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
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.)
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Tallest buildings by pinnacle height
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 | 790 (241) | 790 (241) | [9] |
| 3 | Millennium Tower | 698 (213) | 685 (209) | [98] |
| 4 | One Financial Center | 683 (208) | 590 (180) | [30] |
| 5 | One Beacon Street | 623 (190) | 505 (154) | [50] |
| 6 | Federal Reserve Bank Building | 614 (187) | 614 (187) | [16] |
| 7 | One Boston Place | 601 (183) | 601 (183) | [18] |
| 8 | One International Place | 600 (183) | 600 (183) | [22] |
| 9 | 100 Federal Street | 591 (180) | 591 (180) | [27] |
| 10 | 111 Huntington Avenue | 554 (169) | 554 (169) | [33] |
| 11 | Two International Place | 538 (164) | 538 (164) | [37] |
Tallest under construction, approved, and proposed
Buildings of at least 400 feet (122 m) tall that are under construction, approved, or proposed.
Under Construction
| Name | Height ft (m) | Floors | Year* (est.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Station Tower | 677 (206) | 51 | 2024 | [99][100] |
| 252-268 Huntington Ave | 400 (122) | 33 | 2024 |
Approved
| Name | Height ft (m) | Floors | Year* (est.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Back Bay Station Residences | 413 (126) | 34 | — | [101] |
Proposed
| Name | Height ft (m) | Floors | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Causeway and North Washington | 700 (213) | [102][103] | |
| Harbor Garage Tower | 600 (183) | 600' height variance approved by the Boston Planning and Development Agency on March 2, 2017.[104] |
* Table entries with dashes (—) indicate that information regarding building dates of completion has not yet been released.
Timeline of tallest buildings
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,[105] 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 | [106] |
| 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 | [107] |
| 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 | [108] |
| 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 | [105] |
| 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
References
- General
- "Buildings of Boston". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on June 27, 2004. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
- Specific
Further reading
- "New age for an old town", The Boston Globe, March 1, 2015, archived from the original on September 24, 2017, retrieved June 21, 2017