List of tallest buildings in Washington, D.C.

This list of tallest buildings in Washington, D.C. ranks high-rises in the U.S. capital city of Washington, D.C. The tallest structure in the city is the Washington Monument, which rises convert|555|ft|m|0 and was completed in 1884. However, the structure is not generally considered a high-rise building as it does not have successive floors that can be occupied. The second-tallest building in Washington is the Old Post Office Building, which is convert|319|ft|m|0 high. The tallest habitable building in the city is the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, which rises convert|329|ft|m|0. The fourth-tallest building in the city is the Washington National Cathedral which is located on Mount St. Alban. The high ground of this area makes the Cathedral seem taller, and the Cathedral can be seen from many parts of the city. As of July 2008, there are 320 completed high-rises in the city.cite web|url=http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/ci/bu/sk/?id=101047|title=High Rises of Washington |publisher=Emporis.com|accessdate=2008-07-04]

Washington's history of skyscrapers began with the completion in 1894 of the 14-story Cairo Hotel, which is considered to be the city's first high-rise.cite web|url=http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=cairohotelcondominiums-washington-dc-usa|title=Cairo Hotel Condominiums|publisher=Emporis.com|accessdate=2008-07-04] cite web|url=http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=40786|title=Cairo Hotel Condominiums|publisher=Skyscraperpage.com|accessdate=2008-07-04] The building rises convert|164|ft|m|0 and 14 floors. Washington went through an early high-rise construction boom from the late 1890s to the mid-1930s, during which time the Old Post Office Building and the National Archives Building were built. The city then experienced a major building boom from the early 1940s to the late 1990s, during which the city saw the completion of 31 of its 48 tallest buildings, including One Franklin Square and 700 Eleventh Street. However, although the city is home to several high-rises, none are considered to be genuine "skyscrapers"; only two completed buildings surpass convert|200|ft|m.

The height of buildings in Washington is limited by the Height of Buildings Act. The original Act was passed by Congress in 1899 in response to the construction of the Cairo Hotel, which is much taller than the majority of buildings in the city. The original act limited buildings to the height of the United States Capitol Building, which rises to convert|289|ft|m|0, but the act was amended in 1910 to restrict the height of any building to the width of the adjacent street plus convert|20|ft|m; thus, a building facing a convert|90|ft|m|sing=on-wide street could be only convert|110|ft|m|0 tall. In modern times the skyline remains low and sprawling, keeping with Thomas Jefferson's wishes to make Washington an "American Paris" with "low and convenient" buildings on "light and airy" streets. Washington's height restriction, however, has been assailed as one of the primary reasons why the city has inflated rents, limited affordable housing, and traffic problems as a result of urban sprawl. To escape the District's height restriction, architects wishing to construct higher buildings close to downtown often do so in Rosslyn, Virginia, directly across the Potomac River from Georgetown.cite news | first=Michael | last=Grunwald | coauthors= | title=D.C.'s Fear of Heights | date=2006-07-02 | publisher= | url =http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/30/AR2006063001316.html | work =The Washington Post | pages =B02 | accessdate = 2008-06-10 | language = ]

One of the most recently completed buildings in Washington, D.C. is Capitol View, which is convert|171|ft|m high.cite web|url=http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=50196|title=Capitol View|publisher=Skyscraperpage.com|accessdate=2008-07-04] As of July 2008, there is one high-rise under construction in the city that is expected to rise at least convert|150|ft|m|0, with one more proposed and one approved for construction. Onyx on First is the only high-rise under construction in Washington; upon completion, it will be the 14th-tallest building in the city.cite web|url=http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=59127|title=Onyx on First|publisher=Skyscraperpage.com|accessdate=2008-07-04] Two other large developments taking place are Square 54 Residential I, which is proposed for construction, and the PNC Bank Building, which is approved. The Square Residential I building is expected to rise to a height of convert|160|ft|m and 14 stories,cite web|url=http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=77748|title=Square 54 Residential I|publisher=Skyscraperpage.com|accessdate=2008-07-04] cite web|url=http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=square54soustreetastresidentialbuilding-washington-dc-usa|title=Square 54 Residential I (Southeast Residential)|publisher=Emporis.com|accessdate=2008-07-04] while the PNC Bank Building is expected to rise to a height of convert|151|ft|m and 12 stories.cite web|url=http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=63763|title=PNC Bank Building|publisher=Skyscraperpage.com|accessdate=2008-07-04] As of July 2008, there is a total of four high-rise buildings under construction, approved for construction and proposed for construction in Washington.

Tallest buildings

This lists ranks Washington skyscrapers that stand at least convert|150|ft|m, based on standard height measurement. This includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts. Existing structures are included for ranking purposes based on present height.

Timeline of tallest buildings

This lists buildings that once held the title of tallest building in Washington, D.C. This list excludes the convert|555|ft|m|0|adj=on Washington Monument, which has stood as the tallest non-building structure in the city since 1884.

Notes

A. note label|A|A|^The Washington Monument is not a habitable building, but is included in this list for comparative purposes.

References

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External links

* [http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?searchID=38345606 Diagram of Washington, D.C. skyscrapers] on SkyscraperPage