List of tallest buildings in Boston

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.)

Rank	Name	Image	Height ft (m)	Floors	Year	Coordinates	Notes
01.01	John Hancock Tower (200 Clarendon Street)		01.0790 (241)	60	1976	42°20′57.4″N 71°04′29.2″W / 42.349278°N 71.074778°W / 42.349278; -71.074778 (John Hancock Tower)	Tied with Shenzhen Broadcasting Center Building in Shenzhen, China as the 292nd-tallest building in the world[citation needed] 80th-tallest building in the U.S. as of 2021 Has been the tallest building in Boston, Massachusetts, and New England since 1976 Commonly known as John Hancock Tower, its original name (for John Hancock Financial), but now legally 200 Clarendon Street or Hancock Place[8] Tallest building in Boston constructed in the 1970s[2][9][10]
02.02	Prudential Tower		02.0749 (228)	52	1964	42°20′49.78″N 71°04′57.08″W / 42.3471611°N 71.0825222°W / 42.3471611; -71.0825222 (Prudential Tower)	112th-tallest building in the U.S. as of 2021 The Skywalk, the highest observation deck in New England, was located on the building's 50th floor until its closure in 2020. Tallest building in Boston constructed in the 1960s Was the tallest building in Boston before being surpassed by the John Hancock Tower[3][4][11]
02.03	One Dalton		03.0742 (226)	61	2019	42°20′44.7″N 71°05′02.2″W / 42.345750°N 71.083944°W / 42.345750; -71.083944 (One Dalton/ Four Seasons)	Boston's and New England's tallest residential building.[12][13] Tallest building in Boston constructed in the 2010s
03.04	Winthrop Center		04.0691 (211)	52	2023	42°21′16.5″N 71°3′25.5″W / 42.354583°N 71.057083°W / 42.354583; -71.057083 (Winthrop Center)	Tallest building in Boston outside of Back Bay Tallest building in Boston constructed in the 2020s[14]
03.05	Millennium Tower		04.0685 (209)	60	2016	42°21′21.01″N 71°3′33.91″W / 42.3558361°N 71.0594194°W / 42.3558361; -71.0594194 (Millennium Tower)	Tallest building in the Downtown Crossing neighborhood.
04.06	Federal Reserve Bank Building		04.0614 (187)	32	1976	42°21′08.55″N 71°03′14.82″W / 42.3523750°N 71.0541167°W / 42.3523750; -71.0541167 (Federal Reserve Bank Building)	Formerly the tallest building in Boston's Financial District[15][16][17]
05.07	One Boston Place		05.0601 (183)	41	1970	42°21′31″N 71°03′30″W / 42.35853°N 71.05838°W / 42.35853; -71.05838 (One Boston Place)	Tallest building in the Government Center neighborhood of Boston[18][19][20]
06.08T	One International Place		06.0600 (183)	46	1987	42°21′20.8″N 71°03′07.5″W / 42.355778°N 71.052083°W / 42.355778; -71.052083 (One International Place)	Tallest building in Boston constructed in the 1980s[21][22][23]
	Bulfinch Crossing: One Congress		600 (183)	43	2023[24]		Topped off on July 15, 2021.[25][26]
10	100 Federal Street		07.0591 (180)	37	1971	42°21′18″N 71°03′22″W / 42.35498°N 71.05623°W / 42.35498; -71.05623 (First National Bank Building)	Also known as First National Bank Building [27][28][29]
11	One Financial Center		08.0590 (180)	46	1983	42°21′08.6″N 71°03′23.0″W / 42.352389°N 71.056389°W / 42.352389; -71.056389 (One Financial Center)	[30][31][32]
09.012	111 Huntington Avenue		09.0554 (169)	36	2002	42°20′48.38″N 71°04′52.86″W / 42.3467722°N 71.0813500°W / 42.3467722; -71.0813500 (111 Huntington Avenue)	Second-tallest building in the Prudential Center complex Tallest building in Boston constructed in the 2000s[33][34][35]
10.013	Two International Place		10.0538 (164)	35	1992	42°21′23″N 71°03′06″W / 42.356492°N 71.051757°W / 42.356492; -71.051757 (Two International Place)	Tallest building in Boston constructed in the 1990s[36][37][38]
11.014	One Post Office Square		11.0525 (160)	40	1981	42°21′25″N 71°03′19″W / 42.356827°N 71.055400°W / 42.356827; -71.055400 (One Post Office Square)	[39][40][41]
15	One Federal Street		12.0520 (158)	38	1975	42°21′24″N 71°03′25″W / 42.356564°N 71.056963°W / 42.356564; -71.056963 (One Federal Street)	Originally known as the Shawmut Bank Building[42][43][44]
