Converting Offices To Apartments In Phoenix: Legal Steps

Converting an empty office into income-producing apartments can look like a straight line on a spreadsheet, then turn into a maze once you hit code requirements and hearings. If you are eyeing a Phoenix building, you are smart to ask what Section 711 requires, who reviews what, and how long each step takes. You want a reliable roadmap that helps you plan capital, sequence approvals, and avoid costly resets.

This guide walks you through the Phoenix-specific legal path, key filings, common pitfalls, and a practical checklist you can use with your team. You will see what Section 711 covers, how building codes shape design, when public hearings are likely, and what documents counsel typically prepares. Let’s dive in.

Section 711 in Phoenix: what it covers

Section 711 in the City of Phoenix Zoning Ordinance is your starting point for office-to-apartment conversions. You should read the exact ordinance language to confirm whether your project qualifies for an administrative staff review or needs a discretionary approval such as a conditional use permit, special permit, or rezoning. The City’s Planning & Development Services (PDS) administers these processes.

You also need to plan for building-code compliance. Phoenix adopts versions of the International Building Code and the International Existing Building Code. A change of occupancy from commercial to residential triggers life-safety, egress, fire protection, accessibility, and energy compliance reviews. Your architect’s code analysis will determine whether you can proceed under the IEBC or must meet current IBC standards.

Step 1: feasibility and due diligence

Start with a focused feasibility sweep before you spend on full drawings. Confirm title, use rights, and physical constraints that could derail the deal or add major cost.

• Title and use rights. Pull a current title report and check for deed restrictions, CC&Rs, easements, reciprocal access or parking agreements, and any recorded site plans or approvals that limit residential use.
• Zoning baseline. Verify the zoning district, overlays, and whether residential is permitted. Read Section 711 directly to understand the required findings and pathway. Check for historic districts or design overlays.
• Building code baseline. Engage an architect or engineer to survey existing conditions and prepare a preliminary code analysis. Review occupancy change triggers, egress, fire separations, sprinklers, accessibility, structural capacity, ceiling heights, and natural light and ventilation.
• Utilities and site. Request water, sewer, and electrical capacity letters. Order a preliminary parking and traffic review. Confirm stormwater and landscaping standards.
• Environmental checks. Order a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment. Older buildings often need asbestos and lead surveys and abatement plans.
• Financial screen. Model conversion cost per unit, parking solutions, and likely rent to decide if the numbers pencil before you file.

Step 2: pre-application meeting and filings

Before formal submittals, schedule a pre-application meeting with Phoenix PDS. Invite your architect and, when useful, a fire consultant. Staff will clarify submittal checklists, expected timelines, and whether neighborhood notice or hearings apply.

File the application package your pathway requires. Depending on Section 711 and your site’s zoning, that could be an administrative conversion application, a conditional use permit, a special permit, or rezoning. Typical submittals include a written narrative addressing code findings, site plan, floor plans, elevations, landscape plan, parking exhibits, and any required studies.

Step 3: planning review and outreach

City staff will check your design against zoning standards like height, setbacks, lot coverage, parking, and landscaping. If you miss a standard, you will need to revise or seek a variance.

If your pathway triggers a public hearing, prepare outreach materials for neighborhood associations and notices for nearby properties. You may present to the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council. If Section 711 provides an administrative route for your case, staff may handle it at the desk with specific findings. Always confirm the exact process up front.

Step 4: permits and technical plan review

Once entitlements are in place, move into building permits. Submit complete architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing drawings. Include a life-safety plan that covers means of egress, corridor and stair widths, fire-rated assemblies, and smoke control if required.

Coordinate directly with the Phoenix Fire Department on sprinkler and alarm requirements. Plan for accessibility upgrades and potential elevator work. Address water and sewer service needs and budget for development-impact and meter fees. Energy-code compliance forms and calculations will also be part of your package.

Step 5: construction, inspections, and CO

During construction, expect inspections for structural, MEP, and fire systems. Resolve corrections quickly to keep the schedule on track. At the end, obtain a final Certificate of Occupancy or a change-of-occupancy endorsement that reflects residential apartment use. If you plan to operate as rental apartments, ensure the occupancy classification matches your operating plan.

Step 6: post-construction filings and property changes

After the building is ready, tie off the administrative items that impact ownership and operations.

• Condominium option. If you will create individually owned units, prepare and record the condominium declaration, bylaws, plats, and required disclosures under Arizona law. Confirm tenant notices and resale rules that may apply to conversions.
• County filings and taxes. Work with the Maricopa County Recorder to record maps and declarations. Engage the County Assessor about any changes to parcel status and property tax classification.
• Operations updates. Align leases, rental registrations, and utility accounts with the new use. Maintain current business licenses as required.

What counsel and your team will prepare

A smooth conversion hinges on tight document control. Expect your counsel and consultants to assemble the following.

• Due diligence and title. Title report, chain-of-title analysis, recorded restrictions, easements, reciprocal agreements, plat maps, prior approvals, and a lease audit if tenants remain. Include Phase I ESA and hazardous materials reports.
• Land-use and entitlements. A Section 711 application narrative that addresses required findings, a zoning compliance matrix, site plan, floor plans, parking exhibits, elevations, and landscape plans. Add traffic or trip-generation studies and neighborhood outreach materials when needed.
• Permit and technical. Full permit drawings, life-safety plan, sprinkler and alarm design, accessibility documentation, energy compliance, and utility capacity letters and service agreements.
• Legal agreements. Variance or mitigation agreements if needed, new easements or rights-of-way, title endorsements, updated legal descriptions, and recording-ready documents. For condominiums, prepare the declaration, bylaws, plats, and public offering or disclosure materials as required by Arizona law.
• Closing and recording. Final building approvals, Certificate of Occupancy, recorded plats or condo maps, updated deeds, and tax parcel records if ownership structure changes.

