- Residential
- 2 Beds
- 3 Baths
- 4,640 SqFt
High-Rise Condos for Sale in the Washington Metropolitan Area
With the housing shortage in the Washington Metropolitan area, you would expect to see plenty of high-rise buildings. After all, adding additional stories is a time-tested solution in densely populated areas. Yet, the Washington skyline is noticeably lower than most other major cities in the country.
Just how different is DC and its surrounding areas and how does that affect condos for sale in general?
A sampling of skyscrapers across the nation would include 432 Park Avenue in New York City—the tallest residential building in the United States at 1,396 feet and 89 stories. It was delivered in 2014.
Commercial high-rise structures include the Willis Tower in Chicago (formerly Sears) at 1,729 feet, and the U.S. Bank Tower in Los Angeles at 1,018 feet. There are hundreds of other notable towers across the country, including the fabulous Empire State Building, completed in 1934 and standing 1,454 feet.
By comparison, the tallest DC structure is the Washington Monument, built in 1884 and rising 555 feet into the air. It is only an obelisk, however, and not inhabitable.
Most DC buildings are much shorter, owing to the Height of Buildings Act of 1910. There have been various amendments over the years but basically, commercial buildings are limited to about 130 feet. That’s less than one-tenth of the Empire State Building! But don't let that discourage you. There are some high-rise condos for sale in Washington DC, which you can read about below, or begin viewing by clicking on the active MLS listings below!