Tallest Buildings in the U.S., Ranked
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After the Great Depression of the late 1920s and early 1930s in the United States, skyscrapers represented much more than just buildings to house people and businesses. They were symbols of the way the American economy was recovering and how its people were finally getting back to work.
Over the last century, our ingenuity has seen us push the envelope when it comes to making bigger and better skyscrapers, but most importantly taller skyscrapers.
From coast to coast, these are the tallest buildings in the U.S.
25. 50 Hudson Yards — 1,010 feet
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Location: New York City
Floors: 58
Opened: 2022
Bottom line: The original play for 50 Hudson Yards was entirely different from what it became. It was supposed to be a step-like structure but instead ended up as the three-part structure we got, with all rectangular fronts.
While there are much taller buildings, we doubt there are many that can equal the exact financial wattage housed inside 50 Hudson Yards. The building already had a lease agreement with BlackRock, the world's largest financial investment firm with assets of approximately $10 trillion, before construction even began.
The tenant taking up the most space at 50 Hudson Yards has been Facebook, which leases exactly 80 percent of the building's space.
24. U.S Bank Tower — 1,018 feet
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Location: Los Angeles
Floors: 73
Opened: 1989
Bottom line: One of just three buildings on this list from California, U.S. Bank Tower is the only building on the list that opened in the 1980s. Built for $350 million and sold to One World Trade Center developer Larry Silverstein for $430 million in 2020, U.S. Bank Tower was built to withstand up to an 8.3 earthquake on the Richter scale.
One of the major revelations of the 9/11 Commission was that the original play for the 9/11 attacks was to hijack 10 planes, and U.S. Bank Tower was one of the targets. In 2006, President George W. Bush disclosed that another plan to hijack a plane and crash it into U.S. Bank Tower was foiled in mid-2002.
From the time it opened in 1989 through 2010, the U.S. Bank Tower held the title of the world's tallest building with a helipad until it was replaced by Beijing's China World Trade Center Tower III.
23. Bank of America Plaza — 1,023 feet
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Location: Atlanta
Floors: 55
Opened: 1992
Bottom line: The only building from the southern portion of the U.S. to make the list, Bank of America Plaza is most notable in its architecture for the 90-foot spire at the top of the building covered in 24-karat gold leaf.
Built for $150 million in the early 1990s, Bank of America Plaza was sold from its original owner, Cousins Properties, to BentleyForbes investments for a whopping $436 million in 2006 but ended up in foreclosure in 2012.
20. The Spiral — 1,043 feet (Tie)
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Location: New York City
Floors: 66
Opened: 2022
Bottom line: One of two buildings on the list which opened in 2022, The Spiral made headlines in 2015 when building developer Tishman Speyer Properties was forced to pay $25 million to two men who refused to vacate an apartment that was located where the building was scheduled for construction at.
Built at a staggering cost of $3.2 billion, The Spiral encompasses 2.2 million square feet and landed a signature tenant when pharmaceutical giant Pfizer decided to take up 800,000 square feet by making the building its worldwide headquarters.
20. The New York Times Building — 1,043 Feet (Tie)
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Location: New York City
Floors: 52
Opened: 2007
Bottom line: We are almost two decades into the long, slow decline of newspapers across the U.S., but one institution has been able to not only keep its place in the media world but thrive — "The Old, Gray Lady," aka The New York Times.
Nowhere is The New York Times' dominance in its field more pronounced than with the building that was constructed as its headquarters, although the newspaper doesn't take up the whole space. For the ambitious reporters who call this place home, they can scatter over the city pretty easily as two New York City Subway tunnels are located on each side of the building.
One strange thing about the building's construction is the ceramic rods embedded in the building. These rods drew "protest climbers" supporting various causes in the first decade after it opened, but most of the rods used for climbing were eventually removed.
20. Chrysler Building — 1,043 Feet (Tie)
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Location: New York City
Floors: 77
Opened: 1930
Bottom line: Chrysler Corporation founder Walter Chrysler personally funded the building of the Chrysler Building, which is the oldest building to make the list.
One of the most famous buildings in the world, the Chrysler was built in direct competition with the Empire State Building, which opened one year later, to be the tallest building in the world.
