Brooklyn, the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, contains over 60 high-rises that stand taller than 295 feet (90 m).[1] The Brooklyn Tower, a condominium and rental tower in the Downtown neighborhood of the borough, is Brooklyn's tallest building at 1,066 feet (325 m) following its topping out in October 2021.[2] The Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower in Fort Greene, at 512 feet (156 m), was the tallest building in Brooklyn for 80 years from its completion in 1929 until 2009, when The Brooklyner was topped out at 514 feet (157 m).[3][4][5]
History
The construction of high-rise buildings in Brooklyn began during the late 19th century, following the completion of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883 and the building of elevated railroads and streetcar lines during the late 1880s.[6][7] Increased accessibility to Downtown Brooklyn brought greater economic growth and propagated denser commercial development, which increased the heights of downtown buildings throughout the 1890s.[6] This led to the 1891 construction of Brooklyn's first skyscraper, the 10-story Franklin Trust Company Building.[8] By 1901, the 13-story Temple Bar Building was completed and was the borough's first steel-beam high-rise, its largest office building, and its tallest at 164 feet (50 m).[9][10] In the early 20th-century, the opening of multiple New York City Subway lines in Downtown Brooklyn spurred further development of tall commercial buildings.[6][11] The Zoning Resolution of 1916, which required buildings to incorporate setbacks from the street to allow for sunlight, influenced the construction of taller, more slender buildings.[12][13]
In 1918, the 22-story and 220-foot (67 m) building at 32 Court Street was completed and regarded as Brooklyn's first "true skyscraper", and thus initiated a skyscraper building boom in Brooklyn centered on Court and Montague Streets.[6][14][15] Brooklyn's high-rise development continued unabated into the 1920s.[16] The Court and Remsen Building, built in 1926 at 350 feet (107 m) in height, was the first of the major high-rises to be built in Brooklyn during the 1920s and briefly held the title of Brooklyn's tallest building until 1927, when the Montague–Court Building was completed and became Brooklyn's tallest building at 462 feet (141 m).[12][17] Brooklyn's skyscraper building boom ceased during the Great Depression, and the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower in Fort Greene, which was completed in 1929,[5] remained Brooklyn's tallest building until 2009.[3]
In 2004, several portions of Downtown Brooklyn were rezoned to promote more commercial, residential, and retail development.[18][19] This rezoning allowed for greater density of development, and combined with an increased demand for housing, these areas experienced a boom in the construction of tall buildings.[18][20][21] In addition to Downtown Brooklyn, high-rise buildings are also concentrated in the Brooklyn Heights, Fort Greene, and Williamsburg neighborhoods, although other Brooklyn neighborhoods have significant numbers of high-rises.[1] In 2019, One South First, situated on the Domino Park waterfront, became Williamsburg's tallest tower at 435 feet.[22] The Brooklyn Tower which rises to a height of 1,066 feet in Downtown Brooklyn, became the tallest building in the New York City area outside of Manhattan, and the tallest building on Long Island.[23]
Tallest buildings
There are over 70 completed or topped out skyscrapers in Brooklyn that stand at least 295 feet (90 m) tall, based on standard height measurement which includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts.[1] An equal sign (=) following a rank indicates the same height between two or more buildings. An asterisk (*) indicates that the building is still under construction, but has been topped out. The "Year" column indicates the year in which a building was completed.
