Old warehouses, churches, factories and other large buildings have been repurposed as new apartments for years. This isn't something new. But, as we seem to be getting more abandoned industrial buildings and structures, we need better, practical ideas to keep reusing these old places in new ways.

Sustainable buildings and adaptive reuse is the key to repurposing abandoned buildings.

So far the best use I have seen for a repurposed abandoned building was making it a home for birds. This sounds like just any abandoned building as animals and plants do make their way inside and hanging around outside naturally, without any help. But, in the case of the building being repurposed they had taken the trouble of making it a place for native species of birds to be a breeding colony. Then people collect the feathers, down and guano for fertilizer.

Lately, I read a post by Cory Doctorow about an artist colony being created in Detroit where the homes are very derelict and very cheap to pick up from the bank. The artists have begun living off the grid in these old buildings, written off by everyone else. This is such a great way to give new life to the old places.

I started looking into other ways and means of reusing abandoned places. I found industrial water towers which had been repurposed as new homes. I read about an abandoned hospital being turned into a new theatre. A good idea for taking advantage of all that space and likely available parking too. I found old airplanes, boats and big ships turned into homes. I also like the idea of abandoned buildings being turned into libraries and other places which the whole city or town can use.

Artists are turning abandoned structures into modern art. Nice but not so practical as they will eventually need to be kept up or repurposed again. Also, most of them will still be empty and still attract local wildlife which may not be welcome in urban areas.

Turning Abandoned Buildings into Homes for the Homeless is Not so Easy

The idea of taking abandoned buildings in the city and reusing them for the homeless is not new. People think it's a great solution to using an abandoned place. However, it isn't so practical or easily done.

One problem is the 'not in my backyard' phenomenon. Not everyone is eager for a gathering of homeless people to be brought into their area of the city or town. An abandoned building will attract rodents, birds and other wildlife and, of course, weeds. It may also be a danger as it begins weathering and falling apart. But, that could still seem preferable to bringing in people who could be unpredictable, needy and desperate.

Another problem is funding for this kind of project. The building needs to be renovated and brought up to modern building codes for the plumbing and electrical wiring. These are not light expenses, especially when you factor in the labour to get all of this done.

Where does the money come from for something like this? Even if the city/ government takes on the project the money comes from the local area through taxes.

One other thing, the building owner may not want to sell or give up control of the land the building is on. Just because a building is vacant and empty does not mean no one owns that building. As long as the owner is paying the taxes they own that place. Never assume no one owns a building just because it's empty, falling apart and abandoned.

A real estate investor and land developer could hold onto a property for many years before doing anything with it. They may need to pay insurance on a ruined building but that could be less hassle and expense than turning it into a usable space and dealing with laws, taxes, more insurance and tenants too.

Something else which comes into the mix of problems is historical preservation. In order to renovate a building which has been given historical significance you need to stick to specific guidelines and use real historical materials and parts while adhering to modern construction and building codes. This is not so easily done, as I know from personal experience (my brother buys, fixes and rents/ sells old, sometimes derelict, homes).

Links to Repurposing Ideas and Thoughts

• Old buildings 'repurposed' as unique housing - Washington Times
• OpenIDEO - Repurpose Vacant Buildings into Homes for the Homeless
• Past Olympic Venues---Rotting, Renovated, Repurposed
• Adaptive Reuse: 20 Brilliant Recycled Buildings | WebUrbanist
• 7 (More) Amazing Adaptive Reuse Architecture Projects | WebUrbanist
• Flavorwire: Death and Life of American Cities: Is Detroit the Next Artists' Haven?
• Flavorwire: Beautiful Green Spaces Built on Strange Ground
• Loveland Technologies (Trying to save Detroit)
• Rana Florida: Creative Spaces: New Lives for Abandoned Buildings
• Abandoned German Open-Pit Mine Turned Into World's Largest Solar Park | Inhabitat
• Chinese Artist Recycles Automobiles Into Theme Park | Inhabitat
• Live Green With Re-purposed Buildings | IGreenSpot
• Afterwords Archive: Reinventing Abandoned Places: Urban Ghosts
• Saving Abandoned Buildings With a Hyperlinked Novel, a Wiki-Guide and Homemade Tapioca Glue : TreeHugger

This Post Started as a HubPages Question

What do you seek when you visit other countries?

