Why does Tallahassee have a lack of highrise residential buildings?

[Tallahassee.S]

My ideal housing situation would be a one bedroom apartment in a highrise building with spectacular views of the city, within walking distance of campus.

Yet all that seems to be offered in Tallahassee is this 2 and 3-storey "garden apartment" crap. Why is that? Is it a zoning issue or do Tallahassee developers shun this market?

Professors have been complaining about the same thing for awhile now, but only recently have a few high-rise condos hit the market.

Are any rental high-rise buildings planned anytime soon... TaureanJ?

[Florida]

The Truth is Tallahassee.S up until 2000-2001 any type of Highrise development in Downtown Tallahassee was an unattractive venture due to the amount of red-tape involved with the State. This state regulation of downtown Tallahassee's growth had been in place for some significant time, and imposed some strict limitations which made the cost of building very exspensive.

Now that the City of Tallahassee has more control over the Downtown Planning district, as it was relinquished by the state almost 5 years ago, height limitations have been softened, as well as FAR and setback rules which makes building downtown an attractve investment. On top of that, we now have a city commission oriented toward growing the downtown. They've made a committment to building up an 18-Hour downtown, with its core ingredient being housing.

Plaza Tower was originally approved as rental housing, however plans for it have been modified as we now know. But to answer your question, yes there is a current plan for rental/student housing in our downtown area, wether or not it will be in a highrise building is unknown to me at the time, but I assume that is a possibility.

[P_McLane]

What are the standard limitations in place in a condominium purchase contract, vis-a-vis turning residential apartments into rentals? Will many of the one- and two-bedroom apartments sold at Tennyson, Plaza Tower, Symphony, etc. be offered for long-term rent by their local and/or out-of-town owners? My only hesitation about asking this is that, based on the purchase prices of these units, and assuming mortgage rates in the neighborhood of 5%, the monthly rents would have to be $1500.

[Florida]

You are correct in assuming such a high price for rent. This is actually not far from the prices people are paying to rent homes in residential neighborhoods throughout the city, all be it they are renting much more home for the money. Still, we're talking about a location "in the center of everything" with not far to go for business purposes and school (for college students). Yes, I've heard stories already about people preparing to rent out their units long term (defined as 9 months in these cases) for periods when football season, and/or the legisture isn't in session.

[TD]

Correct taurean..

But not for long, come back in 10 years

[Florida]

I suspect 10 years from now, our market will be dominated by high-rise type condominium units at an affordable price. Tallahassee, by then will also be a more desirable location for business... its a realistic forcast of what is currently happening in this community. Diversification of our economy will by then have set in, entreprenureship (spelling?) will be on the rise in our city, and hopefully we'll have a Governor and Legislature willing to pump more money in to the state's payroll for a growing population and invest in improvements to state owned facilities downtown. I'd expect to see another state office tower 10 years from now.

Tallahassee's success in my eyes, will come from an ability of local business owners to earn the outsourced business of the state, and from ongoing employer recruitment efforts at both innovation park and Summit East.

Also look for Capital City Bank to do some special things within this same time period.

[csmurphy8885]

when you hit a chisel with a hammer, if the chisel is straight, the hammer doesnt have to be heavy! perfect man. have you read "elements of style" by Will Strunk and EB White.... short and sweet, precisly to the point!

what are your speculations for capital city bank... like... a tower? investing in a building? a company?

[Florida]

Well with the growth of the Capital City Bank in recent years, and the growing popularity of towers downtown, its only a matter of time before they consolidate their call center operations (currently located off of Capital Circle NE) and main branch downtown, and drive-thru center into something else. If they don't think to do it on their own, someone will probably urge them to. Capital City bank owns 3 nice size pieces of property in the prime area of downtown... it would be foolish for them not to capitalize on their location, especailly with the growth they've experienced in recent years and continue to experience.

[ghostOFtheSuwanee]

You're wrong about the future of high rise developments. Look pretty much anywhere around the world and you'll find that the standard inner city housing cluster is 4 stories. More than 4 stories and you need an elevator, building manager, etc.

As long as we have cheap oil (I'm such a funny person), highrise buildings are going to sell but payup time is quickly approaching.

[laneyj34]

wouldnt expensive oil mean more highrises are built?... because more people would want to live closer to work so that the do not have to drive as far (costing more in gas money).

[thetoolman]

Well with the growth of the Capital City Bank in recent years, and the growing popularity of towers downtown, its only a matter of time before they consolidate their call center operations (currently located off of Capital Circle NE) and main branch downtown, and drive-thru center into something else. If they don't think to do it on their own, someone will probably urge them to. Capital City bank owns 3 nice size pieces of property in the prime area of downtown... it would be foolish for them not to capitalize on their location, especailly with the growth they've experienced in recent years and continue to experience.

My impression of CCBG is much more "thrifty" and risk averse in real estate. Maybe I am wrong, but they converted an old Lowe's building rather than doing any kind of class-A project in the past. All of the leadership is the same, so I just never got the impression they would go "BofA" on us with a fancy hi-rise office.

[ghostOFtheSuwanee]

wouldnt expensive oil mean more highrises are built?... because more people would want to live closer to work so that the do not have to drive as far (costing more in gas money).

In most of the world, where gasoline prices are not subsidized like they are here in the US, the 4 story building is pretty standard. Four stories are workable without an elevator, and when clustered together with services like grocery stores/bodega's, newsstands, coffee shops, restaurants, and of course, bars, they work well.

Highrises tend to isolate people; are expensive to build, operate and maintain.

[Florida]

Honestly, why would someone build 4 stories max in a downtown area? Is not the downtown the one area of the city where buildings can be tall? Tall buildings serve numerous functions. They save space, allowing people to live and work in a more dense location. They provide a sense of place to a city and give it a unique character.

What would our skyline be, if it were complete with buildings 4 stories and less? I can't think of any RESPECTABLE city where this is the case.

[seminole]

In most of the world, where gasoline prices are not subsidized like they are here in the US, the 4 story building is pretty standard. Four stories are workable without an elevator, and when clustered together with services like grocery stores/bodega's, newsstands, coffee shops, restaurants, and of course, bars, they work well.

Highrises tend to isolate people; are expensive to build, operate and maintain.

This is ridiculous!!!!!!

Now can you imagine cities like NYC, Chicago, Philly, and Atlanta that have nothing but four story structures in their downtowns? The urban sprawl would be even more astronomical!!

[south park county]

He is correct about cities in (most) of the rest of the developed world having fewer tall buildings. London's skyline isn't nearly as impressive as even say Atlanta's, and as a result they have incredible sprawl but far better public transportation. So do Berlin, Paris, Moscow, and much of Japan and the rest of Europe's metropoli. China is an exception, but the bicycle is still one of the dominant forms of transportation after all. The fact that America has taller buildings is probably because European nations tend to have sensitive height restrictions.

There is no reason Tallahassee should not build up up up.