| Rank | Name[a] | Image | Height ft (m) | Floors | Year completed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Brooklyn Tower | | 1,066 (325) | 93 | 2022 | Topped out in October 2021.[2][23][24][25] |
| 2 | Brooklyn Point |  | 720 (219) | 68 | 2019 | The final phase of Extell's City Point development; topped out in April 2019, it is now the second tallest building in Brooklyn.[26] Also known as 138 Willoughby Street,[27][28] 1 City Point,[29] and City Point Tower III.[29][30][31] |
| 3 | 11 Hoyt |  | 626 (191) | 51 | 2020 | Topped out in June 2019.[32] A redevelopment of Macy's former footprint in Downtown Brooklyn, with a design seemingly inspired by 8 Spruce Street.[33][34] |
| 4 | The Hub |  | 611 (186) | 52 | 2017 | Also known as 333 Schermerhorn Street. Topped out on December 16, 2015.[35][36][37][38][39] |
| 5 | AVA DoBro |  | 596 (182) | 58 | 2015 | Also known as 100 Willoughby Street, Avalon Willoughby Square, and 214 Duffield Street.[40][41][42] |
| 6 | 388 Bridge Street |  | 590 (180) | 51 | 2014 | [40][43][44] |
| 7 | 346 Kent Avenue Tower I | Upload image | 574 (175) | 57 | 2024 | Topped out in December 2023.[45][46][47][48] |
| 8 | 590 Fulton Street |  | 568 (173) | 52 | 2016 | Also known as 250 Ashland Place and Gotham BAM Tower[49][50][51] |
| 9 | 18 Sixth Avenue |  | 532 (162) | 49 | 2022 | Also known as the Pacific Park B4 Tower.[52][53][54] |
| 10 | City Tower |  | 515 (157) | 46 | 2016 | Also known as City Point Tower II,[55] 10 City Point, and 336 Flatbush Avenue Extension[56] |
| 11 | The Brooklyner |  | 514 (157) | 51 | 2010 | Tallest high-rise building in Brooklyn between 2009 and 2013.[3][4][57][58] |
| 12 | Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower |  | 512 (156) | 42 | 1929 | Tallest high-rise building in Brooklyn between 1929 and 2009. Also known as One Hanson Place.[5][59] |
| 13 | 540 Fulton Street |  | 511 (156) | 43 | 2020 | Topped out in 2019.[60][61] |
| 14 | 625 Fulton Street | Upload image | 500 (152) | 35 | 2024 | Topped out in December 2023.[62][63] |
| 15 | One Willoughby Square |  | 495 (151) | 34 | 2021 | Originally planned as a 65-story residential development, the building is now under construction as a 34-story commercial and office space.[64] Topped out in October 2019, and is Brooklyn's tallest office building.[65] |
| 16 | 66 Rockwell Place |  | 489 (149) | 44 | 2014 | [66][67] |
| 17 | The Alloy Block - Phase One (100 Flatbush) | Upload image | 482 (147) | 44 | 2023 | Topped out in January 2023.[68][69] |
| 18 | 12 Metrotech Center |  | 473 (144) | 32 | 2005 | Also known as the Kings County Supreme and Family Courthouse.[70][71] |
| 19 | 346 Kent Avenue Tower II | Upload image | 472 (144) | 39 | 2024 | Topped out in December 2023.[72] |
| 20 | Montague–Court Building |  | 462 (141) | 35 | 1927 | Tallest high-rise building in Brooklyn between 1927 and 1929. Also known as 16 Court Street.[17][73] |
| 21 | Calyer Place Tower I | Upload image | 439 (134) | 40 | 2022 | [74][75] |
| 22 | One South First |  | 435 (133) | 42 | 2019 | Topped out in 2019. The building contains 330 residential units, and 150,000 square feet of office space. [76] The skyscraper is the second structure to be developed as part of the Domino Sugar Factory redevelopment plan.[77][78] |
| 23 | 196 Willoughby Street |  | 435 (133) | 34 | 2020 | [79] |
| 24 | Oro |  | 432 (132) | 40 | 2008 | [80][81] |
| 25 | Toren |  | 427 (130) | 37 | 2009 | [82][83] |
| 26 | The Amberly |  | 425 (130) | 33 | 2017 | Also known as 120 Nassau Street[1][84][85] |
