List of tallest buildings in Rhode Island

The U.S. state of Rhode Island is home to 27 buildings over 175 feet (53 m) in height. Five of these buildings are taller than 300 feet (91 m), all of which are located in the state's capital and largest city, Providence.

The skyline of Providence as viewed from across the Providence River
A comparison of selected buildings in Providence

The tallest skyscraper in the city and state is the Industrial National Bank Building at 111 Westminster Street in Downtown Providence, which rises 26 floors and 428 feet (130 m).[1] The Industrial National Bank Building, nicknamed the "Superman Building" due to its resemblance to the fictional Daily Planet building from the 1950s TV series, Adventures of Superman,[1] is also the sixth-tallest building in New England outside of Boston.[2] The second-tallest building in Providence is One Financial Plaza, which rises 30 floors and 410 feet (125 m) and was completed in 1973.[3]

As one of the early manufacturing centers in the United States, many of Providence's tallest buildings were constructed prior to 1930; among these are the Industrial National Bank Building, Turk's Head Building, and Bannigan Building. The city went through a second building boom in the 1970s, during which One Financial Plaza and Textron Tower, the city's second and fifth-tallest buildings, were completed. In the 1990s and 2000s, the city again experienced a construction boom. Dubbed the Providence "Renaissance,"[4] this period saw the construction of four of the cities ten tallest buildings.

Tallest buildings

This lists ranks Rhode Island structures based on standard height measurement. This includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts. An equal sign (=) following a rank indicates the same height between two or more buildings. The "Year" column indicates the year in which the building was completed.

RankNameImageHeight
ft (m)
FloorsYearLocationUseNotes
01.01Industrial National Bank Building 428 (130)261928Providence

41°49′28.27″N 71°24′39.89″W / 41.8245194°N 71.4110806°W / 41.8245194; -71.4110806 (:Industrial National Bank Building)

Vacant
  • The Industrial National Bank Building has been the tallest building in the city and the state since its completion in 1928
  • The structure has been vacant since 2013[5]
  • Tallest building in Rhode Island constructed in the 1920s
02.02One Financial Plaza 410 (125)301973Providence

41°49′31.11″N 71°24′36.14″W / 41.8253083°N 71.4100389°W / 41.8253083; -71.4100389 (One Financial Plaza)

Office
  • Built as the Hospital Trust Tower
  • Also known as Sovereign Bank Tower[3][6]
  • Tallest building in Rhode Island constructed in the 1970s
03.03The Residences Providence 380 (116)312007Providence

41°49′30.32″N 71°24′54.77″W / 41.8250889°N 71.4152139°W / 41.8250889; -71.4152139 (The Residences at the Westin)

ResidentialTallest building in Rhode Island constructed in the 2000s[7][8][9]
04.04Omni Providence Hotel 329 (100)251993Providence

41°49′31.15″N 71°24′58.5″W / 41.8253194°N 71.416250°W / 41.8253194; -71.416250 (The Westin Providence)

Hotel
  • Formerly the Westin Providence
  • Tallest building in Rhode Island constructed in the 1990s
  • Became the tallest hotel in Providence upon its completion, surpassing the Providence Biltmore[10][11]
N/AManchester Street Generating Station 321 (98)1996Providence

41°48′57″N 71°24′16″W / 41.815829°N 71.404329°W / 41.815829; -71.404329 (Manchester Street Generating Station)

Power station
  • The smokestacks of the Manchester Street Generating Station rise to a height of 321 feet[12]
05.05Textron Tower 311 (95)231971-72Providence

41°49′29.63″N 71°24′33.05″W / 41.8248972°N 71.4091806°W / 41.8248972; -71.4091806 (Textron Tower)

Office
06.0650 Kennedy Plaza 285 (87)201985Providence

41°49′29.8″N 71°24′38.09″W / 41.824944°N 71.4105806°W / 41.824944; -71.4105806 (50 Kennedy Plaza)

OfficeTallest building in Rhode Island constructed in the 1980s[15][16]
07.07Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island Headquarters 236 (72)142009Providence

41°49′40.2672″N 71°24′48.261″W / 41.827852000°N 71.41340583°W / 41.827852000; -71.41340583 (Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island Headquarters)

Office[17][18]
08.08Waterplace 1 236 (72)192008Providence

41°49′38.44″N 71°24′45.098″W / 41.8273444°N 71.41252722°W / 41.8273444; -71.41252722 (Waterplace 1)

Residential
09.09Rhode Island State House
Rhode Island State House 2
223 (68)41904Providence

