments.

Mixed-use properties also enhance community interactions. In the suburbs, you do not find people meeting and interacting. Most of them use vehicles to move from one place to another. In mixed-use buildings, there is more foot movement than vehicles. People get time to greet and talk to each other. You even find some dining, shopping, living, and socializing together. Such activities make the place vibrant. With such an atmosphere, people enjoy living in such a place.

It exposes businesses to customers. What better way to bring sellers and buyers together than having them in one building? People living on the upper floor enjoy the lower floors. They walk from their units to get services offered right below them. These buildings create a healthy business environment. For example, a person can shop and dine in one place. After that, they walk back to their apartments on the upper floor.

Another significant advantage of mixed buildings is the environment. They promote the go-green movement. One way in which they achieve this is by practicing good land use. A small tract of land provides housing to over five hundred people. Some buildings go over 23 floors with more than 700 units. The same land can also house a single-family using regular properties.

Nature lovers celebrate mixed-use buildings as they help reduce air pollution. With increased traffic, there is less car usage. It is facilitated by the short distances people go to get goods and services. You do not need any vehicle to move from one floor to another. Fewer cars on the move translate to fewer fumes. Fewer fumes lead to no reduced harmful gases to the environment. We say that a healthy environment translates to a happy nation.

Conclusion

Mixed-use buildings are structures with apartments on higher floors. You also find stores on their first floors. Nature analysts encourage such properties since they offer better development options. With this, there are fewer emissions harmful to the environment. Mixed-use buildings provide better property management and faster returns on investment. The developments come in different types, such as horizontal, vertical, and walkable properties.

References:

https://www.icsid.org/business/what-are-apartments-above-businesses-called/
https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-name-for-the-kind-of-apartment-where-there-is-a-store-on-the-ground-floor