The District of Columbia’s Height Act has kept buildings low, but Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Comeback Plan might include revisions to the 1910 law and raise the city’s skyline.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the city is facing new challenges, including empty office space. According to key card swipe data, D.C. office occupancy is at only 46%, less than half of the occupancy before the pandemic.

Part of Ms. Bowser’s Comeback Plan is to convert some of those empty office buildings into residential ones. If changes are made to the Height Act, planners could add a few floors to an existing office building. The program calls for 7 million more square feet of residential units.

The Height Act currently restricts the height of residential buildings to 90 feet and commercial buildings to 130 feet.

On top of that, some City Council members have cited adding more density and height to affordable housing as another reason to support changes to the Height Act.

While no specific proposal is on the table, and only a few council members want to change the law, the tense situation around housing and office space may lead to a new look.

Support among citizens is another matter. When the law came up in 2014, 61% of residents opposed any changes, according to a Washington Post poll.

In reaction to larger buildings springing up in the early 20th century, D.C. passed the Height of Buildings Act of 1910, severely restricting how tall buildings could be.

In the 113 years since, residents are happy with the D.C. skyline. Many feel that the low building heights, with the exception of the National Cathedral and Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, give the city a unique charm.

• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.