Architect Shows How Adaptive Reuse Unlocks Hidden Real Estate Value

Taras Legar shows how adaptive reuse can triple usable area and unlock value without expanding a building’s footprint.

RALEIGH, NC, UNITED STATES, July 23, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As New Construction Costs Hit Record Highs, International Architect Argues Investors Are Overlooking the Buildings They Already Have
New expert column in Realty Times draws on 25 years of international practice to show how adaptive reuse can triple usable area — without expanding a building’s footprint

RALEIGH, NC, July 15, 2026 — With the cost of new commercial construction at historic highs and quality locations in short supply, international architect and interior designer Taras Legar is making the case that the most overlooked real estate opportunity may already exist in investors’ own portfolios.
In a new expert column published in Realty Times, Legar — who has led major commercial design projects across Europe and the United States for over 25 years — argues that buildings with outdated functions are routinely undervalued because their structural potential goes unexamined.
“Investors tend to price a building based on what it is doing today,” says Legar. “But foundation depth, ceiling height, and structural load capacity frequently offer possibilities that the current market price does not reflect at all. A structural survey before a sale or redevelopment decision can change the entire financial picture.”
The column, titled “Adaptive Reuse: How Changing a Building’s Function Unlocks Hidden Real Estate Value,” presents three real-world case studies from Legar’s own practice:
• A 269,000 sq ft indoor aquapark built on the third floor of a major retail complex — turning the property’s least productive zone into its primary driver of foot traffic.
• An industrial warehouse of 9,150 sq ft transformed into a 32,300+ sq ft corporate headquarters for a major technology company — a more than threefold increase in usable area achieved without expanding the original footprint.
• A current project in Florida where a 6,330 sq ft warehouse is being converted into a premium automotive showroom, with usable area increased by 23 percent through vertical zoning — made possible entirely by the building’s existing 24-foot ceiling height.
The column also outlines a practical checklist for investors and developers considering adaptive reuse: how to assess real structural potential, what regulatory changes a new function typically triggers, and where unplanned costs tend to arise when these questions are not addressed early.

ABOUT TARAS LEGAR

Taras Legar is an architect and interior designer with 25 years of international experience and the founder of Leg-Art studio. He has led large-scale commercial projects across Europe and the United States, including shopping centers, casinos, corporate offices, retail spaces and hospitality environments.

Legar is currently based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is active in both the United States and European markets.

Read the full column in Realty Times:
https://realtytimes.com/new-headlines/adaptive-reuse-how-changing-a-buildings-function-unlocks-hidden-real-estate-value

For more information about Taras Legar and Leg-Art studio, visit:
https://www.legartaras.com/

Taras Legar
Leg-Art Studio
+1 857-707-8361
legartaras@gmail.com
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