Before the new code, owners and developers were often forced to rehabilitate aging buildings to the same standards required of new construction. Bringing the older buildings up to new construction standards was frequently cost-prohibitive and resulted in many of Michigan's older buildings being left vacant or demolished.

"Without these new rules, our communities would undoubtedly continue to see property owners and developers investing in new construction rather than using existing buildings," Clark says. "This would mean more aging buildings would be left abandoned, which would only exacerbate the development of valuable farm land, increase urban blight and decay, and reduce the tax base that is necessary to make Michigan cities economically viable."

The rule set mirrors code established by the International Existing Building Code with modifications and ensures that structures will be no less safe than current code dictates.