Ways to improve DC

[terrence81]

Originally Posted by vicnice

I think the height restrictions are artificially keeping prices high. Why should I pay sky high prices so someone can have a nice skyline? Paris has highrises, and I dont see buildings around the Effiel tower, make highrises available in NE/SE and parts of NW (keep them out of SW all together).

Skyscrapers in Paris? Where? I went to Paris while in college and I don't recall seeing any. Unless you're referring to La Defense which is outside the city limits kinda like Rosslyn and Crystal City are outside the city limits of DC.

The DC area for the most part seems to just have an aversion to excessively tall buildings. Even Rosslyn's skyline is kinda pitiful compared to other cities. Skyscrapers just doesn't seem to be part of the culture here with perhaps the exception of the Hilton off Seminary which is 30 stories. It was quite a shock for me when I went there for a nightcap a few years ago. It had been like a decade since I had seen so many buttons on an elevator.

Plenty of European cities have cores that lack tall buildings and then you have lots of hi-rises in the suburbs. That seems to be what DC is doing. I think it's great. I disagree that height restrictions keep prices high. The prices are high because there's so many educated people who demand higher salaries and therefore can afford higher prices. Also the District itself is not at full capacity. Sixty years ago there were 850,000 people living in the District now there are 617,000 according to estimates. There's plenty of room to build more 12 or 13 story buildings.

According to the 2010 census the densest parts of the District are the corners of 12th and Mass, the U Street area, and Logan Circle. With 12th and Mass being the densest at 60,000 people per square mile. If just half the city was as dense as 12th and Mass (34 square miles) one could fit over 2 million people without a single building being over 13 stories. Of course one would have to attract that many people. Not everyone wants to live at 12th and Mass. If the entire city had the density of U street and Logan Circle fitting 2 million still wouldn't be a problem. My point is that there's plenty of room as it is. So that's why I disagree with the idea that the height restrictions keep prices artificially high.

[vicnice]

Originally Posted by terrence81

Skyscrapers in Paris? Where? I went to Paris while in college and I don't recall seeing any. Unless you're referring to La Defense which is outside the city limits kinda like Rosslyn and Crystal City are outside the city limits of DC.

The DC area for the most part seems to just have an aversion to excessively tall buildings. Even Rosslyn's skyline is kinda pitiful compared to other cities. Skyscrapers just doesn't seem to be part of the culture here with perhaps the exception of the Hilton off Seminary which is 30 stories. It was quite a shock for me when I went there for a nightcap a few years ago. It had been like a decade since I had seen so many buttons on an elevator.

Plenty of European cities have cores that lack tall buildings and then you have lots of hi-rises in the suburbs. That seems to be what DC is doing. I think it's great. I disagree that height restrictions keep prices high. The prices are high because there's so many educated people who demand higher salaries and therefore can afford higher prices. Also the District itself is not at full capacity. Sixty years ago there were 850,000 people living in the District now there are 617,000 according to estimates. There's plenty of room to build more 12 or 13 story buildings.

According to the 2010 census the densest parts of the District are the corners of 12th and Mass, the U Street area, and Logan Circle. With 12th and Mass being the densest at 60,000 people per square mile. If just half the city was as dense as 12th and Mass (34 square miles) one could fit over 2 million people without a single building being over 13 stories. Of course one would have to attract that many people. Not everyone wants to live at 12th and Mass. If the entire city had the density of U street and Logan Circle fitting 2 million still wouldn't be a problem. My point is that there's plenty of room as it is. So that's why I disagree with the idea that the height restrictions keep prices artificially high.

It's basic supply and demand. More housing = lower price. The median income is a part of the high price of an area, but the median income is actually *higher* in Fairfax, yet I can find condos much cheaper than U street.

IMO DC needs hihhrises and BTW Paris you and I agree on that point. Let them do hihhrises out in other parts of the city. No one is saying you need skyscrapers on the mall, but in U street or Mass or Petworth wouldn't be bad.