4 ms·

same goes with going underground. Nothing stops us from having -100 stores underground in NYC or LA or SF. We know how to lay water pipes, AC, deliver air, supp

same goes with going underground. Nothing stops us from having -100 stores underground in NYC or LA or SF. We know how to lay water pipes, AC, deliver air, supplies, create emergency plans, etc... the only problem --- zoning laws :( edit: was referring to places where you cannot build up anymore, such as sky scrapers in NYC

ufo 9y ago
Building underground is much more expensive than building up.
harryh 9y ago
I lived in NYC until very recently and was kinda sorta apartment shopping. One place I looked at had the common areas on the ground floor, the bedrooms on floor -1 (with small windows that looked up to grates through holes in the ground) and then a windowless basement on floor -2. It was kind of neat actually and pretty cheap (relative to similarly sized places in the neighborhood) due to being on the ground floor and below.
cgb223 9y ago
Isn't there some kind of law against a living space without access to windows? I'm all for the idea, but I don't get claustrophobic very easy
- icebraining 9y ago
  Yes, in the NYC administrative code: Lighting Requirements: All bedrooms must have at least one window that opens to a street, yard, or court on the same lot. The window may also open to a balcony that opens on a street, yard, or court. The total area of the windows in the room must at least be one-tenth the floor area of the room. All required windows must be at least twelve square feet in area.
icebraining 9y ago
So, making underground excavations in one of the most built up pieces of land on Earth. Doing that safely would cost a pretty good penny, so you'd have to sell them as "luxury" condos, but who in their right mind would spend that kind of money on a windowless hole, rather than living a bit further on a regular condo? I'd bet zoning is not the only thing keeping that from happening.
cc439 9y ago
The water table is a pretty obvious barrier to that in all 3 cities you mentioned.
smsm42 9y ago
> -100 stores underground in NYC or LA or SF I don't know about NYC but California is an earthquake-prone area. Making underground housing that can withstand a serious quake would be quite a challenge. And imagine trying to rescue people from -100th floor after one...

ufo 9y ago

Building underground is much more expensive than building up.

harryh 9y ago

I lived in NYC until very recently and was kinda sorta apartment shopping. One place I looked at had the common areas on the ground floor, the bedrooms on floor -1 (with small windows that looked up to grates through holes in the ground) and then a windowless basement on floor -2. It was kind of neat actually and pretty cheap (relative to similarly sized places in the neighborhood) due to being on the ground floor and below.

cgb223 9y ago

Isn't there some kind of law against a living space without access to windows? I'm all for the idea, but I don't get claustrophobic very easy

icebraining 9y ago
Yes, in the NYC administrative code: Lighting Requirements: All bedrooms must have at least one window that opens to a street, yard, or court on the same lot. The window may also open to a balcony that opens on a street, yard, or court. The total area of the windows in the room must at least be one-tenth the floor area of the room. All required windows must be at least twelve square feet in area.

icebraining 9y ago

So, making underground excavations in one of the most built up pieces of land on Earth. Doing that safely would cost a pretty good penny, so you'd have to sell them as "luxury" condos, but who in their right mind would spend that kind of money on a windowless hole, rather than living a bit further on a regular condo? I'd bet zoning is not the only thing keeping that from happening.

cc439 9y ago

The water table is a pretty obvious barrier to that in all 3 cities you mentioned.

smsm42 9y ago

> -100 stores underground in NYC or LA or SF I don't know about NYC but California is an earthquake-prone area. Making underground housing that can withstand a serious quake would be quite a challenge. And imagine trying to rescue people from -100th floor after one...