Baudelaire wrote of escaping "anywhere out of this world" and Proust pondered our longing to get out of our own lives, frustrated by discovery that they follow us wherever we go like our shadows. Enlightenment travelers are less concerned with the experience there are having than with understanding the places and people they visit, but it takes time and patience and modern tourists are short of both.

Asked by Beata Stasak.

I Like to Travel for Culture and History

I like to find the atmosphere of the place. I'm not a social butterfly, but I push myself a bit and talk to people when I travel. I ask about things that interest me. Sometimes I find out about a great place to visit while I'm there. Sometimes they tell me about a local group I could join in with. Often I get a new perspective on my old, taken for granted ideas.

I like finding culture and history. I will go to things like local museums and flea markets and those farmer's markets where they really do still have produce as well as crafts and such for sale.

One thing I always do it get out very, very early so I can be out people watching as the town/ city wakes up for the working day. I like to see the place start fresh and come alive around me.

There is something special about getting away. First you have that flash of horror at being adrift in a new place. But, once you get over that the adventure starts. It's only when you travel that you can really be free, reinvent yourself, try something new and waste a day doing nothing, guilt free.

How to Enjoy the Trip

Remember you're a tourist and take the day (or week, however long you are away) off.

Write about your adventures. Draw, doodle and illustrate if you can. Add postcards if you can't draw anything at all. Save ticket stubs and other bits of things which you can add to your travel journal.

Have one planned destination each day. Maybe a tourist spot, maybe a restaurant that sounded too good to pass up, or a place you planned to see long before you left home even. Don't plan every step of your day. Give yourself room for unplanned adventures, changing your mind and wandering.

Talk to people. Even if you don't usually talk to anyone, put forth a little effort and talk to a couple of people each day. A real conversation. See if you can get past the regular small talk about the weather.

Take photos, lots of photographs. We are past the days when you had to pay for photofinishing and film. Now, the digital camera sets you free to make a fool of yourself being a tourist with a loaded camera. Go all out and put your thumb in a few pictures too, it's traditional.

Take the time to send postcards while you are still away from home. Write them with a new pen while you enjoy coffee, tea or something else in a lovely location with a great view.

The hotel, motel, bed & breakfast, or hostel you are staying at is a good (easy to find) source for great places to see, what to eat and things to do.

Do some of the things you like to do when you're home. I like browsing at bookstores. It's a great way to spend an afternoon when I'm in another town, another city, province (state), or country. I look for second hand bookstores too, not just retail.

Do something you don't make time for when you are home and busy or just don't have the energy. It might be something like getting a pedicure for the first time ever. You might get tickets and go to a live theatre performance, evening or matinee. Be open to new experiences.

I wrote The Fly in the Room and thought it was a complete story. But, I had a request for a part two. So here it is...

He said his name was Fred. Of course it wasn't. I found that out when I noticed a pile of mail on a side table by the door. I'll call him Fred because he does look something like a caveman and his expectations were primitive too.

Fred was freshly cleaned up and showered but he had not done much about brushing his hair, cleaning under his fingernails or trimming his finger and toenails. Poor grooming has always been a turn off for me. As it turns out most other women feel the same way. That was how I had met and become friends with a few other local Dominant women. We were all annoyed with the local men who expected so much and returned so very little. Not even bothering to dress up or clean up, as if we should be satisfied with so little.

None of us were professionals, though each of us had considered it for the amount of money the professional FemDoms claimed to make. I was surprised a man would pay that much for services rendered. But, that was before I understood the big difference between paid FemDoms and women like myself and my friends who have a personal interest versus a professional/ paid job.

