Page 18
DG 1110-3-126
August 1976
2-12 Found Space In
There are facilities on many installations that no
longer serve their designated purposes. Finding and adapt-
ing space in such buildings to other functions may be a
Existing Buildings
solution to the space needs of an Auto Crafts Center.
However, a careful analysis of functional suitability and
economics is required before such a decision can be
reached.
b. In order to determine the validity of using found
space the planner should, in the preliminary stage, prepare
an inventory of existing buildings that are available for the
intended use. Any existing facility considered for long
term use as an Auto Crafts Center should, as a first princi-
ple, fit within the land-use parameters of the installation
master plan. An analysis of the suitability of a particular
facility for its proposed adaptive use should follow a
progressively more detailed evaluation. A primary test of
suitability should include:
Location and accessibility An otherwise suitable
(1)
building which is in the wrong location in not a viable
solution unless other factors can be introduced.
Site Size The site must be adequate for its pro-
(2)
posed function which may also include building addi-
tions.
(3) Comparability of Functions The Auto Crafts Cen-
ter must be compatible with adjacent facilities,
Availability of Utilities An advantage of found
(4)
space may be the cost savings resulting from existing
utilities. Conversely, lack of basic services may be
grounds for rejecting such space.
c.
Facilities that appear to meet the foregoing primary
test can be surveyed to determine the feasibility of con-
verting or remodeling the buildings. The survey of an
existing structure should follow an analytical format to
permit value judgments of its suitability.
d. There are a number of evaluation techniques in use
today. The best generally accepted methods rely on a
numerical scoring system to arrive at an index of eco-
nomic and functional acceptability. All methods are
necessarily subjective to a greater or lesser extent, and
the judgment and experience of the surveyor is an impor-
tant factor.
e. The chart on page 19 illustrates one analytic format
which is suitable for the level of complexity of an Auto
Crafts Center. It establishes a numerical framework within
which the intrinsic value of a potential "found space"
building can be approximately determined,
f. The 12 major site elements and 15 major building ele-
ments listed in column 1 are assigned a percentage of the
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