BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM
In cities across the globe, office vacancies are at an all-time high. In the United States alone, more than 20 percent of office spaces sit empty, a consequence of the shift to remote and hybrid work. While real estate developers scramble to repurpose these spaces, an unexpected solution has taken root—literally. Enter vertical farming, an innovative approach that is turning idle office buildings into lush, high-tech farms.
One such transformation has taken place in the iconic Calgary Tower, a 190-meter observation tower in Alberta, Canada. While it has long hosted souvenir shops and panoramic restaurants, its newest tenant is something entirely different: a 6,000-square-meter indoor farm producing kale, cucumbers, and strawberries. Developed by Agriplay Ventures, the farm is a prime example of how urban agriculture is reshaping the way we grow and distribute food.
The rise of indoor farming
The concept of growing food indoors is not new, but interest in vertical farming surged during the Covid-19 pandemic when supply chain disruptions exposed vulnerabilities in the global food system. At its peak in 2021, investment in vertical farming hit $6 billion. While some high-profile startups struggled post-pandemic, the movement remains resilient, with new players seizing the opportunity to capitalize on vacant commercial spaces.
“Vertical farms may prove to be a cost-effective way to fill in vacant office buildings,” says Warren Seay Jr., a real estate finance expert at ArentFox Schiff. With a growing need for fresh, locally sourced produce and a surplus of unused office space, the convergence of these two trends could prove mutually beneficial.
Why office-to-farm conversions make sense
Many assume the most logical use for vacant office buildings is conversion into residential housing, but experts suggest that indoor farming can often be a more practical alternative. “When converting an office space into apartments, you need to carve out individual units, each requiring access to natural light and plumbing,” Seay explains. “That’s not an easy task in a building designed for cubicles and conference rooms.”
On the other hand, the open-plan layout of modern offices makes them well-suited to vertical farming. While retrofitting for ventilation, lighting, and hydroponic systems presents challenges, companies like Agriplay Ventures have found innovative solutions. Using modular growing racks that can be installed and removed with ease, they have made farming adaptable to almost any space.
Local farms, fresher produce
Beyond breathing new life into office buildings, indoor farms have another major advantage: proximity to consumers. In a converted paper storage warehouse just outside Washington, D.C., Jacqueline Potter and her team at Area 2 Farms are growing over 180 varieties of lettuce, herbs, and vegetables, all within ten miles of their customers.
“Most crops today are selected for their ability to survive a 1,500-mile journey,” says Potter. “With urban farms, we can grow for taste, nutrition, and variety instead.”
This localized model not only cuts transportation costs but also reduces carbon emissions associated with long-haul food distribution. Additionally, urban farms can cultivate crops that are difficult to find elsewhere, such as edible flowers and specialty greens.
Challenges and opportunities
Vertical farming offers numerous benefits, but it is not without its challenges. One major hurdle is energy consumption. “Electricity use is the Achilles’ heel of the industry,” says Evan Fraser, director of the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph. Lighting, ventilation, and automation require significant power, though farms using renewable energy can mitigate these concerns.
Regulatory hurdles also pose a challenge. Many cities have zoning laws that do not account for agricultural activity in commercial spaces. However, some municipalities, including Arlington, Virginia, and Cincinnati, Ohio, have adapted their regulations to encourage urban farming.
The future of urban agriculture
While large-scale crops like wheat and corn remain difficult to grow indoors, vertical farms have already proven their value for leafy greens, herbs, and other high-yield produce. As long as corporate downsizing and remote work trends persist, it is likely that more empty office buildings will be repurposed into thriving indoor farms.
“One thing cities dislike more than anything is unused spaces that don’t drive economic growth,” says Seay. “If these farm conversions continue to succeed, we’ll see more cities embracing them as a viable solution.”
For now, the urban farming movement continues to bloom, transforming vacant offices into vibrant spaces that nourish communities and redefine how we think about food production.