List of tallest buildings in Boston
![Skyline of a city on a river. Two buildings are much taller and more prominent than the rest; one of the large buildings is a skyscraper with a blue-tinted, all-glass facade, and the second is a large rectangular tower with a steel latticework facade and a tall antenna mast on its roof.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/86/Bostonstraight.jpg/220px-Bostonstraight.jpg)
![Skyline of a waterfront city. Several skyscrapers are visible in the distance, the tallest being a building with rounded edges and a red facade at the center of the image. To the extreme right is a white clock tower that appears shorter than most of the other tall buildings; two concrete, Brutalist-era apartment buildings are adjacent to the clock tower.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ea/Boston_Financial_District_skyline.jpg/220px-Boston_Financial_District_skyline.jpg)
Boston, the capital of the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the largest city in New England, is home to 555 completed high-rises,[1] 37 of which stand taller than 400 feet (122 m). The city's skyscrapers and high-rises are concentrated along the roughly 2.5 mile High Spine, which runs from the Back Bay to the Financial District and West End, while bypassing the surrounding low-rise residential neighborhoods. The tallest structure in Boston is the 60-story 200 Clarendon, better known to locals as the John Hancock Tower, which rises 790 feet (241 m) in the Back Bay district.[2] It is also the tallest building in New England and the 80th-tallest building in the United States. The second-tallest building in Boston is the Prudential Tower, which rises 52 floors and 749 feet (228 m).[3] At the time of the Prudential Tower's completion in 1964, it stood as the tallest building in North America outside of New York City.[4]
Boston's history of skyscrapers began with the completion in 1893 of the 13-story Ames Building, which is considered the city's first high-rise.[5] Boston went through a major building boom in the 1960s and 1970s, resulting in the construction of over 20 skyscrapers, including 200 Clarendon and the Prudential Tower. The city is the site of 25 skyscrapers that rise at least 492 feet (150 m) in height, more than any other city in New England. As of 2018[update], the skyline of Boston is ranked 10th in the United States and 79th in the world with 57 buildings rising at least 330 feet (100 m) in height.[6]
Since August 2017, several major development projects have dramatically altered the city's skyline, including the Millennium Tower, Avalon North Station, Four Seasons Hotel & Private Residences, One Dalton Street, The Hub on Causeway, and Bulfinch Crossing.[7] In addition, there has been a continuous stream of proposals to construct skyscrapers that would rank among the tallest in the city if completed. Overall, there were 64 high-rise buildings under construction or proposed for construction in Boston.[1]
Tallest buildings
[edit]Boston skyscrapers that stand at least 400 feet (122 m) tall, based on standard height measurements, including spires and other architectural details, but not including antenna masts, are listed below. (The letter (T) following a rank indicates the same height between two or more buildings. The "Year" column indicates the year when a building was completed.)
Boston skyscrapers based on their pinnacle height, which includes radio masts and antennas, are listed below. As architectural features and spires can be regarded as subjective, some skyscraper enthusiasts prefer this method of measurement.[citation needed] Standard architectural height measurement, which excludes antennas in building height, is included for comparative purposes.
Rank | Name | Pinnacle height ft (m) |
Standard height ft (m) |
Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Prudential Tower | 907 (276) | 749 (228) | [3] |
2 | 200 Clarendon Street | 852 (260) | 790 (241) | [9] |
3 | One Dalton Street | 742 (226) | 742 (226) | |
4 | Millennium Tower | 698 (213) | 685 (209) | [100] |
5 | Winthrop Center | 691 (211) | 691 (211) | |
6 | One Financial Center | 683 (208) | 590 (180) | [30] |
7 | One Beacon Street | 623 (190) | 505 (154) | [50] |
8 | Federal Reserve Bank Building | 614 (187) | 614 (187) | [16] |
9 | One Boston Place | 601 (183) | 601 (183) | [18] |
10 | One International Place | 600 (183) | 600 (183) | [22] |
11 | 100 Federal Street | 591 (180) | 591 (180) | [27] |
12 | 111 Huntington Avenue | 554 (169) | 554 (169) | [33] |
13 | Two International Place | 538 (164) | 538 (164) | [37] |
Tallest under construction, approved, and proposed
[edit]Buildings of at least 400 feet (122 m) tall that are under construction, approved, or proposed.
