Mayor Jacob Frey signed an ordinance making it easier to convert unused commercial space into residential units.

The overall vacancy rate in Minneapolis’ central business district at the end of June was 33%, exceeding the metro-wide average, according to a quarterly report from Cushman and Wakefield, a brokerage that tracks mostly larger, multitenant office buildings with 20,000 square feet or more.

The ordinance allows for conversion projects to undergo administrative review instead of Planning Commission approval. This approach reduces review time by up to two months and eliminates public hearings from the process.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey signed an ordinance Tuesday that will ease the regulatory burden on developers who want to turn empty office buildings into apartments. The move is expected to cut costs for developers and signal to private investors that Minneapolis is “open for business,

Office-to-apartment conversions in Minneapolis could get easier under a new ordinance signed by Mayor Jacob Frey on Tuesday.