Old Clarke & Courts Printing Building Being Turned Into Condominiums

[Luminare]

Found this in swamplot this morning This is a very nice old building. Don't really know if condo's are best in hurricane prone areas though.

 

http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2014/06/historic-galveston-building-goes-condo/#24138101=0

[arche_757]

Don't really know if condo's are best in hurricane prone areas though.

 

What?  Why wouldn't condo's be ok here?  There are not any ground level living units in this building!  Add to that this building is already existing apartments - not much is changing except people will be able to buy them, and they'll get new restrooms and kitchen counters.

 

If condo's shouldn't be built in hurricane prone areas then pretty much the ENTIRE US from Brownsville to Boston needs to rethink their strategy about building anywhere within 20-30 miles of the coast.

 

By your statement ALL of south Florida (Miami and Miami Beach on up) needs to be evacuated.  Your logic puzzles me at times.

[Luminare]

Slow down there Arch xD. I was just wondering! I'm sure it is perfectly ok. Just asking an innocent question. It's not like I have experience in hurricane areas as far as residential is concerned, nor do I know the real estate market in Galveston and if there is a history of condos being viable there. No where did I say that they "shouldn't" be built there so please read over my post more carefully next time and don't jump the gun please. Your response comments puzzle me too sometimes!

[arche_757]

Galveston has a fairly healthy residential market in Downtown area.  Some people would be surprised most commercial buildings have residential spaces above, particularly anything in the Downtown area that's south of The Strand - Mechanic/Postoffice/Market etc.

 

Your "question" was fairly clear.  You aren't sure if condo's are ok for hurricane prone areas.

 

As an architect who has projects in both hurricane and non-hurricane zones - I can assure you that hurricane rated construction is by and large much higher quality than non-hurricane/wind rated construction (its also much more expensive per square foot).  Most of Greater Houston south of I-10 should use hurricane rated construction methods to mitigate the eventual (though hopefully many, many years away) strong catagory 4 or 5 hurricane that will inevitably strike this area.

 

My comments puzzle?  How exactly?  I'm quite the pessimist, and usually try to be even keeled in responding.  However, I work down in the coastal region and can get a touch defensive about this area.  You also have a tendency to be rather passionate in your replies (how I read them) - and that's fine.  Not criticising you, just saying that's how I read them.