| 27 | 1 Metrotech Center |  | 412 (126) | 23 | 1992 | [86][87] |
| 28 | 664 Pacific Street | Upload image | 412 (126) | 26 | 2020 | Alternately addressed as 37 Sixth Avenue or 495 Dean Street.[88][89] |
| 29 | 1 Clinton Street |  | 409 (125) | 38 | 2019 | Also known as 280 Cadman Plaza West. Will replace a branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. Topped out in March 2019.[90][91][92] |
| 30 | DKLB BKLN |  | 405 (123) | 34 | 2010 | Also known as 80 DeKalb Avenue.[93][94] |
| 31 | 87 Commercial Street | Upload image | 402 (123) | 40 | 2022 | [95][96][97] |
| 32 = | 16 DuPont Street | Upload image | 400 (122) | 40 | 2024 | Topped out in January 2024.[98][99][100] |
| 33 = | One Pierrepont Plaza |  | 400 (122) | 21 | 1988 | [101] |
| 33 = | BKLYN AIR |  | 400 (122) | 39 | 2014 | Also known as Oro 2 Condominium.[102][103][104][105] |
| 33 = | 41 Blue Slip |  | 400 (122) | 40 | 2020 | Topped out in May 2019.[106][107][108] |
| 33 = | Greenpoint Block D 40 Story Tower |  | 400 (122) | 40 | 2022 | Informally known as the Tetris buildings.[109][110] Alternately addressed as 221 West Street. Topped-out in April 2021.[111] |
| 33 = | 30 Front Street | Upload image | 400 (122) | 26 | 2022 | Topped out in August 2021.[112][113] |
| 38 = | Brooklyn Renaissance Plaza |  | 398 (121) | 32 | 1998 | Also known as the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge.[114][115] |
| 38 = | 1 North 4th Place |  | 398 (121) | 41 | 2014 | Also known as Three Northside Piers, 1N4th, and One North Fourth.[116][117] |
| 38 = | 2 North 6th Place | Upload image | 398 (121) | 40 | 2016 | [118] |
| 41 | 4 Metrotech Center |  | 394 (120) | 25 | 1993 | Part of the MetroTech Center development[119][120] |
| 42 | Avalon Fort Greene |  | 393 (120) | 42 | 2010 | [121][122] |
| 43 | The Greenpoint* |  | 392 (119) | 39 | 2018 | Also known as 10 Huron and 21 India Street[123][124] |
| 44 | Jehovah's Witnesses Dormitory |  | 378 (115) | 30 | 1995 | [125][126] |
| 45 | 1 Bell Slip | Upload image | 369 (112) | 31 | 2022 | [127][128] |
| 46 | 300 Ashland |  | 364 (111) | 32 | 2016 | Also known as Brooklyn Academy of Music South (BAM South) and 286 Ashland Place.[129] |
| 47 | 7 DeKalb Avenue |  | 361 (110) | 27 | 2016 | Also known as City Point Tower I[130] and 70 Fleet Street.[131] |
| 48 | 141 Willoughby Street |  | 360 (110) | 24 | 2022 | Topped out in November 2021.[132] Former site of the Institute of Design and Construction.[133][134] |
| 49 | 2230 Cropsey Avenue |  | 356 (109) | 30 | 2023 | Topped out in February 2023. Also known as The Shoreline.[135][136] |
| 50 | Court and Remsen Building |  | 350 (107) | 27 | 1926 | Tallest high-rise building in Brooklyn between 1922 and 1926. Also known as the Chamber of Commerce Building.[12][137][138] |
| 51 | BellTel Lofts |  | 348 (106) | 25 | 1931 | Also known as the New York Telephone Company Building and 101 Willoughby Street.[139][140] |
| 52 | 461 Dean Street |  | 347 (106) | 32 | 2016 | Also known as B2 BKLYN.[141] |
| 53 | 86 Fleet Place |  | 346 (105) | 32 | 2017 | [142] |
| 54 | 75 Livingston Street |  | 343 (105) | 30 | 1926 | Also known as the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and Court Chambers Building.[143][144][145] |
| 55 | Tivoli Towers |  | 341 (104) | 33 | 1974 | [146][147] |
| 56 | 37 Blue Slip |  | 340 (104) | 30 | 2018 | Also known as One Blue Slip.[148][149] |
| 57 | J Condominium |  | 337 (103) | 31 | 2007 | Also known as J Condo.[150][151] |
