March 2026
Repurpose Riverside Adaptive
Reuse Case Studies
Riverside, CA
March 2026
Introduction
Prepared for:
Prepared by:
Funded by:
These architectural case study tests were conducted to evaluate how adaptive reuse strategies could effectively be applied across a range of urban contexts in the City of Riverside. Two representative sites, a suburban commercial property and a downtown infill site, were selected to explore design and regulatory considerations in different physical and policy environments. Each case study examined how an existing building form, parcel configuration, and site constraints influenced the feasibility of adaptive reuse projects under current development standards.
The case studies aimed to identify potential obstacles within the zoning code and assess the efficacy of various incentives, exceptions, and procedural modifications prior to their inclusion in the adaptive reuse ordinance. By basing the ordinance’s development on real-world situations, the City ensured that proposed standards would be both practical and adaptable, facilitating investment in existing buildings while preserving compatibility with surrounding development patterns.
March 2026 | Repurpose Riverside ARO (WRCOG)
Site 1 Proximity Map
Legend:
Site
Commericial / Retail / Food & Beverage
Institutional / Civic
Residential
Parks
Public Transit
N.T.S
DESCRIPTION:
The first case study examines
a street designed primarily for
vehicles, not pedestrians. It is
more suburban in nature, but
does have walking access to
several beneficial amenities such
as a grocery store, laundry mats,
and restaurants and retail.
March 2026 | Repurpose Riverside ARO (WRCOG)
Site 1 Existing
Legend:
Existing
Parking
Vehicular Circulation
SCALE 1” = 50’
0 50 10025
DESCRIPTION:
This case study site consists of
two infill parcels and a corner
lot. On the infill lots there
are long existing commercial
buildings oriented perpendicular
to a major thoroughfare with
vehicular circulation and parking
located along the long edge of
the building. The corner lot has
an existing structure located at
the corner of the intersection
of the major thoroughfare and
secondary road with vehicular
circulation and parking located
behind it. There is also a small
landscaped/open space node
near the northeast, buffering
adjacent smaller-scale residential
lots.
March 2026 | Repurpose Riverside ARO (WRCOG)
Site 1 Existing - Massing
Legend:
Existing
Parking
DESCRIPTION:
The site consists of three parcels
infill parcels with several long
existing commercial buildings
oriented perpendicular to a
major thoroughfare along the
west edge. Vehicular circulation
and shared paving form an
“L”-shaped interior area behind
and between the buildings,
with a small landscaped/open
space node near the northeast,
buffering adjacent smaller-scale
residential lots.
KEY FEATURES:
Site Acres:
2.37 Total Lots:
3 Existing Square Footage:
29,095 SF
Construction Type:
Type V (Concrete / Masonry
Bearing Walls)
Surrounding Uses:
Less than 1/4 mile from a school,
1/2 mile from the nearest park
and located along a major
thorough fare lined with retail
March 2026 | Repurpose Riverside ARO (WRCOG)
Site 1 Option 1
Legend:
New Residential Construction
Residential Adaptive Reuse
Landscape
Parking
Vehicular Circulation
SCALE 1” = 50’
0 50 10025
DESCRIPTION:
In Option 1, the three existing
buildings are converted into
housing, with most of their
structure left unchanged except
for some interior partition walls.
Five additional buildings have
been proposed to boost the
site’s residential density. The
redesigned parking areas now
feature extra landscape buffers,
making the surroundings greener.
March 2026 | Repurpose Riverside ARO (WRCOG)
Site 1 Option 1 - Massing
Legend:
Landscape
Parking
KEY FEATURES:
Adaptive Reuse Square Footage:
29,095 SF
New Construction Square Footage:
48,660 SF
Number of Units in Adaptive Reuse:
25 Units
Number of New Units:
22 Units
Usuable Open Space Provided:
5,905 SF
Parking Count:
81 Stalls
New Residential Construction
Residential Adaptive Reuse
March 2026 | Repurpose Riverside ARO (WRCOG)
Site 1 Option 2
Vehicular Circulation
SCALE 1” = 50’
0 50 10025
DESCRIPTION:
In the second option, two
existing structures are kept with
new additions, while the middle
structure is replaced by new
construction. This approach
increases site density and
provides a larger green buffer to
neighboring single-family homes.
Retail and food and beverage
spaces remain along the main
street to encourage activity.
