Repurposing Civic Assets: Finding Value in the Unexpected

Municipal buildings don’t always stay in their original use. Firehalls, post offices, and other civic facilities often outlive their first purpose but that doesn’t mean they’ve lost their value. Across British Columbia, local governments are increasingly asking: Should we retain, repurpose, or dispose of aging assets?

The answer often begins with a defensible valuation.

When Buildings Outlive Their Original Use

Civic infrastructure is designed to serve community needs. But over time, those needs change:

• New firehalls replace older stations.

• Downtown post offices lose their role as mail distribution hubs.

• Smaller facilities become inefficient for modern service delivery.

When this happens, municipalities are left with buildings that may no longer serve their original function but still hold significant value if reimagined.

Local Examples of Repurposing Civic Assets

Over the years, we’ve worked with municipalities across Vancouver Island to value properties that were later repurposed into entirely new uses:

• Courtenay Post Office → Museum

  A downtown anchor building that transitioned from federal service to cultural landmark.

• Courtenay Firehall → Art Gallery

  A former fire station reimagined as a community arts hub.

• Cranberry Firehall → Transit Yard

  A civic asset adapted to support regional transportation needs.

• Oyster River Firehall → Recycling Centre

  A service facility transformed into a cornerstone of local sustainability initiatives.

Each project required careful valuation not just of the building itself, but of its potential under different scenarios.

The Role of Valuation in Repurposing

Appraisal provides municipalities with the evidence needed to answer two critical questions:

1. What is the property worth today?

   Independent valuation establishes the current market value, considering zoning, condition, and market comparables.

2. What is its highest and best use going forward?

   Testing multiple scenarios continued municipal use, repurposing, or disposal ensures councils understand both the financial and community implications of their choices.

   
   

Why This Matters for Municipalities

• Transparency – Taxpayers expect clarity when civic assets are sold, leased, or repurposed.

• Strategic Planning – Repurposed buildings can revitalize downtowns, create cultural hubs, or provide critical services.

• Defensibility – Every decision can be challenged in council, in the press, or by the public. A defensible appraisal stands up under scrutiny.

Case Insight: A firehall may seem modest in market terms. But when repositioned as a cultural or service hub, its long-term contribution to the community can be transformative. Valuation helps decision-makers see beyond bricks and mortar to the broader opportunity.

Looking Ahead

Across BC, aging civic infrastructure and constrained municipal budgets are creating new pressures. Repurposing is often more sustainable and cost-effective than new construction. Councils will increasingly be asked to weigh whether to retain, repurpose, or dispose of assets and defensible valuation will remain the foundation for these choices.

Closing Thought

Repurposing civic assets requires imagination but it also requires independent, transparent valuation to ensure decisions are both equitable and defensible.

Trusted advice for transparent, defensible decisions.