Historic buildings were built to last, and often outlive their original purposes. Adaptive reuse creates new uses for old buildings while retaining their historic features.
The City of Bellingham encourages adaptive reuse of historic buildings and offers PRESERVATION INCENTIVES to defray the costs of rehabilitation:
The Immanuel School of Industries (pictured above) in the Lettered Streets has a long history of adaptive reuse. Over its 100+ years the building has served as a vocational school, government employment and social service offices, church, taxidermy studio, and most recently as The Red School Live/Work Condominiums.
Old Fairhaven Fire Station No. 2 (pictured below)
was built in 1927 in the "bungalow-style" to fit into the neighborhood. In
2006, after adaptive reuse as a performing arts center, cafe, and offices,
it continues the tradition of neighborhood scale and character.
City Council voted in 2002 to surplus the out-dated fire station with the ultimate goal of adaptive reuse
