Empty convents, shuttered school buildings, abandoned motels. Where some people see eyesores, others see opportunities for creating  affordable housing for the nation’s  growing aging population.

A recent article in The New York Times explains how an innovative “adaptive reuse” approach to make housing for older adults is catching on throughout New Jersey.

“In Montvale, the United Way of Bergen County is transforming a long-shuttered school into a 10-apartment building for older adults, a renovation expected to cost $1.6 million to $2 million because the classrooms are about the size needed for the one-bedroom apartments they are scheduled to become,” the article states.

That may sound like a lot of money, but a new building would likely have cost closer to $3 million, the article goes on, and reuse has the benefit of being greener, too.

read the full article on Next Avenue