I don't know if I have this exactly correct but I thought low rise was up to about 20 stories, mid-rise to about 60 stories and hi-rise above 60 stories. This may have changed over the years. I am not aware of a different definition depending on location.
I agree with hokie66. 59 stories VERY tall for mid-rise. I think there is more to it than simply the number of stories. I think height/least dimension > some number also plays in. Possibly some other parameters.
"IBC SECTION 403
HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS
403.1 Applicability.
The provisions of this section shall apply to buildings with an occupied floor located more than 75 feet (22 860 mm) above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access."
NFPA has a definition for high-rise structures which is consistent with IBC Sec 403.
What is considered high-rise in Washington DC...what do the codes (fire & building)say? I do not have a clue...but am interested in finding out.
Within the last week, I read a short article in an engineering magazine (don't remember which) that referenced both the Capitol and the Washington Monument as the limiting height. Because the DC buildings are relatively low in height, they compensate with deeper basements.
As long as we're going with what we think we remember we heard, I think I remember I heard that the buildings can't be any taller than the distance between them across the street.
google, google...yup. It's not the Capitol, it's not the Washington Monument, it's the 1910 Height Act. No more than 20 ft taller than the distance between buildings across a street or avenue. Means 130 ft. max in most parts of the city, 160 ft. along some parts of Pennsylvania Avenue.