| 58 | 200 Cadman Plaza |  | 333 (101) | 33 | 1973 | [152] |
| 59 | Archstone Brooklyn Heights |  | 331 (101) | 33 | 2000 | Also known as 180 Montague Street.[153] |
| 60 | Two Northside Piers |  | 329 (100) | 30 | 2009 | [154] |
| 61 | 15 Metrotech Center |  | 325 (99) | 21 | 2003 | Also known as the Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield Headquarters.[155][156] |
| 62 | 1524 Sheepshead Bay Road |  | 321 (98) | 28 | 2018 | Also known as 1 Brooklyn Bay, Avalon Brooklyn Bay, and 1501 Voorhies Avenue.[157][158] |
| 63 | 123 Linden Boulevard | Upload image | 320 (98) | 26 | 2020 | [159] |
| 64 = | St. George Towers | .jpg) | 315 (96) | 30 | 1930 | Also known as the St. George Hotel.[160][161] |
| 64 = | Quay Tower | Upload image | 315 (96) | 28 | 2018 | Also known as 50 Bridge Park Drive.[162] |
| 64 = | 550 Clinton Avenue | Upload image | 312 (95) | 29 | 2021 | [163][164] |
| 67 = | Atlantic Terminal Houses 1 |  | 310 (94) | 31 | 1976 | Also known as Atlantic Terminal Site 4B and 487 Carlton Avenue.[165][166] |
| 67 = | 436 Albee Square |  | 310 (94) | 28 | 2017 | [167] |
| 69 | 77 Commercial Street | Upload image | 306 (93) | 30 | 2022 | [96][97][95] |
| 70 | 111 Livingston Street |  | 301 (92) | 23 | 1971 | [168][169] |
| 71 | Greenpoint Block D 30 Story Tower |  | 300 (91) | 30 | 2022 | Informally known as the Tetris buildings. Alternately addressed as 221 West Street. Topped-out in April 2021.[109][110][111] |
| 72 | The Edge – South Tower |  | 298 (91) | 30 | 2009 | Also known as The Edge I.[170][171] |
| 73 | 595 Dean Street | Upload image | 298 (91) | 27 | 2022 | Topped out in February 2022.[172][173] |
| 74 = | Beacon Tower |  | 297 (91) | 23 | 2007 | [174][175] |
| 74 = | One Northside Piers |  | 297 (91) | 29 | 2008 | [176][177] |
| 74 = | 101 Clark Street | Upload image | 295 (90) | 30 | 1973 | [178][179] |
| 74 = | 240 Willoughby Street | Upload image | 295 (90) | 30 | 2023 | Topped out.[180][181] |
Tallest buildings under construction or proposed
Under construction
There are a number of buildings under construction in Brooklyn that are expected to rise at least 295 feet (90 m) in height.[1]
| Name | Image | Height* ft (m) | Floors | Year* | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 589 Fulton St. | 600 (183) | 51 | 2024 | Also known as 'The Brook' [182] | |
| 98 Dekalb Av. | 610 (186) | 49 | 2025 | [183] | |
| 111 Willoughby St. | 437 (133) | 40 | 2025 | [184] |
Tallest buildings proposed
| Name | Height* ft (m) | Floors | Year* | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Alloy Block - Phase Two (80 Flatbush) | 840 (256) | 74 | 2027 | Would become the second tallest building in Brooklyn if built.[185][186] |
| 205 Montague Street | 700 (213) | 62 | 2019 | [187][188] |
| River Street Waterfront Tower 1 | 710 (216) | — | 2026 | [189][190] |
| River Street Waterfront Tower 2 | 560 (171) | — | 2026 | [189][190] |
| 491 Fulton Street | — | 50 | 2021 | [191] |
| 591 Fulton Street | — | 50 | 2021 | [192] |
| 356 Fulton Street | 496 (151) | 43 | 2025 | [193] |
| 98 Dekalb Avenue | 490 (149) | 47 | — | Alternately known as 180 Ashland Place.[194] |
| 23 Hanover Place | 463 (141) | 29 | — | [195] |
| 111 Willoughby Street | 434 (132) | 40 | 2025 | [196] |
| 202-208 Tillary Street | — | 42 | 2020 | [197] |
| 61 Dekalb Avenue | 435 (133) | — | 2021 | [198] |
| 1 Eagle Street | 435 (133) | 39 | 2023 | [199] |
| 570 Fulton Street | 550 (168) | 40 | 2020 | [200] |
| 95 Rockwell Place | 418 (127) | 38 | — | [201] |