Under Construction
[edit]Name | Height ft (m) |
Floors | Year* (est.) |
Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
South Station Tower | 677 (206) | 51 | 2024 | [102][103] |
252-268 Huntington Ave | 400 (122) | 33 | 2024 |
Approved
[edit]Name | Height ft (m) |
Floors | Year* (est.) |
Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Back Bay Station Residences | 413 (126) | 34 | — | [104] |
Proposed
[edit]Name | Height
ft (m) |
Floors | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Causeway and North Washington | 700 (213) | [105][106] | |
Harbor Garage Tower | 600 (183) | 600' height variance approved by the Boston Planning and Development Agency on March 2, 2017.[107] |
* Table entries with dashes (—) indicate that information regarding building dates of completion has not yet been released.
Timeline of tallest buildings
[edit]For most of Boston's earlier years, the tallest buildings in the city were churches with their steeples. The first skyscraper in the city is generally considered the Ames Building, completed in 1893.[5] However, since the 13-story building did not surpass the steeple of the Church of the Covenant,[108] it never became a city record holder. The first skyscraper to have the distinction of being Boston's tallest building was the Custom House Tower, completed in 1915.[63]
Name | Image | Street address | Years as tallest | Height ft (m) |
Floors | Coordinates | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Old State House | ![]() |
206 Washington Street | 1713–1745 | 65 (20) | 3 | 42°21′31.57″N 71°03′28.1″W / 42.3587694°N 71.057806°W | [109] |
Old North Church | ![]() |
193 Salem Street | 1745–1810 | 175 (53) | 1 | 42°21′58.78″N 71°03′16.04″W / 42.3663278°N 71.0544556°W | [110] |
Park Street Church | ![]() |
1 Park Street | 1810–1867 | 217 (66) | 1 | 42°21′25″N 71°03′44″W / 42.356911°N 71.062151°W | [111] |
Church of the Covenant | ![]() |
67 Newbury Street | 1867–1915 | 236 (72) | 1 | 42°21′07.00″N 71°4′26.00″W / 42.3519444°N 71.0738889°W | [108] |
Custom House Tower | ![]() |
3 McKinley Square | 1915–1964 | 496 (151) | 32 | 42°21′32.65″N 71°03′12.13″W / 42.3590694°N 71.0533694°W | [62] |
Prudential Tower | 800 Boylston Street | 1964–1976 | 749 (228) | 52 | 42°20′49.78″N 71°04′57.08″W / 42.3471611°N 71.0825222°W | [3] | |
200 Clarendon | ![]() |
200 Clarendon Street | 1976–present | 790 (241) | 60 | 42°20′57.4″N 71°04′29.2″W / 42.349278°N 71.074778°W | [9] |
See also
[edit]- Architecture of Boston
- List of tallest buildings in Massachusetts, exclusive of Boston
- List of tallest buildings and structures in Cambridge, Massachusetts
- List of tallest buildings in Springfield, Massachusetts
- List of tallest buildings in Worcester, Massachusetts
- Trans National Place
References
[edit]- General
- "Buildings of Boston". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on June 27, 2004. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
- Specific
- ^ a b "About: Boston". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on February 3, 2013. Retrieved February 18, 2013.
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: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ a b "Hancock Place". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on March 15, 2008. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ a b c d "Prudential Tower". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012. Alt URL
- ^ a b "Prudential Tower". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ a b "Ames Building, Office Building". Shepley Bulfinch. Archived from the original on December 29, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
- ^ "Cities with the most skyscrapers". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on October 3, 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2013.
{{cite web}}
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- ^ Logan, Tim. "So, what should we call the John Hancock Tower now?". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on August 1, 2015. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
- ^ a b c "John Hancock Tower". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "John Hancock Tower". Structurae.de. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "Prudential Tower". Structurae.de. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences One Dalton Street". Pei Cobb Freed & Partners. Archived from the original on July 13, 2016. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
- ^ "Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences One Dalton Street - the Skyscraper Center". Archived from the original on March 1, 2017. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
- ^ "Frank Delledera on LinkedIn: Earlier this week we hit another milestone at the Winthrop Center".
- ^ "Federal Reserve Bank Building". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
{{cite web}}
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- ^ "Federal Reserve Bank of Boston". Structurae.de. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ a b "One Boston Place". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "One Boston Place". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
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- ^ "One International Place". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
{{cite web}}
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- ^ "One International Place". Structurae.de. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ Ryan, Greg (September 14, 2023). "State Street's new HQ at One Congress is finally open. Here's a tour". NBC 10 Boston. Boston Business Journal.
