List of tallest buildings in Boston

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Boston's Back Bay skyline, showing (from left to right) the Berkeley Building, Hancock Place, 111 Huntington Avenue and the Prudential Tower

Boston's Downtown Skyline, showing (from left to right) the Federal Reserve Bank Building, One Financial Center, One and Two International Place, the Harbor Towers and the Custom House Tower

This list of tallest buildings in Boston ranks skyscrapers in the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts by height. The tallest in the city is currently the 60-story Hancock Place, better known to locals as the John Hancock Tower, which rises 790 feet (241 m) in Boston's Back Bay district.^[1] Hancock Place is currently the 46th-tallest building in the United States. Another famous Boston skyscraper is the Prudential Tower, which stands as the city's 2nd-tallest building.^[2]

Boston's history of skyscrapers is generally thought to begin with the 1893 completion of the 13-story Ames Building, considered to be the city's first skyscraper.^[3] Boston went through a massive building boom in the 1960s and 1970s, resulting in the construction of over 20 skyscrapers, including Hancock Place and the Prudential Tower. The city is the site of 16 skyscrapers that rise at least 500 feet (152 m) in height, more than any other city in New England. Overall, Boston's skyline is ranked (based upon existing and under construction buildings over 500 feet (152 m) tall) 2nd in the Northeast (after New York City) and 9th in the United States, after New York, Chicago, Miami, Houston, Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta, and San Francisco.^[A]

Boston currently has three major proposals to build large skyscrapers within the next five years. The tallest of these proposals is Trans National Place, which, if constructed, would become the new tallest building in the city at 1,175 feet (358 m). If built, the skyscraper would also rank among the tallest in the United States;^[4] only three existing buildings in the country are taller. Another proposal is the South Bay Tower, which, at 800 feet (244 m), would become the city's 2nd-tallest structure.^[5] A third tall proposal for the city is the South Station Tower, which would become the city's 5th-tallest building, assuming that both Trans National Place and the South Bay Tower are constructed.^[6]

Boston skyline from Deer Island in Winthrop, Massachusetts

[edit] Tallest buildings

The current tallest building in Boston, Hancock Place

Boston's 2nd-and 8th-tallest buildings, the Prudential Tower and 111 Huntington Avenue

Boston's 9th-tallest building, Two International Place, reflected in the walls of Exchange Place, the city's 12th-tallest building

The Keystone Building, Boston's 26th-tallest building

This lists ranks Boston skyscrapers that stand at least 400 feet (122 m) tall, based on standard height measurement. This includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts. Existing structures are included for ranking purposes based on present height.

Boston skyline from World's End in Hingham, Massachusetts

[edit] Tallest buildings by pinnacle height

When measuring by pinnacle height, One Financial Center is the 3rd-tallest building in Boston.

This list ranks Boston skyscrapers based on their pinnacle height, which includes radio masts and antennas. As architectural features and spires can be regarded as subjective, some skyscraper enthusiasts prefer this method of measurement. Standard architectural height measurement, which excludes antennas in building height, is included for comparative purposes.

[edit] Tallest under construction, approved and proposed

This article or section contains information about expected future buildings or structures. Some or all of this information may be speculative, and the content may change as building construction begins.

The proposed Trans National Place, which will likely become Boston's tallest building upon its completion in 2011

This lists skyscrapers that are approved, proposed, or under construction in Boston over 395 ft (120 m), but are not yet completed structures. The rank that each building would hold if it were completed is listed. However, its rank is not dependent on any other buildings that are not currently completed.

* Table entries without text indicate that information regarding building heights, floor counts, and/or dates of completion has not yet been released.

[edit] Timeline of tallest buildings

Built in 1915, the Custom House Tower is Boston's 17th-tallest building and one of the city's oldest skyscrapers. The tower was Boston's tallest building for 49 years, from 1915 until 1964.

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 usually regarded to be the Ames Building, completed in 1893.^[3] However, since the 13-story building did not surpass the steeple of the Church of the Covenant,^[101] 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.^[53]

[edit] Notes

A. ^{^} New York has 205 existing and under construction buildings over 500 feet (152 m), Chicago has 104, Miami has 37, Houston has 29, Los Angeles has 22, Dallas has 20, Atlanta has 19, San Francisco has 18, Boston has 16.

[edit] References

General

• Emporis.com - Boston

Specific

[edit] External links

• Diagram of Boston skyscrapers on SkyscraperPage
• Boston structures on Structurae