A great example of the reuse of a building and conversion from a warehouse to housing is the Crane Ordway historic building in St. Paul. Aeon, a non-profit developer, owner and manager of affordable housing converted this historic, vacant warehouse into affordable, loft-style apartment homes. Crane Ordway provides 70 affordable apartments, including 14 units for adults experiencing long-term homelessness.

Crane Ordway, built in 1904, is located in the Lowertown Historic District, an area listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was designed by Reed & Stem, the architectural firm that designed Grand Central Station in New York City and the St. Paul Hotel. The building had been vacant for more than 30 years before Aeon opened it in 2006. Click here to leave this site and learn more about the development of Crane Ordway.