Common Phoenix pitfalls to avoid

• Zoning assumptions. Do not assume your conversion is administrative. Confirm whether Section 711 requires discretionary approvals or hearings for your site.
• Parking shortfalls. Office ratios often do not translate to residential demand. Plan for on-site counts, shared parking agreements, or a variance. Expect scrutiny of your parking analysis.
• Life-safety upgrades. Residential occupancy can trigger new fire separations, sprinklers, egress improvements, and structural work. These costs can change feasibility.
• Accessibility and habitability. Apartments need compliant kitchens, baths, light, ventilation, and accessible routes. Layout changes and elevator work can add time and cost.
• Utility capacity. Hot water, electrical load, and sewer flows change with residential units. Utility capacity upgrades or new meters can be expensive and slow.
• Tenant and conversion statutes. If occupants remain or you plan condominiums, confirm Arizona statutes on tenant notices and condo conversions.
• Historic overlays. Historic status or districts can change review steps and design standards.
• Tax impacts. Reassessment after conversion can raise property taxes. If you plan short-term rentals, consider any separate tax rules that may apply to transient lodging.

Timeline and budget planning

Your schedule will vary with scope, code path, and neighborhood context, but these ranges are typical.

• Entitlements. Administrative conversions can run about 1 to 3 months. Discretionary approvals with hearings can run 3 to 9 months or more, especially if there is opposition or added conditions.
• Plan review. Building permits commonly take 2 to 6 months. Expedited review may be available for a fee.
• Construction. Interior conversions often span 6 to 18 months depending on mechanical, sprinkler, and structural work.
• Fees to expect. Budget for PDS plan review and permit fees, water and sewer impact and meter fees, fire plan review and sprinkler permits, parking or traffic studies, architects and engineers, legal and title, and potential community mitigation.

Investor-focused underwriting tips

• Gate the deal with code. Ask your architect for a quick IEBC vs IBC analysis before you finalize your pro forma. Flag any required fire separations, stair or corridor modifications, and accessibility triggers.
• Make parking solvable. Underwrite multiple parking strategies early. Shared parking agreements or a variance can be the difference between go and no-go.
• Validate utilities. Secure preliminary letters from Water Services, APS or SRP, and your mechanical engineer. Update your capex plan if new meters or service upgrades are likely.
• Tie title to design. Confirm that any reciprocal easements or CC&Rs allow residential use and do not cap parking or limit façade changes that your plan requires.
• Align exit with structure. If you plan to map condos, build the legal timeline and recording steps into your schedule and lender covenants.

Your next steps in Phoenix

• Pull and read the current Phoenix Zoning Ordinance Section 711 and request the latest PDS application checklist for conversions.
• Book a pre-application meeting with PDS and the Fire Department to confirm process, findings, and submittals.
• Order a title report, survey, Phase I ESA, and hazardous materials surveys.
• Commission existing-conditions drawings and a preliminary conversion code analysis from your architect.
• Request utility capacity letters for water, sewer, and electric.
• Prepare and submit your Section 711 and related land-use application, including outreach if a hearing is likely.
• After entitlements, submit full building permit sets, coordinate with Fire and Building Safety, then manage inspections through final Certificate of Occupancy.
• If mapping condos, prepare and record the declaration, bylaws, plats, and required disclosures. Coordinate with the County Recorder and Assessor on parcel and tax updates.

Ready to evaluate a specific Phoenix building or shape a conversion plan that aligns with your investment goals? Connect with an advisor who understands both the entitlement process and multifamily underwriting. Reach out to GRACE CRE to discuss your timeline, capital plan, and next steps.

FAQs

What is Section 711 in Phoenix’s zoning code?

• Section 711 is the local process framework for office-to-multifamily conversions in Phoenix. You should read the ordinance text directly to confirm whether your project qualifies for administrative review or requires hearings.

Do all office-to-apartment conversions need rezoning in Phoenix?

• Not always. Some projects may follow an administrative path under Section 711, while others require a conditional use permit, special permit, or rezoning depending on zoning and site specifics.

How do building codes affect a change of occupancy?

• Phoenix uses the IBC and IEBC. A change from commercial to residential triggers life-safety, egress, fire protection, accessibility, and energy compliance reviews that can drive scope and cost.

When should I meet with Phoenix PDS and Fire?

• Early. A pre-application meeting clarifies Section 711 findings, submittal checklists, timelines, and whether your project will require neighborhood notice or public hearings.

What documents are required for building permits?

• Expect full architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing drawings, a life-safety plan, sprinkler and alarm designs, accessibility documentation, energy compliance forms, and utility capacity letters.

How long does a Phoenix conversion typically take?

• Administrative entitlements often take 1 to 3 months. Discretionary approvals can take 3 to 9 months or more. Plan review can take 2 to 6 months, and construction often runs 6 to 18 months.

What are the most common conversion pitfalls?

• Parking shortfalls, life-safety and sprinkler upgrades, utility capacity limits, recorded restrictions, tenant notice requirements for conversions, and potential historic-overlay constraints.

What if I want to create condominiums after conversion?

• You will need to prepare and record a condominium declaration, bylaws, and plats, and follow Arizona statutes for disclosures and any tenant notices. Coordinate recording and tax updates with Maricopa County.