Comic-book aficionados will know the Chrysler for its jutting eagles sticking out of the 61st floor as the same ones that Spider-Man often finds himself perched on in live-action movies. It's also been a favorite target of the "apocalypse" genre of films. You can see the building fictionally destroyed in blockbusters like "Independence Day" and "Armageddon," among others.
19. 53W53 — 1,050 feet
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Location: New York City
Floors: 77
Opened: 2019
Bottom line: Perhaps the most interesting fact about the construction of 53W53 is that it had 200 feet shaved off its height shortly before construction began. Those extra 200 feet would have shot it up into the top 10 largest buildings in the U.S.
No offense to the people who worked on 53W53 or any of its current tenants, but the main appeal of this building is that it is next-door neighbor to the Museum of Modern Art, which is on 53rd Street between 5th and 6th Avenue.
53W53 is also the third name of the building. It was originally called Tower Verre, then 53 West 53 before settling on its current name.
18. The Brooklyn Tower — 1,066 feet
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Location: New York City
Floors: 74
Opened: 2022
Bottom line: This was the first super-skyscraper to go up in ultra-hip Brooklyn and is the tallest building in New York City outside of Manhattan.
It's fitting that this is one of the only buildings on the list that's used as a primarily residential building because, well, everybody wants to live in Brooklyn.
If you find yourself in that market, you'll be able to cop a studio apartment for around $4,000 per month (500 square feet), or you can buy it for close to $1 million.
17. Salesforce Tower — 1,070 feet
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Location: San Francisco
Floors: 61
Opened: 2018
Bottom line: One of just three buildings in California and the only one in San Francisco to make the list, Salesforce Tower's main tenant is its namesake, Salesforce, which is a cloud-based software company.
This is the only outwardly "green" building on the list, and its true might gets put on display every night with a light sculpture at the top of the building made up of 11,000 LED lights that display video animation on them.
If you want a quick lesson on how real estate works in New York City versus everywhere else, Salesforce was constructed for approximately $1.1 billion, with the same type of building going up for about $3 billion in the Big Apple.
16. 3 World Trade Center — 1,079 feet
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Location: New York City
Floors: 69
Opened: 2018
Bottom line: This location was once home to a 22-story hotel that was destroyed in the 9/11 attacks. It was replaced by 3 World Trade Center, which opened in 2018 and, like One World Trade Center, is owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
The critical reception to 3 World Trade Center was considerably muted, with the consensus being that the building was pretty unremarkable in its architecture.
That was reflected in its struggle to secure a main tenant. It required quite a bit of wheeling and dealing on the part of Silverstein Properties, which oversaw its construction and manages its leases.
15. Wilshire Grand Center — 1,100 feet
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Location: Los Angeles
Floors: 73
Opened: 2017
Bottom line: One of two buildings in Los Angeles to make the list, the Wilshire Grand Center is a mixed-use building that includes hotel, retail and office areas along with a shopping mall and observation decks. The entire complex came with a price tag of approximately $1.2 billion.
Built on the site of the former Wilshire Grand Hotel (which was the Omni before that), the site was originally envisioned as home to two skyscrapers until it morphed into its grandiose sailboat structure in its current form.
Owned by Hanjin, a South Korean investment group, the Wilshire Grand Center saw its value plummet from $1.1 billion to $573 million during the pandemic. This caused Hanjin to refinance the building's $900 million debt with the hopes of selling the building at some point.
14. Comcast Technology Center — 1,121 feet
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Location: Philadelphia
Floors: 60
Opened: 2018
Bottom line: Welcome to the party, Philly. In a list dominated by buildings in New York City and Chicago, it's nice to change it up a little bit, and the Comcast Technology Center in Philadelphia does the trick.
Opened in 2018 at an estimated cost of $1.5 billion, the Comcast Technology Center is the work home for a large number of Comcast employees, including the studios for the NBC and Telemundo affiliate stations in Philadelphia.
It also has the Four Seasons Hotel between the 48th to 56th floors. Plus a lobby and restaurant — the Sky High Restaurant — on the 60th floor with some of the most amazing views you can comprehend.
13. John Hancock Center — 1,127 feet
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Location: Chicago
Floors: 100
Opened: 1969
Bottom line: The only building on this list to open in the 1960s, the John Hancock Center was officially renamed 875 North Michigan Avenue in 2018, but you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who calls it that.
