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> Look at all the 3 or 4 stories apartment buildings sprouting in the city right now. Most of them could be double the height without increasing construction costs per unit.

I'm not sure that's correct. I think the reason that you see a lot at that height is because building codes change quite a bit as you go past a certain height and the costs go up as well.

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The height limit you're thinking of is higher. The IBC allows for five stories of wood construction over a multi-story concrete podium (often one or two stories).

http://www.structuremag.org/?p=10934

The main height limit is local politics around density, not building codes.

IIRC, 3 stories is about the max that US building codes allow for stick built structures. Beyond that you have to go to steel.

3-4 is also where you need to start thinking about adding an elevator. That adds to the cost and reduces the area available for units.

AFAK this is what the codes are. When I see building frames under construction, I see an awful lot of "three floors of wood framing above a steel base" (usually mixed-use commercial 1st floor with residential above, but I'm assuming things here)

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