The 1910 law, responsible for preserving views of the capitol from most roof decks, is being challenged by a small group of architects and developers who believe a modest change would inject vitality, sustainability and revenue into the urban fabric.
Preservationists view any alteration to the height limit will only open the door to more development. "I don't think you get it - it's a very special place," said Ann Hargrove, a resident and ardent defender of the limit. "Our capital was designed in such a special way to be different. One great feature is its height." She admitted that new buildings do get boxy, but said profit-minded developers, if left unchecked, would destroy the graceful parts of Washington's skyline.
Shalom Baranes, a Washington-based architect who wrote two articles this year promoting changes, argued that a modest relaxation in areas outside downtown would allow for a more modern city with greener construction, what developers sometimes refer to as "smart growth."
Dorn C. McGrath Jr., professor emeritus of city and regional planning at George Washington University, and a supporter of the limit, recolonized the need to evolve, but said that just because developers called growth smart did not mean it was.
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