The professionals read from a script. They get their orders from the men and they do the things the men expect, in the way they expect them. This is actually what most men consider to be Domination by a woman. That was a big disappointment for me. What was the point of it all if I did it all his way? I wasn't settling for that dull routine. I did play online awhile - until I got so bored I became angry with the men for being so bland, so thoughtless and stupid. I could not believe how ignorant and self centred they were.

I did not agree to meet with Fred until I was sure he understood what male submission is. I drilled it into him that things would be my way. He said that was all he wanted. He said all the right stuff but obviously he meant none of it. I doubt he cared at all about me, who I am and what I want. He expected this to be all about himself and his needs. Just look how he greeted me at the door! Nude and groveling, a little man maggot.

I was so angry I could not speak for a few minutes. Then I just wound down and decided to leave. I left him waiting, expecting something. I left him with his butt in the air, his legs open and his nose pressed to the carpet, the dirty looking carpet in his home. I left him to play with himself because it was obvious I didn't really need to be there for him to experience the Domination he wanted.

I had driven back out to the main street of town before I changed my mind. I parked the car and made a few phone calls. Across the street was a handy Dollar Store so I picked up a few things, some for myself while I was waiting and some for Fred and my friends. I had given them his address and by the time I got back both of them were already there, dressed to kill. Poor, stupid Fred was going to get what he expected and a lot more.

I opened the door and the poor idiot was still where I had left him. But, I bet he had been wondering while he waited. I'm sure this had not gotten him actually thinking though. His cock was still hard and he was squirming around. I admit, I do like the squirming.

A fly was buzzing around was the only sound, other than Fred's breathing. I said nothing but I wanted him to know he was not alone in the room. I made sure of it as the three of us walked a circle around him. When he tried to take a peek I put the blindfold on him, making it just a bit on the tight side. I was still angry.

"Mistress..." He said, with a little concern in his voice.

I didn't answer but one of the other women gave him a body check which nearly sent him sprawling from his kneeling position. None of us were feeling particularly patient with Fred. We snapped the collar and leash on him. It was a choke collar which I had been happy to find in the Dollar Store. I had never used one before. The collar I wanted to use on a male was made of chain but did not choke. It was a collar for leading around a male I could be proud of. Fred was not that guy.

I pulled the leash, making the collar tighten around his neck. He made a fake-sounding gagging noise so I pulled harder. I think that was when the little maggot began to wonder if this wasn't all just a fantasy game all for him. I wanted him to wonder, I wanted him to realize this was not all about his needs.

"Get up on your knees, maggot Fred." I demanded.

One of the other women pulled his arms around his body, as if he were hugging himself. While she held them there the other woman put on the restraints. In this position he could remain in the bondage a long period of time with his hands and arms mostly out of commission. Next she smacked his face, I don't think it was too hard but the maggot gasped and opened his mouth to complain. I stuck the dildo gag in while his mouth was still open and I pushed it in deep. He gagged for real that time. He started to struggle as I snapped it in place. By then it was already too late for maggot Fred.

"Is this the part where I tell you what a good boy you are, Fred? Sorry, it's not going to happen quite the way you planned today. Stand up!"

He had a hard time standing from the kneeling position. Without his arms to balance and push himself up he made a spectacle of himself. He'd told me how fit he was, how much he worked to keep in shape but... Fred had quite the beer gut for a guy who told me he went to the gym every day. He would be too heavy for us to lift, and really... none of us wanted to haul him around.

We had a great cage, with wheels. It was something I had seen on a BDSM website. I ordered it, even though it had cost me almost a month of rent money. This would be the first time I would get to use it. It wasn't too heavy to have brought it from my place when it was still empty. So I had also brought a furniture mover's dolly which could raise it up to get it to roll into the back of my truck once we loaded Fred into the cage. Getting him in there took some work. First, because he did start to struggle. Second, I discovered it was tougher to get a struggling man through the small door of the cage than it would have been with a man who wanted to go there. So, I just used Fred's own stupidness against him.

I grabbed his cock, squeezed it and stroked it until he settled down. He was back to being stiff and hard and drooling with precum. I lead him by his cock and pulled him into the cage. It was a little manovering but then he was inside, locked up.

