These buildings were built cheap as possible and were not intended for habitation. They usually have huge high ceilings which are really inefficient, minimal insulation, generally shitty and uncomfortable to live in. They’re generally in the middle of nowhere, with poor access unless you’re driving. It also seems weird how the ideas around affordable housing always revolves around how to use the least desireable cast-offs of the last couple decades.

unfortunately, rezoning is a thing which is difficult to achieve and constantly fought against, so it’s unlikely massive movement in this respect will happen across america, but this is yet another novel weapon in the arsenal of densifying american cities.