41°49′51.1032″N 71°24′54.053″W / 41.830862000°N 71.41501472°W / 41.830862000; -71.41501472 (Rhode Island State House)

Governmental
  • Was the tallest building in Providence before being surpassed by the Industrial National Bank Building.[20][21]
  • Tallest building in Rhode Island constructed in the 1900s
10=Biltmore Hotel 220 (67)181922Providence

41°49′27.73″N 71°24′48.4″W / 41.8243694°N 71.413444°W / 41.8243694; -71.413444 (Biltmore Hotel)

Hotel
  • Tallest hotel in the city from 1922 until the completion of the Westin Providence in 1993[22][a]
10=The Tower at Carnegie Abbey220 (67)172009Portsmouth

41°36′58.3″N 71°16′10.8″W / 41.616194°N 71.269667°W / 41.616194; -71.269667

Residential
12Providence County Courthouse 217 (66)71930Providence

41°49′31.76″N 71°24′24.84″W / 41.8254889°N 71.4069000°W / 41.8254889; -71.4069000 (Providence County Courthouse)

GovernmentalTallest building in Rhode Island constructed in the 1930s[22][24]
13Turk's Head Building 217 (66)161913Providence

41°49′28.42″N 71°24′35.5″W / 41.8245611°N 71.409861°W / 41.8245611; -71.409861 (Turk's Head Building)

OfficeTallest building in Rhode Island constructed in the 1910s[22][25]
14Waterplace 2 210 (64)172008Providence

41°49′38.22″N 71°24′48.05″W / 41.8272833°N 71.4133472°W / 41.8272833; -71.4133472 (Waterplace 2)

Residential[26]
15Pawtucket City Hall 209 (64)31933Pawtucket

41°52′44.2″N 71°22′55.8″W / 41.878944°N 71.382167°W / 41.878944; -71.382167

Governmental
  • Tallest building in Pawtucket[27]
16Grace Church ~206 (63)11860Providence

41°49′19″N 71°24′49″W / 41.82183°N 71.413507°W / 41.82183; -71.413507 (Grace Church)

ChurchTallest building in Rhode Island constructed in the 19th century
17=Carrol Tower 199 (61)161973Providence

41°49′38.22″N 71°24′48.05″W / 41.8272833°N 71.4133472°W / 41.8272833; -71.4133472 (Waterplace 2)

Residential
  • Twin tower of Parenti Villa[28]
17=Parenti Villa 199 (61)161973Providence

41°49′11.6″N 71°26′10.0″W / 41.819889°N 71.436111°W / 41.819889; -71.436111 (Waterplace 2)

Residential
  • Twin tower of Carrol Tower.[29]
19Towers East194 (59)161976Pawtucket

41°52′33″N 71°23′09″W / 41.875806°N 71.385755°W / 41.875806; -71.385755 (Slater Hill)

Residential
20First Unitarian Church of Providence 189 (58)1816Providence

41°49′28″N 71°24′18″W / 41.824381°N 71.404901°W / 41.824381; -71.404901 (First Unitarian Church)

Church
21Charlesgate North
187 (57)151970Providence

41°50′19.6902″N 71°24′35.2368″W / 41.838802833°N 71.409788000°W / 41.838802833; -71.409788000 (Waterplace 2)

Residential[31]
22First Baptist Church
185 (56)1775Providence

41°49′39″N 71°24′30″W / 41.827476°N 71.408292°W / 41.827476; -71.408292 (First Baptist Church)

ChurchTallest building in Rhode Island constructed in the 18th century
23Fogarty Manor182 (55)1969Pawtucket

41°52′50″N 71°22′59″W / 41.880481°N 71.38316°W / 41.880481; -71.38316 (Slater Hill)

ResidentialTallest building in Rhode Island constructed in the 1960s
24=One Citizens Plaza 180 (55)131990Providence

41°49′38.4558″N 71°24′38.2926″W / 41.827348833°N 71.410636833°W / 41.827348833; -71.410636833 (One Citizens Plaza)

Office[32]
24=Brown University Sciences Library 180 (55)151971Providence

41°49′36.85″N 71°24′0.49″W / 41.8269028°N 71.4001361°W / 41.8269028; -71.4001361 (Brown University Sciences Library)

University
  • With its former antenna mast included, the building reached a total height of 395 feet (120 m), more than doubling its effective height and making it the third-tallest building in the city when measuring by pinnacle height.[33]
26121 South Main Street 178 (54)111984Providence

