Splitting a model horizontally

[david_peterson]

So I have an interesting problem. We have a model in our office that contains all the floors of the new addition, and a separate model for the existing building.
The existing model is a 2 story building. Those floor match up with the levels of the new building. Above that, nothing matches up. The work for the upper levels will be done in another office, and we'll be completing the first 2 levels in our office.
At some point I know the file size is going to become to big for our project teams to deal with. So it was suggested that we split the model.
For the most part this is to get around having to use remote desktop from one office to another. They'd like to keep their model down there and ours up here. Again not ideal, but I'm trying to evaluate that as well. I'd like to keep them on in the same location, but we'll have 5 people from another office that would have to spend all their working hours looking at a remote desktop screen. But that's a separate topic for debate.
Most of the time I'd be saying great, split it along the expansion joint and we'll be fine. But that doesn't work in this case due to the new/existing interface. So the next thought we had was, OK let split the first and second floor off and we can split the model horizontally.
So now I'm starting to wonder. Is that a good idea or a bad idea?
I should also mention this affect the interior only. The exterior is a separate model.
Can anyone tell me if this is a terrible idea?
Thanks in advance.

[david_peterson]

~bump~
So either I'm over-thinking this issue or no one has been crazy enough to try it.
Or I'm just really poor at explaining.
I'm really wondering if anyone has any opinion on splitting a model horizontally.
Upper floors in one model, lower floors in another.
Anyone?
Thanks in advance.

[jsteinhauer]

Dave,

I would be of the persuasion to split out the existing model from the new models. You're already splitting the exterior from the interior, do you need to go much further? What is the next logical split? Furnishings/Equipment? Keep the architecture together, because of the details. These are my thoughts on the subject, if you wanted them or not...

Cheers,
Jeff S.

[tedg]

Let me get this straight,
You have an existing building model, and new (exterior) building model and and a new (interior) building model that you want to split above the second floor?
I never have needed to try something like this, but I can't see a reason why it wouldn't work as long as everyone is working in the same coordinates and levels etc.

[david_peterson]

It's a project that was started a number of years ago. The team didn't have much direction. Basically the project consists of a new tower stuck between 3 existing buildings. The existing hospital is getting remodeled. So they used the existing model for most of the demo plans, and the new interior model (for both the new remodeled areas of the existing building and the new tower).
Lots of phases and design options.
I've just never thought about splitting a building that way. I'm hoping I can get the file size down and keep it there. I'd rather not split anything.