Several issues regarding the structural idealization of steel buildings with perimeter moment resisting steel frames (MRSFs) and interior gravity frames (GFs) are studied. Results indicate that the contribution of GFs to the lateral structural resistance may be significant. The contribution increases when the stiffness of the connection of the GFs is considered and is larger for inelastic than for elastic behavior. The interstory shears generally increase when the connections stiffness is taken into account. Resultant stresses at some base columns of MRSFs also increase in some cases but to a lesser degree. For columns of the GFs, however, the increment is significant. Results also indicate that modeling the building as planes frames may result in larger interstory shears and displacements and resultant stresses than those obtained from the more realistic 3-D formulation. These differences may be much larger when semi-rigid (SR) connections are considered. The conservativism is more for resultant stresses. The differences observed in the behaviour of each structural representation are mainly due to a) the elements that contribute to strength and stiffness and b) the dynamics characteristics of each structural representation. It is concluded that, if the structural system under consideration is used, the three-dimensional model should be used in seismic analysis, the GFs should be considered as part of the lateral resistance system, and the stiffness of the connections should be included in the design of the GFs. Otherwise, the capacity of gravity frames may be overestimated while that of MRSFs may be underestimated.