16	Bulfinch Crossing: The Sudbury Residences		519 (158)	45	2020		[25]
17T	Hub on Causeway Office Tower		510 (155)	31	2021	42°21′57″N 71°03′40″W / 42.365707348517994°N 71.06114985378042°W / 42.365707348517994; -71.06114985378042	Tallest building in the West End
	Exchange Place		13.0510 (155)	40	1984	42°21′30″N 71°03′23″W / 42.35832°N 71.05645°W / 42.35832; -71.05645 (Exchange Place)	[45][46][47]
19	60 State Street		14.0509 (155)	38	1977	42°21′33″N 71°03′23″W / 42.35903°N 71.05646°W / 42.35903; -71.05646 (60 State Street)	[48][49]
20	One Beacon Street		15.0505 (154)	37	1971	42°21′30″N 71°03′39″W / 42.35844°N 71.06083°W / 42.35844; -71.06083 (One Beacon Street)	[50][51][52]
21	One Lincoln Street		16.0503 (153)	36	2003	42°21′09″N 71°03′29″W / 42.35254°N 71.05809°W / 42.35254; -71.05809 (One Lincoln Street)	[53][54][55]
22	28 State Street		17.0500 (152)	40	1970	42°21′34″N 71°03′27″W / 42.35933°N 71.05747°W / 42.35933; -71.05747 (28 State Street)	[56][57][58]
23T	Hub on Causeway Residential Tower		18.0496 (151)	45	2019	42°21′56.52″N 71°03′39.60″W / 42.3657000°N 71.0610000°W / 42.3657000; -71.0610000 (Hub On Causeway Residential Tower)	2nd-tallest building in the West End. The tallest residential building in the West End.[59][60][61]
	Custom House Tower		19.0496 (151)	32	1915	42°21′32.65″N 71°03′12.13″W / 42.3590694°N 71.0533694°W / 42.3590694; -71.0533694 (Custom House Tower)	Tallest all-hotel building in Boston Tallest building in Boston constructed in the 1910s Was the tallest building in Boston before being surpassed by the Prudential Tower[62][63][64]
25	Berkeley Building		20.0495 (151)	26	1947	42°20′59.78″N 71°04′21.55″W / 42.3499389°N 71.0726528°W / 42.3499389; -71.0726528 (Berkeley Building)	Also known as the Old John Hancock Building Tallest building in Boston constructed in the 1940s[65][66][67]
26	The Alcott		485 (148)	44	2022		Third-tallest building in the West End[68]
27T	33 Arch Street		21.0477 (145)	33	2004	42°21′21″N 71°03′28″W / 42.35596°N 71.05790°W / 42.35596; -71.05790 (33 Arch Street)	[69][70][71]
	State Street Bank Building		22.0477 (145)	33	1966	42°21′22″N 71°03′15″W / 42.35622°N 71.05418°W / 42.35622; -71.05418 (State Street Bank Building)	Also known as 225 Franklin Street[72][73][74]
29	Ritz-Carlton Towers Boston Common - Tower I		23.0475 (145)	38	2001	42°21′11″N 71°03′47″W / 42.35302°N 71.06294°W / 42.35302; -71.06294 (Ritz-Carlton Towers Boston Common - Tower I)	[75][76][77]
30	125 High Street		24.0452 (138)	30	1991	42°21′19″N 71°03′12″W / 42.35532°N 71.05326°W / 42.35532; -71.05326 (125 High Street)	[78][79][80]
31	100 Summer Street		25.0450 (137)	32	1974	42°21′14″N 71°03′27″W / 42.35383°N 71.05745°W / 42.35383; -71.05745 (100 Summer Street)	[81][82][83]
32	Avalon North Station		449 (137) [84]	38	2016	42°21′11″N 71°03′47″W / 42.35302°N 71.06294°W / 42.35302; -71.06294 (Millennium Place Tower II)	4th Tallest building in the West End neighborhood
33T	Ritz-Carlton Towers Boston Common - Tower II		27.0446 (136)	36	2001	42°21′11″N 71°03′47″W / 42.35302°N 71.06294°W / 42.35302; -71.06294 (Ritz-Carlton Towers Boston Common Tower II)	[85][86][87]
33T	40 Trinity Place (Raffles Boston Back Bay)		446 (136)	33	2022		[88]
35	Atlantic Wharf (Russia Wharf)		28.0436 (133)	32	2011	42°21′12″N 71°03′10″W / 42.353323°N 71.052854°W / 42.353323; -71.052854 (Russia Wharf)
36	McCormack Building		29.0401 (122)	22	1975	42°21′34″N 71°03′44″W / 42.359527°N 71.062333°W / 42.359527; -71.062333 (McCormack Building)	[89][90][91]
37T	Keystone Building		30.0400 (122)	32	1971	42°21′15″N 71°03′16″W / 42.35415°N 71.05443°W / 42.35415; -71.05443 (Keystone Building)	[92][93][94]
	Harbor Towers I		31.0400 (122)	40	1971	42°21′28.64″N 71°02′59.89″W / 42.3579556°N 71.0499694°W / 42.3579556; -71.0499694 (Harbor Towers I)	[95][96][97]

