What is a Mixed-Use Building?

In short, a mixed-use building is a single building that houses three or

more significantly-sized, revenue-producing businesses or ventures.
While this might include several businesses, it is not the same as an
office building, which houses only business offices. An MXD includes
more diversity in the uses, which may include:

 Business offices
 Retail stores
 Restaurants
 Hotels
 Entertainment

Industrial operations and residential areas may also be included in

these dense, concentrated constructions, allowing many people to
work, live, and enjoy a wide range of amenities within a relatively
small area. All in all, it’s a practical way to make the most of limited
space and has something to offer everyone.

Advantages and Benefits of Mixed-Use Properties for

Your Business
MXD’s existed in large numbers before the implementation of modern
zoning regulations, which effectively split commercial and residential
areas from one another and made them exclusive spaces for specific
uses. In these early years, they thrived in transit stop areas and
around intersections, where businesses vie for space with urban
housing. Over the years, the popularity of these businesses rose and
fell, dwindling throughout the 1950s only to peak in the 1970s and
then fall again. Since the mid-2000s, development companies have
been revisiting the concept of MXDs, and for a good reason.

The first benefit of mixed-use buildings is, of course, its ability to make
the most of relatively small, limited spaces of land. This is becoming
especially crucial in modern times when well over 55 percent of the
world’s population lives within urban spaces. In order to accommodate
this staggering number of people, room must be made for housing.
However, this leads to difficulties in deciding where businesses can be
placed, leading to a sort of standoff between residential and
commercial zoning permits. MXD’s make the issue much simpler by
giving developers the freedom to integrate both spaces into one. This
also leads to interesting investment opportunities for business owners
like yourself. You can grow your business and practice investment in
multifamily housing in a single area.

MXD’s make urban living more sustainable in other ways, as well.

When restaurants, entertainment, industrial ventures, and even
housing are all encompassed in one compact area, residents of the
area are required to use their cars less to reach amenities. This
creates a safer, more pedestrian-friendly environment, which reduces
the amount of pollution produced within the area. It’s a small step
towards creating more green urban spaces but promises to make a
huge difference as MXD’s become popular once more.

Benefitting the local economy and the climate as a whole is excellent,

but MXD’s also have much to offer business owners in terms of the