Any structure taller than 75 feet or with more than seven stories is considered a high rise. In Nigeria, high-rise buildings are multi-story structures that require the use of an elevator (single or double cabin) to access higher levels; the elevator and stairs serve as backup options if the elevator breaks down or runs out of electricity. The majority of machinery and equipment used for maintenance and servicing are located in the penthouses of most high-rise buildings.
The sole requirement for a building to be designated as a high-rise is that it have seven stories or more. High-rises are typically concentrated in specified neighbourhoods authorized by the state’s urban planning body.
Most high-rise structures are intended for commercial usage. These buildings take years to build because sophisticated materials are needed to prevent collapse in the future. For it to operate at its best, it also needs high-tech facilities and equipment. Some of the installed facilities include firefighting and alarm equipment, such as heat detectors, smoke detectors, fire hydrants, CCTV cameras, stand-by generator plants, and fire extinguishers. Experienced employees staff these devices, and they are paid every month from the service charge account.
To prevent any defaults that could affect the facilities’ performance, high-rise buildings require a lot of maintenance personnel to undertake daily, weekly, and monthly facility checks. This adds to the high cost of building maintenance. When it comes to matters involving professional negligence, strict processes are adhered to because even the smallest mistake caused by negligence could hurt tenants or users of building facilities.
Thus, managing high-rise buildings is one of the most difficult types of property management. In Enugu, several tall, commercially oriented high-rise structures are strewn around Ziks Avenue, Independence Layout, Ogui Road, Okpara Avenue, Old Park, etc. A few are abandoned as a result of political setbacks, poor funding, and inadequate maintenance.
Buildings of four floors or more are required by the Town Planning Authorities in Enugu to install elevators. This is comparable to what is available in other regions of Nigeria, such as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Port-Harcourt in Rivers State, Lagos Island in Lagos State, etc. Even if some people wouldn’t consider them to be high-rise structures, they nonetheless have the amenities required for the convenience of use and operation.
List of Some High-Rise Buildings in Enugu.
- EEDC Building
- Former African Continental Bank (ACB) Tower
- Old CCB building
- Hotel Presidential Building
- Bon Sunshine Hotel
- Union Bank Building
- Modotels Building