41°49′27″N 71°24′25″W / 41.824074°N 71.407019°W / 41.824074; -71.407019 (121 South Main Street)

University
27Hospital Trust Building 177 (54)131920Providence

41°49′32.38″N 71°24′34.83″W / 41.8256611°N 71.4096750°W / 41.8256611; -71.4096750 (Hospital Trust Building)

University
  • Also known as the Fleet Building[36]
  • Currently owned by the Rhode Island School of Design and used as a residence hall
28Sister Dominica Manor 175 (53)161966Providence

41°49′21.84″N 71°25′16.69″W / 41.8227333°N 71.4213028°W / 41.8227333; -71.4213028 (Sister Dominica Manor)

Residential
  • Built as the Bradford House
29Hilton Providence Hotel ~173 (53)141969Providence

41°49′23″N 71°25′07″W / 41.822989°N 71.418550°W / 41.822989; -71.418550 (Hilton Providence)

Hotel
30Edge College Hill172 (52)152018Providence

41°49′40″N 71°24′36″W / 41.827908°N 71.410074°W / 41.827908; -71.410074 (Edge College Hill)

Residential
  • 169 Canal St.
  • Tallest building in Rhode Island constructed in the 2010s[39][40]
31Slater Hill Apartments170 (52)14Pawtucket

41°52′29″N 71°23′10″W / 41.874726°N 71.386038°W / 41.874726; -71.386038 (Slater Hill)

Residential
32One Regency Plaza~161131973Residential
33Bannigan Building ~160 (49)111896Providence

41°49′29″N 71°24′33″W / 41.824679°N 71.409209°W / 41.824679; -71.409209 (Bannigan Building)

Office
34Union Trust Company Building ~157 (48)121902Providence

41°49′25″N 71°24′41″W / 41.823685°N 71.411350°W / 41.823685; -71.411350 (Union Trust Company Building)

Office
35Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul 156 (48)1889Providence

41°49′09″N 71°24′59″W / 41.819282°N 71.416506°W / 41.819282; -71.416506 (Union Trust Company Building)

Church

Tallest proposed

NameHeight
ft (m)
FloorsStatusLocationNotes
Hope Point Tower550 (168)46Never builtJewelry District, Providence
  • Originally proposed as three separate towers[43]
  • The approved design includes a single tower with six stories of ground level retail and parking[44]
  • If constructed, the building would be the tallest in the state[45]
Edge College Hill II187 (57)15ProposedCollege Hill, Providence
  • First proposed in 2017[46]
137-151 Friendship St.120 (37)12ProposedJewelry District, Providence
  • First proposed in 2021[47]
151 Chestnut St.112 (34)9In approvalJewelry District, Providence
  • If built, the structure would be the city's first residential structure to use modular construction[48]

Tallest demolished

NameHeight
ft (m)
FloorsBuiltDestroyedLocationUseNotes
Hartford Park[citation needed]10195101.0 1989ProvidenceResidential
  • Residential high rise constructed by the Providence Housing Authority
  • Original attempt to implode the building failed.[49]

Timeline of tallest buildings

This table lists buildings that once held the title of tallest building in Rhode Island. Since the completion of the First Baptist Church in America, all structures to hold the title have been located in Providence.

NameImageLocationYears as tallestHeight
ft (m)
FloorsCoordinatesReference
Trinity Church Newportc. 1750–1775~150 (46)41°29′14″N 71°18′48″W / 41.48732°N 71.31328°W / 41.48732; -71.31328 (Trinity Church)[50]
First Baptist Church
Providence1775–1816185 (56)41°49′39″N 71°24′30″W / 41.827476°N 71.408292°W / 41.827476; -71.408292[51]
First Unitarian Church of Providence Providence1816–1816189 (58)
Grace Church Providence1860–1904~206 (63)41°49′19″N 71°24′49″W / 41.82208°N 71.41365°W / 41.82208; -71.41365 (Grace Church)
Rhode Island State House
Rhode Island State House 2
Providence1904–1927223 (68)441°49′51.08″N 71°24′53.87″W / 41.8308556°N 71.4149639°W / 41.8308556; -71.4149639 (Rhode Island State House)[21]
Industrial National Bank Building Providence1927–present428 (130)2641°49′28.27″N 71°24′39.89″W / 41.8245194°N 71.4110806°W / 41.8245194; -71.4110806 (Industrial National Bank Building)[52]

Notes

References

General
  • "Buildings of Providence". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
Specific

External links