Legend:
New Residential Construction
Residential Adaptive Reuse
New Mixed-Use Construction
Mixed-Use Adaptive Reuse
Landscape
Parking
March 2026 | Repurpose Riverside ARO (WRCOG)
Site 1 Option 2 - Massing
Legend:
New Residential Construction
Residential Adaptive Reuse
New Mixed-Use Construction
Mixed-Use Adaptive Reuse
Landscape
Parking
KEY FEATURES:
Adaptive Reuse Square Footage:
14,935 SF
New Construction Square Footage:
44,820 SF
Number of Units in Adaptive Reuse:
5 Units
Number of New Units:
57 Units
Usuable Open Space Provided:
4,865 SF
Parking Count:
109 stalls
March 2026 | Repurpose Riverside ARO (WRCOG)
Site 1 Precedents
THE SIERRAS HOUSING, LANCASTER
4TH STREET MARKET LOFTS, LONG BEACH (EXTERIOR) (INTERIOR) SAFEWAY HOUSING, WILMINGTON
LA PLACITA CINCO, SANTA ANA
March 2026 | Repurpose Riverside ARO (WRCOG)
Site 2 Proximity Map
Legend:
Site
Residential
Institutional / Civic
Hotels
Commercial / Retail / Food & Beverage
Green Space
N.T.S
DESCRIPTION:
The second case study is a
downtown Riverside site in a
potentially historic building.
Public Transit
March 2026 | Repurpose Riverside ARO (WRCOG)
Site 2 Existing
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 1
Legend:
Existing
Core
SCALE 1”=20’
0 20 4010
DESCRIPTION:
This site is a mostly built-
out urban infill site with an
existing mid-rise office building
occupying most of a corner block
between a primary road to the
north and a secondary road to
the west. The building wraps
the corner and is built to the
sidewalks, with service or access
areas along the rear and side
edges of the parcel.
March 2026 | Repurpose Riverside ARO (WRCOG)
Site 2 Existing - Massing
Legend:
Existing
DESCRIPTION:
The building presently serves as
office space situated above an
established restaurant. The site
faces parking constraints and
currently utilizes parking facilities
located in an adjacent property.
KEY FEATURES:
Site Acres:
.28
Total Lots: 1
Existing Square Footage:
29,870 SF
Construction Type:
Type III (Concrete / Masonry
Bearing Walls)
Surrounding Uses:
Located downtown adajacent
to restaurants, businesses and
an iconic historic hotel, it is less
than 1/4 mile from the nearest
park
March 2026 | Repurpose Riverside ARO (WRCOG)
Site 2 Option 1
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 1
SCALE 1”=20’
0 20 4010
DESCRIPTION:
Option 1 maintains the current
restaurant on the ground floor,
while the remaining space is
repurposed for live/work units.
The upper floors are redesigned
as residential units, with two new
levels added above the existing
structure.
Legend:
New Residential Construction
Residential Adaptive Reuse
Core
Mixed-Use Adaptive Reuse
March 2026 | Repurpose Riverside ARO (WRCOG)
Site 2 Option 1 - Massing
Legend:
New Residential Construction
Residential Adaptive Reuse
Core
KEY FEATURES:
Adaptive Reuse Square Footage:
29,870 SF
New Construction Square Footage:
6,715 SF
Number of Units in Adaptive Reuse:
22 Units
Number of New Units:
12 Units
Usuable Open Space Provided:
1,700 SF
Parking Count:
0 Mixed-Use Adaptive Reuse
March 2026 | Repurpose Riverside ARO (WRCOG)
Site 2 Option 2
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 1
SCALE 1”=20’
0 20 4010
DESCRIPTION:
In Option 2, the additional square
footage is proposed for the lower
roof of the existing building,
situated above the live/work
units. This approach maintains a
reduced overall building height
and aligns the new construction
with the taller section of the
current structure.
Legend:
New Residential Construction
Residential Adaptive Reuse
Core
Mixed-Use Adaptive Reuse
March 2026 | Repurpose Riverside ARO (WRCOG)
Site 2 Option 2 - Massing
KEY FEATURES:
Adaptive Reuse Square Footage:
29,870 SF
New Construction Square Footage:
7 ,005 SF
Number of Units in Adaptive Reuse:
22 Units
Number of New Units:
12 Units
Usuable Open Space Provided:
1,700 SF
Parking Count:
0 Legend:
New Residential Construction
Residential Adaptive Reuse
Core
Mixed-Use Adaptive Reuse
March 2026 | Repurpose Riverside ARO (WRCOG)
Site 2 Precedents
ST ALDER BUILDING, RIVERSIDE
LAS PALOMAS, BOYLE HEIGHTS FABRIC, DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES 200 W OCEAN, LONG BEACH (INTERIOR)(EXTERIOR)
(BEFORE) (AFTER)