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

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,

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.

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