Are we poised to witness a new era of mid-rise construction? Many industry watchers think so and will happily rattle off the reasons. A thoughtfully articulated building of four to six stories can add density to an existing neighborhood, in many cases producing the foot traffic needed to support retail or public transit. The mid-rise can introduce an affordable housing alternative that appeals to smaller households. As a transitional building form in the landscape, it can smooth the progression from dense urban core to low-lying residential subdivisions. It can tap into existing infrastructure. And its modest scale can play nicely with neighboring single-family homes in a way that a high-rise tower can’t. For builders who limit the program to five stories or less (thereby clearing the way to do wood frame construction in lieu of concrete), this building type can also present significant cost savings.