"We want to watch you play with your little cock now, Fred. Three of us are sitting around you in your cage and we want to watch you cum. Amuse us, little man slut."

"Yes, be the little man slut, Fred." I agreed.

I didn't stay to watch but I could hear him moving around, straining against the restraints to reach his cock. I could hear him gasping, moaning, and making all those little noises while he strained and worked over his cock.

Fred's fly buddy was walking on the cage bars near his feet. Meanwhile, I went on an exploration of Fred's place. It was a little dirty but not quite to the point of being gross. I expected he hired someone to clean and did not do it himself. Things like curtains were dusty but the floor in the kitchen only had the debris of a day or two on it. I found a petty teapot with two matching cup and saucers. They didn't look like Fred's style so I wrapped them up in a couple of his shirts and found a grocery bag to carry them out in.

I found Fred's stash of BDSM toys and gear. Most of it looked used and not put away washed. That was gross. I took mental note of what I found but there were some things I was curious about so I took photos.

I packed up some pants, shirts, underwear and other essentials and packed them into a suitcase for Fred. I checked his bathroom medicine cabinet in case he had any prescriptions, there were a few but all had expired dates so I left them there. In the linen closet I found a set of new sheets - not even out of the packaging. Likely a woman had bought them for him, they had a great thread count and Fred didn't seem the type to know much about anything like thread counts.

I took my plunder out to the main room. Fred was sagging in his cage, panting after cumming. Did he think the game was over now? The cage door was still open. I reached inside and hobbled Fred at the ankles then tied them to the side of the cage so he could not kick the cage while he was inside it. Fred made more gurgling noises behind the gag, I ignored him. He was comfortable enough in his bondage.

I gave the teapot and cups to one friend because I know she has a nice collection of them. The other friend had just moved into a new apartment and would be happy with the new sheet set.

Together we rolled Fred, inside the cage, out to my truck. I had parked it close to his front door. Fred's fly buzzed past us as we loaded the cage into the truck. I saw it fly out into the darkening sky, off to other adventures.

Fred was trying to talk around the dildo gag but none of it was the intelligent conversation I had hoped for when I came to meet him today. I would have to settle for something less and Fred... he would just have to settle for being a good boy... my way.

Fred went into a bit of a panic as he realized he was not getting out of the cage. Likely he could feel the air moving over his bare skin and realized he had been moved outside too. The cage was making a loud gonging noise as he struggled and clanged the cage against the side of my truck. But, we had planned for this too. I reached through the bars of the cage, gripped Fred's thigh and pulled it close against the bars, holding it there while he was injected with a tranquilizer. It helped to have friends.

The shot worked fast. Fred was almost out of it when I pulled up the tarp and covered the cage for the drive home. I'd just make a pit stop there to pack up some clothes and things. I'd be taking little Fred to a real dungeon, run by a group of women the three of us had been talking to online. We had wanted to join. But, in order to join we had to bring in a captive male. So we had pretty much given up on the idea, partly just because it seemed a bit extreme, until today.

Fred's stupid expectations for our date today were so convenient because now we had a male to bring the Amazon club. We each got into our vehicles with plans to meet at my place and drive out to the Amazon dungeon together, with Fred.

**Five Easy Steps to a Little Free Library in Your Neighbourhood  **

1. Identify a location and steward.

2. Decide if you want to:

Order a complete Little Library or kit from our online catalogue.

Build it Yourself.  Make it official!.Get plans and instructions.

“Endow" for someone else (tax deductible!). Support Books for All in Africa, India or your community, Little Free Libraries for Small Towns or other initiatives.

Honor someone or have a Memorial Library

3. Contact us.  Use the Contact Us form on the website.  Reserve an official number and style, supplies and access to books.

4. Build Support

Lead the way. Be the first to give to the Little Free Library G.I.F.T. (Give It Forward Team) Fund.

Find a business or group sponsor

Tell your neighbours and friends. Invite them over for a little house party or send them a note asking them to join you.

5. When it is installed, celebrate! Send your photos and information to the website and get on the worldwide map!

Keep your Little Library full of books.  Protect it. Enjoy it. Feel great!

