New Study Makes Economic Case for Increasing D.C. Height Limits

As part of a study into potential changes to D.C.'s Height of Buildings Act requested by Congress, the results of an economic feasibility analysis were presented this week. Relaxing limits would create jobs and several thousand new housing units.

1 minute read

July 25, 2013, 12:00 PM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj

"Today, a preliminary economic feasibility analysis was released, and it confirms what you would expect: Boosting the height limit, even to between 130 and 160 feet total, would incentivize developers to add on to existing buildings and construct taller new ones," reports Lydia DePillis.

"The city’s Office of Planning Director Harriet Tregoning, while professing a love for the city’s current graceful proportions, made the economic case in a presentation of the study’s results. 'If we were to continue to grow at our current pace, well before 20 years from now, we would exhaust the capacity of our city to accommodate the population growth that would be coming to the city,' she said."

"What would all this look like? The Washington City Paper has the boards where D.C.’s Office of Planning presented what the city might look like with a little room to grow."

Read the full story: Study: Raising D.C.’s height limit would help city, not cause world to end

Wednesday, July 24, 2013 in The Washington Post

Architecture Community / Economic Development Urban Development District of Columbia Height Limits Height of Buildings Act NCPC View More

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