- ^ a b "Bulfinch Crossing - Overview". Bulfinch Crossing. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
- ^ Adam Sennott (July 15, 2021). "A milestone for Boston's newest office tower". Boston Globe. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
- ^ a b "First National Bank". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "100 Federal Street". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
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- ^ a b "1 Financial Center". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "One Financial Center". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
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- ^ a b "111 Huntington Avenue". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 7, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "111 Huntington Avenue". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2008. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "111 Huntington Avenue". Structurae.de. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "Two International Place". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 7, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ a b "Two International Place". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Two International Place". Structurae.de. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "One Post Office Square". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 12, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "One Post Office Square". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
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- ^ "One Federal Street". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 7, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "One Federal Street". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
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: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "One Federal Street". Structurae.de. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "Exchange Place". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "Exchange Place". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2008. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Exchange Place". Structurae.de. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "60 State Street". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "60 State Street". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on March 1, 2008. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ a b "One Beacon Street". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "One Beacon Street". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on March 16, 2008. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "One Beacon Street". Structurae.de. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "1 Lincoln Street". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "State Street Financial Center". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "State Street Financial Center". Structurae.de. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "28 State Street". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "28 State Street". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on February 25, 2008. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "28 State Street". Structurae.de. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ David Scharfenberg. "Developers Propose New Gateway To TD Garden". wbur.org. Archived from the original on September 22, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
- ^ Casey Ross. "Two towers proposed at TD Garden". boston.com. Archived from the original on June 11, 2013. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
- ^ a b "Custom House Tower". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 7, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ a b "Marriott's Custom House". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
{{cite web}}
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- ^ "John Hancock Building". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "John Hancock Building". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
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- ^ "Garden Garage Notice of Project Change". Boston Redevelopment Authority. Archived from the original on October 28, 2014. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
- ^ "33 Arch Street". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 7, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "33 Arch Street". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
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- ^ "State Street Bank". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "225 Franklin Street". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
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: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "State Street Bank Building". Structurae.de. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "Ritz-Carlton Towers Boston Common - Tower I". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "Ritz-Carlton Boston Common Tower 1". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
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- ^ "125 High Street". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 12, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "125 High Street". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
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- ^ "100 Summer Street". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 7, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "100 Summer Street". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
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- ^ "Obstruction Evaluation / Airport Airspace Analysis (OE/AAA)". Archived from the original on October 1, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
- ^ "Ritz-Carlton Towers Boston Common - Tower II". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "Ritz-Carlton Towers Boston Common - Tower II". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
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- ^ Thomas Grillo. "Details unveiled for $225M Back Bay tower". www.bizjournals.com/. Archived from the original on July 22, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
- ^ "McCormack Building". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "McCormack Building". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
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- ^ "Keystone Building". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
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: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Keystone Building". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "Keystone Building". Structurae.de. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "Harbor Towers I". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "Harbor Towers I". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
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- ^ https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=145 [bare URL]
- ^ https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=145 [bare URL]
- ^ "Obstruction Evaluation / Airport Airspace Analysis (OE/AAA)". Archived from the original on April 16, 2016. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
- ^ https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=145 [bare URL]
- ^ "South Station". Archived from the original on April 11, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
- ^ "Obstruction Evaluation / Airport Airspace Analysis (OE/AAA)". Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
- ^ Tim Logan & Jon Chesto. "Back Bay station to become a vision in glass". www.bostonglobe.com/. Archived from the original on March 30, 2016. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
- ^ Globe, The Boston. "Developer aims to build a skyscraper near North Station". www.boston.com. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- ^ Adams, Steve (August 3, 2022). "Causeway Street Skyscraper Plan Surfaces in West End". Banker & Tradesman. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- ^ "Donald Chiofaro proposes two skyscrapers for Boston waterfront - Business - the Boston Globe". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on July 26, 2014. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
- ^ a b "Church of the Covenant". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "Old State House". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on February 20, 2013. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Old North Church". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "Park Street Church". SkyscraperPage.com. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
Further reading
[edit]- "New age for an old town", The Boston Globe, March 1, 2015, archived from the original on September 24, 2017, retrieved June 21, 2017
External links
[edit]- Boston Skyscrapers and Construction on archBOSTON
- Diagram of Boston skyscrapers on SkyscraperPage
- Boston structures on Structurae
- City of Boston building and land value assessment website