When the Hancock Center opened in 196,9 it was the second-tallest building in the world behind the Empire State Building. The building also has kind of a spooky history when it comes to television and films.
The 1988 movie "Poltergeist III" was filmed there, and its child star, Heather O'Rourke, died several months before its release. In 1997, legendary comedian Chris Farley was found dead in his apartment on the 60th floor.
12. AON Center — 1,136 feet
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Location: Chicago
Floors: 83
Opened: 1973
Bottom line: The AON Center got just one year as the tallest building in Chicago before it was surpassed by the Sears Tower, which is now known as Willis Tower.
Originally known as the Standard Oil Building (much better name), the modern design is a stark reminder of the design of the former World Trade Center buildings in New York City that were destroyed in the 9/11 attacks.
The AON Center has plans to be home to the world's highest exterior elevator — a $185 million project that would let visitors ride on a "Sky Summit" up to an observatory on the building's rooftop.
11. St. Regis Chicago — 1,198 feet
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Location: Chicago
Floors: 101
Opened: 2020
Bottom line: The St. Regis Chicago holds a special place in the history of architecture as the tallest building in the world designed by a woman. Famed architect Joanne Gang and her team at Studio Gang Architects designed the St. Regis to stylistically match the 82-story Aqua skyscraper, which they also designed.
The St. Regis is a three-tiered structure that cost almost $1 billion to construct and just looks really cool. Three different shades of glass make up the building to create its unique look.
It is mostly a hotel and residential complex. There are 393 condominiums and 191 hotel rooms, including 33 suites.
10. Bank of America Tower — 1,200 feet
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Location: New York City
Floors: 55
Opened: 2009
Bottom line: The Bank of America Tower is an interesting study in hypocrisy. Opened as an environmentally friendly "green" building in 2009, the BOA Tower has set records for carbon emissions in New York City and exceeded the city's threshold by almost 50 percent in recent years, which has it on track to begin paying $2.4 million fines annually beginning in 2024.
You will find a bit of American history at the base of the BOA Tower, where historically preserved Stephen Sondheim Theatre now exists. It was formerly known as the Henry Miller Theatre and has been home to some of the more well-known and profitable Broadway productions of all time.
9. Empire State Building — 1,250 feet
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Location: New York City
Floors: 102
Opened: 1931
Bottom line: The most famous skyscraper in the world blew people's minds when it opened in 1931 as the tallest building of all time.
The Empire State Building's classic art deco design has proven to be pretty timeless, and its observation deck is one of the most popular tourist attractions in not just New York City but the entire world.
When it comes to pop culture, the Empire State Building is truly unmatched. More than 250 films have featured the Empire State Building. Still, none brought it more into the public consciousness than the 1933 film "King Kong," which features a giant, stop-motion ape climbing it in its climactic scene.
Movies like "An Affair to Remember" and "Sleepless in Seattle" have continued its mythology.
8. 30 Hudson Yards — 1,296 feet
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Location: New York City
Floors: 103
Opened: 2019
Bottom line: Observation decks are awesome. Observation decks with transparent floors take it to the next level. That's what you'll get on the 100th floor of 30 Hudson Yards, which has the highest transparent floor on an observation deck in the world (super specific, we know), and on the 101st floor has a bar and restaurant area that has to be seen to be believed.
One thing that 30 Hudson Yards also has is signature tenants, which in this case means Warner Bros. Discovery, including the studio space for many CNN shows.
One slight critique: Is there not a better name for some of these buildings than just putting the address or something that looks like an address in there?
7. Trump International Hotel and Tower — 1,388 feet
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Location: Chicago
Floors: 98
Opened: 2009
Bottom line: Built on the site where the Chicago Sun-Times used to be and named for former U.S. President Donald Trump, the Trump International Tower and Hotel includes, obviously, a hotel, but also massive residential and retail spaces as well as once being home to the highest residential condo in the entire world.
The best thing that ever went down at the Trump International in Chicago occurred while the building was still under construction. This is where they filmed the final confrontation scene between The Joker and Batman in the 2008 film "The Dark Knight," which many consider to be the greatest comic-book movie of all time.
6. 432 Park Avenue — 1,396 feet
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Location: New York City
Floors: 85
Opened: 2015
Bottom line: If you live at 432 Park Avenue, congratulations. You're very rich. The median price for apartments at this gigantic, cube-shaped monolith run into the tens of millions and are some of the most exclusive residences in not just midtown Manhattan, but the entire country.
