The point of mid-height buildings is that you can line a road with it and get sufficient density so that all the urban amenities (parks, playgrounds &c) are within 15 minutes of walking. That was Salazar's explicit goal when he built the post-war Lisbon neighbourhoods - church and primary school were the focal points and had to be within walking distance. His architects did an admirable job.

But what's the appeal of a high-rise? It requires too much space around it, it's not made for the human scale.