When i was between the ages of 18-21 in the middle of the 07+ economic crisis i noticed all these "abandoned" car dealerships in my area... grocery stores, etc.

I always thought a good repurposing of these buildings would've been:

-Skate parks or other athletic venue (maybe a gym if the building was the right size?)

-Clubs/Dancehalls

-Concert Venues

-Intermittent Rental for Parties/Weddings things of that nature (you setup you break down, just an empty building to host a party)

I guess the rental idea could be used for a number of practical purposes if one had an idea that they thought it would be good for.