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The Daily Commute Downstairs: Live/Work
Most people end up bringing work home, but what about bringing home your
whole business? For certain business owners, this may be an option if living
in housing that is developed under the live/work concept.
Live/work housing is more than just a home office in one of the bedrooms.
It’s an example of mixed use development in which the home is properly zoned
and meets codes so that a portion is suitable for commercial use. The
live/work home often includes a room or area with separate entrance and
restroom facilities that meet commercial ADA requirements. Obviously not all
types of businesses are going to work in this situation, but successful
live/work business owners include artists, lawyers, accountants, hair
stylists, bakers and more.
Whether part of a new subdivision or urban infill, construction of live/work
units does present unique challenges. One major hurdle can be zoning,
particularly for new subdivisions hoping to incorporate live/work units.
Live/work units are almost never included in the original master plan for a
community and are a unique mix of residential and commercial that few master
plans address. The developer may need to make additional effort to
demonstrate the feasibility and benefit of live/work housing for the
community. Another problematic area is building codes. Most codes address
residential and commercial construction and design separately and it can be
a challenge to bridge the two. As for the “work” portion, issues such as
signage, parking and business hours need to be addressed. Additionally,
there are different requirements for the business portion of the live/work
home in regards to compliance with the standards of the Americans with
Disabilities Act and fire safety regulations.
To solve some of these unique challenges, it’s helpful to look at how these
problems have been tackled by previous live/work developers. To help ease
zoning problems, some successful live/work developments have set limits to
the potential uses of the live/work units. As for codes, Thomas Dolan
Architects have helped Oakland, CA develop the Live/Work Building Code to
address concerns. A particularly valuable resource is their website, which
gives information on how other communities have successfully adopted
live/work development. Visit
www.live-work.com.
Is it worth it to jump through all the hoops that live/work development
presents? Developers have found that there are many appealing reasons. In
many communities, land is becoming scarce and the cost is increasing,
live/work homes can be a good way to combine residential and commercial
development. Live/work housing meets the needs of a distinct and often
affluent set of buyers. Small business owners have been drawn to these mixed
use developments because they are able to spend more time with their
families and potentially realize savings in business operating expenses. In
some downtown areas, there is a resurgence of people moving back into the
city and live/work housing can meet the needs of these buyers.
Successful live/work communities have sprung up across the nation and have
been greeted eagerly by buyers. An example of a successful community is
“Front Street,” which is a collection of 22 live/work homes located in
Ladera Ranch in Orange County, CA. Jeannette Currie opened a hair salon on
Front Street and says, “We are walking distance from parks, schools and the
library…My husband also works from home, so rather than spending time
commuting, we are able to spend more time with our child. This was perfect.”
While these mixed use developments may not fit the needs of every buyer,
there are many who find a live/work home just as perfect.
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