P.S. Always support your public and school libraries!)

Source - Little Free Library

I like the history of the old cemeteries. That's why I take my camera and respectfully enter old cemeteries in the city or nearly forgotten cemeteries in rural areas where the church itself might be just a rural ruin now.

It's a shame to see graves which have been moved. It still seems disrespectful, even all these years later. I like to photograph the old headstones and admire the engraving/ carving/ sculpture.

People like to explore cemeteries and graveyards for assorted reasons. Some are urban explorers, some are genealogists researching family histories and some want to discover more about local history.

Myself, I'm an urban explorer in rural Ontario. I often see small cemeteries or just a few plots leftover on a farm. It would be nice to have them remembered, those people who became our history.

How and What to Photograph in a Cemetery

Each headstone that you photograph should be done from a few different angles, try to get the shadows as highlights on the letters and engraving/ sculpture. A stone which you can read at the time will be harder to read in the photograph when you are back home. Give yourself every chance at getting a good, clear photo. Take more than one photo from up close and farther back.

Morning light is often the best light for cemetery photos. In older cemeteries it was traditional to bury people facing east. There are always exceptions to this rule. If you can return to the location a few times, experiment and find the best time of day and the best weather (cloudy, sunny, rainy) to work for the stone you want to photograph.

Bring aluminum foil (or a large sheet of white bristol board/ paper) to add illumination to the stones. Set it at the foot/ base and move it around to catch and reflect the light onto the headstone. White bristol board will give a glow to the stone rather than a shiny reflection.

Bring water in a spray bottle. Wet the stone and let it dry a little. Water will remain in the crevices but dry from the flat areas. This will add some texture and make the stone easier to read in your photograph. Take photos before you wet the stone so it can be seen as it is (unless you really only want to read it).

When taking a photo of an individual stone - fill the screen with it as much as possible. Turn the camera so you are taking a tall rectangle rather than the squat square standard photo. (If you've never done this before you should read more about basic photography). Tilt the camera for the stones which have settled on an angle, few of the old headstones are perfectly in place.

Some headstones will be flat on the ground. Avoid getting your shadow caught in the photograph. Take the photo from an angle, try moving to the side or take the photo standing at the top of the stone instead of the base. Whatever works to keep your view of the stone clear from your own shadow.

Bring a gentle brush to remove dirt from the stone. Don't do anything that will harm the stone. Avoid chemicals and cleaners which will cause the stone to become more porous (shaving cream has been used to clean the stones but it also weakens them which causes them to deteriorate sooner).

Carefully pull weeds from around the stone. A stone already on the ground could be fragile and crumbly where the weeds have been making inroads. It's great to see more of the stone and give it a break from the crowding weeds but it would be a shame to have a chunk of it fall apart once the weeds are no longer supporting it/ keeping it in place.

Haunted Victoria Canada Graveyards: Ghosts at Old Burying Ground, Ross Bay Cemetery, Pioneer Square

Provincial Resources

• Western Canada Cemetery Association
• StonePics: Newfoundland Cemeteries

For Canadian Cemetery Explorers

• CanadaGenWeb's Cemetery Project (Canadian Cemetery Directory)
• Flickr: Cemeteries of Ontario (COO)
• Flickr: Canadian Cemeteries

Other Resources

• Pinterest - Cemeteries fascinate me.
• Cemetery Photography | Photography.ca
• Juliet's Lace.: My guide to graveyard photography.
• Achingly Beautiful Cemetery Sculptures (20 photos) - My Modern Metropolis
• The Stories Behind The Stones; Cemetery Photography | Fuel Your Photography
• The Association for Gravestone Studies
• Genealogy.com: Tips for Photographing Gravestones
• Recording Cemeteries with Digital Photography | Interment.net
• How to Photograph a Cemetery
• 11 Tips for Taking Pictures in a Cemetery | StoneAngels
• The Hobby of Graving
• 40 Hauntingly Beautiful Photographs of Graves Taken In Graveyards and Cemeteries