REFSA - Research For Social Advancement

06/09/2025

REFSA says it’s the right time for the government as well as the private sector to look into converting vacant office buildings in Kuala Lumpur into residential units in the city centre.

Refsa says Wisma SPS, Imbi Plaza, Menara Maybank and Loke Yew Building are among those with the potential to be converted for residential purposes.

06/09/2025

REFSA's latest Brief highlighted the why and how the government and the private sector should look into analysing viability of converting vacant office buildings into housing options.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 6 — The Research for Social Advancement (Refsa) today proposed the government to convert Kuala Lumpur’s vacant office towers into housing, saying the city is...

06/09/2025

The case for Office to Residential conversion in Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur’s city centre has long been a business core, but age is catching up with many previously Grade A buildings. As companies move to more state-of-the-art office blocks, a cluster of once fully occupied but slowly decaying supply of offices is made available.

Converting these buildings into residential units can be part of the solution to solve several issues facing the city centre without needing to create grand new plans. It could give life back to unused buildings and reactivate urban spaces while providing attractive housing in an area deemed unaffordable for a majority of young workers.

In this report, authors Yee Hoi Mun and E Hun Tan aims to kickstart discussions on why and how the government and the private sector should look into analysing viability of converting vacant office buildings into housing options.

While not 100% of these buildings would be suitable for residential purposes, it would be well worth the effort to at least give them a thorough evaluation and potentially a new lease of life that could help rejuvenate a historical and iconic part of Kuala Lumpur. The last thing the urban core needs is a cluster of decaying vacant office buildings sitting around until they’re no longer fit for any kinds of usage.