Boston skyline from World's End in Hingham, Massachusetts

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.

Tallest under construction, approved, and proposed

Buildings of at least 400 feet (122 m) tall that are under construction, approved, or proposed.

Under Construction

Approved

Proposed

* 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	08.065 (20)	3	42°21′31.57″N 71°03′28.1″W / 42.3587694°N 71.057806°W / 42.3587694; -71.057806 (Old State House)	[106]
Old North Church		193 Salem Street	1745–1810	08.0175 (53)	1	42°21′58.78″N 71°03′16.04″W / 42.3663278°N 71.0544556°W / 42.3663278; -71.0544556 (Old North Church)	[107]
Park Street Church		1 Park Street	1810–1867	07.0217 (66)	1	42°21′25″N 71°03′44″W / 42.356911°N 71.062151°W / 42.356911; -71.062151 (Park Street Church)	[108]
Church of the Covenant		67 Newbury Street	1867–1915	06.0236 (72)	1	42°21′07.00″N 71°4′26.00″W / 42.3519444°N 71.0738889°W / 42.3519444; -71.0738889 (Church of the Covenant)	[105]
Custom House Tower		3 McKinley Square	1915–1964	05.0496 (151)	32	42°21′32.65″N 71°03′12.13″W / 42.3590694°N 71.0533694°W / 42.3590694; -71.0533694 (Custom House Tower)	[62]
Prudential Tower		800 Boylston Street	1964–1976	04.0749 (228)	52	42°20′49.78″N 71°04′57.08″W / 42.3471611°N 71.0825222°W / 42.3471611; -71.0825222 (Prudential Tower)	[3]
200 Clarendon		200 Clarendon Street	1976–present	03.0790 (241)	60	42°20′57.4″N 71°04′29.2″W / 42.349278°N 71.074778°W / 42.349278; -71.074778 (John Hancock Tower)	[9]

See also

• 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

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

External links

• 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