Best New Construction

Downtown lofts"Adaptive reuse" is the fancy phrase used by builders to describe the process of renovating old buildings for new uses. It's a simple idea that's finally taking hold downtown, where old shells of former banks and office buildings are gutted and reconstructed for the adventurous urban dweller. We're not talking about the highway-adjacent, corrugated tin cans that promise "loft living." We're talking about the real thing: the big, atmospheric lobbies, thick rock walls, concrete floors and skyline views you'll find at the Southern Pacific Railroad building (now the Bayou Lofts at 915 Franklin) or the Rice Lofts (909 Texas). And using spaces that are already there minimizes new, "ground-up" construction (drab condos and look-alike town homes), cutting down on sprawl and highway congestion.