The Historic Lafayette Apartments in downtown Butler might be pointing a way to a brighter future for the city.

The former bank building was converted 10 years ago into apartments for residents 55 or older under the auspices of the county’s Housing and Redevelopment Authorities.

The Lafayette property underwent a major renovation in 2012 that converted the building into a pleasant living experience for its residents complete with a community dining room and laundry.

Residents have their own council which meets every month to discuss concerns and coordinate events such as birthday parties and welcome home celebrations.

If there are two things that Butler has in abundance, it’s disused or empty buildings and people needing a place to live.

Perhaps it’s time for the housing authority, city government and social agencies to work together to see if more properties can be converted into housing using the Lafayette renovation as a model.

Empty buildings would be put to better use than just being decaying eyesores. Such buildings converted to housing would increase the number of people living downtown, which in turn would be a boon to businesses along Main Street.

The city has done a good job in attracting people to the downtown through events such as the Italian Festival and the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival. But the trouble with those events is that when they are over, the visitors leave and the downtown empties out again.

More permanent residents living in downtown buildings would bring a year-round vibrancy to the area which in turn would contribute to a new vibrancy to the social, business and cultural life of the downtown.

That’s not to say it would be easy or fast to convert empty buildings into apartments. There are many issues such as zoning, taxation, income requirements and finances to be worked out.

But the Historic Lafayette Apartments provide an example of how it could be done.

It wouldn’t be a matter of “one size fits all,” but in these days of skyrocketing house prices, the leaders of the community should at least consider attempting to replicate the Lafayette’s success.

— EF