There are 104 residential units at 432 Park Avenue, with 81 of those sold in 2016 for a median price of $18.6 million — chump change compared to some of the apartments on the higher floors. In 2018, the wife of a hedge-fund manager bought two apartments on the 92nd floor for $60 million. Three apartments on floors 92 and 93 were sold for $91 million in 2017. In 2018, an apartment on the 95th floor was listed for $82 million but split in half to sell for $30 million each.
On the 96th floor, Saudi businessman Fawaz Alhokair bought an apartment for $88 million, and he put it on the market for $169 million in 2021.
5. One Vanderbilt — 1,401 feet
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Location: New York City
Floors: 93
Opened: 2020
Bottom line: One Vanderbilt is a tapered, glass-fronted building that is one of many on this list that's just completed construction in the last few years — this one at a cost of $3.31 billion to finish.
There is nothing better about One Vanderbilt than the space above the 73rd floor that houses the observation deck of SUMMIT One Vanderbilt. It's a tripped-out area full of funky elevators, glass and mirrors that seems pulled out of a science fiction movie.
It also contains a "green area" that has to be seen to be believed. It's only $40 to check out and less for New York residents.
4. Steinway Tower — 1,428 feet
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Location: New York City
Floors: 84
Opened: 2021
Bottom line: Officially known as 111 West 57th Street, most people just call this the Steinway Tower or the Steinway Building — a nod to the still-standing, 16-story building that housed the famous Steinway & Sons piano store and now exists at the base of the skyscraper.
The New Yorker once wrote that "every 20th century (piano) virtuoso" had passed through the first-floor reception area and into the special concerts and artists area in the basement.
It was actually the failure of Steinway & Sons as a business that led to this particular skyscraper being built. Losing money to the tune of around $5 million per year in the late 2000s, Steinway & Sons sold the land where the tower would be constructed for $131.5 million in 2013.
The construction of the building was without controversy as it tried to use non-union workers for the construction, and subcontractor Parkside Construction owners Francesco and Salvatore Pugliese were eventually indicted for shorting workers almost $2 million in wages by undercounting hours for undocumented immigrant workers.
3. Willis Tower — 1,450 feet
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Location: Chicago
Floors: 108
Opened: 1974
Bottom line: Most people still call this building Sears Tower, even though its naming rights were sold to London-based insurance brokerage Willis Group in 2009.
Still, the third-largest building in the U.S. almost 50 years since it opened, the Willis Tower is one of five buildings from the Windy City to make this list. The Willis Tower is also home to one of the most popular tourist destinations in Chicago with its "sky deck" on the 103rd floor, which also includes glass balconies so visitors can look straight down.
Fans of 1980s cinema may also remember the observation deck from the classic comedy "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" starring Matthew Broderick.
2. Central Park Tower — 1,550 feet
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Location: New York City
Floors: 98
Opened: 2020
Bottom line: Built at a cost of $3 billion, Central Park Tower was constructed as the centerpiece of New York City's "Billionaire's Row" and opened in 2020 after breaking ground for construction in 2015. It's the second "Row" glossing for the area after it was originally called "Automobile Row" in the first part of the 20th century.
One of the skinny, "pencil" buildings in New York City, Central Park Tower's construction was fraught with difficulties. In 2017, a 4,300-pound crate containing window panes fell from the 16th floor onto 58th street, causing the entire area to be shut down for an investigation by the NYPD.
In 2018, 67-year-old security guard Harry Ramnauth was crushed to death by a 3,000-pound glass panel after it was accidentally knocked over by a forklift. In 2019, several people were injured by ice falling from up to 15 stories onto the street.
The main point? If you're around this building, keep your head on a swivel.
1. One World Trade Center — 1,776 feet
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Location: New York City
Floors: 94
Opened: 2014
Bottom line: One World Trade Center took the same name as the North Tower of the original World Trade Center buildings that were destroyed during the 9/11 attacks and sits in the northwest corner of where the two towers were originally located.
More commonly known as "Freedom Tower," the skyscraper officially became the tallest building in New York City in 2012, which was a full two years before construction was completed.
One World Trade Center is not only unique in its history. It is unique on this list because it's not owned by a large corporation or conglomerate. It belongs almost solely to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.