| Calyer Place Tower II | 400 (122) | 40 | — | [75] |
| Calyer Place Tower III | — | 32 | — | [202] |
| 700 Atlantic Avenue | 397 (121) | 41 | 2024 | [203] |
| 55 Willoughby Street | 376 (115) | 38 | — | [204] |
| 500 Kent Avenue | 350 (107) | 23 | 2024 | [205] |
| 15 Hanover Place | 348 (106) | 34 | — | [206] |
| 75 Dekalb Avenue | 348 (106) | 29 | — | [207] |
| 555 Broadway | 319 (97) | 28 | 2022 | [208] |
| 19 Rockwell Place | 304 (93) | 27 | — | [209] |
| 545 Broadway | 298 (91) | 27 | 2018 | If built, the tower would become Williamsburg's third tallest building after two other proposed buildings in the neighborhood.[210] |
| 275 Atlantic Avenue | 295 (90) | — | 2027 | A plan to demolish the 170-foot detention facility at the current location for a 295-foot jail.[211][212] |
| 18 India Street | — | 40 | 2022 | [213] |
| 40 Quay Street | — | — | — | An 840,000 square foot tower 900-unit mixed use development project.[214] |
| 89 Dekalb Avenue | — | 30 | 2025 | [215] |
Tallest buildings cancelled
| Name | Height* ft (m) | Floors | Year* | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 960 Franklin Avenue | 421 (128) | 39 | 2021 | Project cancelled by the NYC Commission over a Brooklyn Botanic Garden dispute.[216][217] |
Timeline of tallest buildings
This lists buildings that once held the title of tallest building in Brooklyn.
| Name | Image | Street address | Years as tallest | Height ft (m) | Floors | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temple Bar Building |  | 44 Court Street | 1901–13 | 164 (50) | 13 | [6][9][218] |
| Clock Tower Building |  | 1 Main Street | 1913–18 | 216 (66) | 16 | [219][220] |
| 32 Court Street |  | 32 Court Street | 1918–26 | 220 (67) | 22 | [6][15] |
| Court and Remsen Building | | 26 Court Street | 1926–27 | 350 (107) | 27 | [12] |
| Montague–Court Building | | 16 Court Street | 1927–29 | 462 (141) | 35 | [17] |
| Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower |  | 1 Hanson Place | 1929–2010 | 512 (156) | 42 | [3] |
| The Brooklyner |  | 111 Lawrence Street | 2010–13 | 514 (157) | 51 | [3][4] |
| 388 Bridge Street |  | 388 Bridge Street | 2013–15 | 590 (180) | 51 | [40] |
| AVA DoBro | | 214 Duffield Street | 2015–17 | 596 (182) | 58 | [41] |
| The Hub |  | 333 Schermerhorn Street | 2017–21 | 610 (186) | 52 | [35] |
| Brooklyn Point | | 138 Willoughby Street | 2021–22 | 720 (219) | 68 | [26] |
| The Brooklyn Tower |  | The Brooklyn Tower | 2022–present | 1,066 (325) | 73 | [2] |
See also
References
Explanatory notes
- a. ^ An asterisk (*) indicates that the building is still under construction, but has been topped out.
Citations
Sources
- "High-rise Buildings of Brooklyn". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
- Brazee, Christopher D. (September 13, 2011). Mary Beth Betts (ed.). "Borough Hall Skyscraper Historic District Designation Report" (PDF). New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
- Furman, Robert (2015). Brooklyn Heights: The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of America's First Suburb. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press. ISBN 9781626199545. OCLC 905520755.
- Korom, Joseph J. Jr. (2013). Skyscraper Facades of the Gilded Age: Fifty–One Extravagant Designs, 1875–1910. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. ISBN 9780786470723. OCLC 830989479.
External links
Media related to High-rises in Brooklyn at Wikimedia Commons- Diagram of New York City skyscrapers on SkyscraperPage
