Quiz: How Many Stories Constitute a 'Residential Tower'?

Sure, it's a subjective question. Where I live, it's anything taller than four stories, at least in the local media's eyes. But from a real estate perspective, there really is a minimum number, and they are being built in record numbers in the U.S.

2 minute read

April 29, 2014, 6:00 AM PDT

By Irvin Dawid


Conor Dougherty writes from Minneapolis where he describes one of two new luxury residential high-rises set to open in downtown in August. The Nic on Fifth, a "26-story apartment building that sits smack on a light-rail stop and boasts amenities like a pool deck and a private dog park," is representative of what is becoming increasing more common throughout the U.S. (though I'm not sure how many of these towers can boast private dog parks).

For more information on this transit oriented development, see "The Nic on Fifth Brings Luxury Living to Minneapolis’ Nicollet Mall" by The Opus Group.

Axiometrics, a Dallas apartment-research firm, defines a tower as 15 stories or more, writes Dougherty.

This year, some 74 rental towers are on pace to be completed, and there are 81 on the books for 2015—the highest number since at least the 1970s. At the same time, strong apartment rents and sluggish demand for office space have resulted in some high-rise buildings being converted to apartments. [See chart showing 2005-2015 data].

Dougherty writes that while the high-rise residential towers are more likely to be built in "denser and pricier markets like San Francisco, New York and Chicago, (b)ut in percentage terms, the increase has been most dramatic in smaller cities like Minneapolis, which is building apartments, including high-rise apartment buildings, at the fastest pace in decades."

"It's the Manhattanization of America and it's happening in cities that never had rental high rises," says Mark Humphreys, chief executive of Dallas-based Humphreys & Partners Architects, which specializes in apartments and condominiums.

Going back to the suburban cities that I'm familiar with in the Bay Area, residential opponents, even judges at times (e.g. Redwood City, Calif.) would appear to decry almost any multi-family new development, regardless of its height, as a symbol of the "Manhattanization" of their city. Could that loaded term be taking on a new, more positive meaning?

Saturday, April 26, 2014 in The Wall Street Journal - U.S. News

View form second story inside Southdale Mall in Edina, Minnesota with escalators and model cars parked on downstairs floor.

The Mall Is Dead — Long Live the Mall

The American shopping mall may be closer to its original vision than ever.

March 21, 2024 - Governing

View of Austin, Texas skyline with river in foreground during morning golden hour.

The Paradox of American Housing

How the tension between housing as an asset and as an essential good keeps the supply inadequate and costs high.

March 26, 2024 - The Atlantic

Houston, Texas skyline.

Report: Las Vegas, Houston Top List of Least Affordable Cities

The report assesses the availability of affordable rental units for low-income households.

March 22, 2024 - Urban Edge

Aerial view of Anchorage, Alaska downtown with mountains in background at golden hour.

Anchorage Leaders Debate Zoning Reform Plan

Last year, the city produced the fewest new housing units in a decade.

March 28 - Anchorage Daily News

Young man in wheelchair crossing zebra crosswalk.

How to Protect Pedestrians With Disabilities

Public agencies don’t track traffic deaths and injuries involving disabled people, leaving a gap in data to guide safety interventions.

March 28 - Governing

Aerial view of mountain town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado in the winter with snow at dusk.

Colorado Town Fills Workforce Housing Need With ‘Dorm-Style’ Housing

Median rent in Steamboat Springs is $4,000 per month.

March 28 - CBS News

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.