List of tallest buildings in Detroit facts for kids

The skyline of Detroit in 2015

This list of tallest buildings in Detroit ranks skyscrapers and high rises in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan by height. The tallest skyscraper in Detroit is the 73-story Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, which rises 727 feet (222 m) along Detroit's International Riverfront. It is the tallest building in the state of Michigan, the 97th-tallest building in the United States, and the second tallest hotel building in the Western Hemisphere. Another famous skyscraper is Ally Detroit Center, which stands as the 2nd-tallest building in the city and the state.

Detroit's history of skyscrapers began in 1889, with completion of the historic 10-story Hammond Building—considered the city's first steel-framed skyscraper. It was followed by the Savings Bank Building in 1895, the Majestic Building in 1896, and the Union Trust Building in 1896. Detroit witnessed a massive building boom during the Roaring Twenties, resulting in the construction of many of the city's ornate skyscrapers, including the Penobscot, Guardian, Fisher, Buhl, Stott, and Broderick.

One Woodward Avenue, which rises 430 feet (131 m), was the tallest building constructed in the city during the 1960s. Detroit is the site of eight skyscrapers at least 492 feet (150 m) in height and twenty-seven at least 327 feet (100 m) in height. Overall, the skyline of Detroit is ranked (based upon existing and under construction buildings over 492 feet (150 m)) third in the Midwestern United States (after Chicago and Minneapolis) and fourteenth in the United States, after New York City, Chicago, Miami, Houston, Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta, San Francisco, Boston, Las Vegas, Seattle, Philadelphia, and Minneapolis.

The most recently constructed skyscrapers in the city are One Detroit Center, completed in 1993, and Hollywood Casino at Greektown, completed in 2009. The latter rises 348 feet (106 m) and contains 30 floors. The city has received many significant restoration projects, which include the 29 story Westin Book Cadillac Hotel; originally built in 1924 and restored in 2008, it rises 349 feet (106 m).

Tallest buildings

This list ranks Detroit skyscrapers that stand at least 300 feet (91 m) tall, based on standard height measurement. This includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts. The "Year" column indicates the year a building was completed.

Rank	Name	Image	Height feet / m	Floors	Architect	Year	Notes
01.01	Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center		727 / 222	73	John Portman & Associates	1977	Tallest building in the city and the state since 1977, 101st-tallest building in the United States. Tallest hotel in the world upon completion; now stands as the second tallest hotel in the Western Hemisphere. Major renovation completed in 2004. The entire complex is owned by General Motors.
2	Hudson's Detroit		685 / 208	49	SHoP Architects Hamilton Anderson Associates	2024	Tallest building completed in the 2020s.
3	Ally Detroit Center		619 / 189	43	Philip Johnson John Burgee	1993	Tallest building completed in Detroit in the 1990s. Former headquarters of Comerica Bank, current headquarters of Ally Financial
4	Penobscot Building		565 / 172	47	Wirt C Rowland	1928	When completed in 1928, the Penobscot was the world's eighth tallest building. It was the city's tallest from 1928 to 1977. The Penobscot stands at the center of the Detroit Financial District.
5 (tie)	RenCen Tower 100		522 / 159	39	John Portman & Associates	1977
	RenCen Tower 200		522 / 159	39	John Portman & Associates	1977
	RenCen Tower 300		522 / 159	39	John Portman & Associates	1977
	RenCen Tower 400		522 / 159	39	John Portman & Associates	1977
9	Guardian Building		495 / 151	40	Wirt C Rowland	1929
10	Book Tower		475 / 145	38	Louis Kamper	1926	The 38-story Book Tower and the adjoining 13-story Book Building underwent a nearly $400 million renovation, re-opening in 2023 as a mixed residential and retail/office space.
11	150 West Jefferson		455 / 139	26	Heller Manus Architects	1989	Tallest building completed in Detroit in the 1980s. Previously known as the Madden Building.
11.012	Fisher Building		444 / 135	30	Albert Kahn Associates	1928
12.013	Cadillac Tower		438 / 133	40	Bonnah & Chaffee	1927
13.014	David Stott Building		437 / 133	38	John M Donaldson	1929
14.015	One Woodward Avenue		430 / 131	28	Minoru Yamasaki	1963	Tallest building completed in the city in the 1960s.
15.016	Patrick V. McNamara Federal Building		393 / 120	27	Smith, Hinchman & Grylls	1976
16.017	DTE Energy Headquarters		375 / 114	25	Emery Roth & Sons	1971
17.018	David Broderick Tower		369 / 113	35	Louis Kamper Paul Kamper	1928	Fully renovated in 2012 as a mixed- use residential building. The project created residential units on floors 5-34, with the lower 4 floors dedicated to retail, entertainment, and office space. Originally known as the Eaton Tower.
18.019	211 West Fort Street		368 / 112	27	Harley, Ellington, Cowin & Stirton	1963
20	Buhl Building		366 / 112	29	Wirt C Rowland	1925
20.021	Westin Book Cadillac Hotel		349 / 106	29	Louis Kamper	1924	Tallest hotel in the world upon completion in 1924 and restored in 2008.
21.022	Hollywood Casino at Greektown		348 / 106	30	Paul Steelman Rossetti	2009	Tallest building completed in Detroit in the 2000s.
22.023	First National Building		341 / 104	26	Albert Khan	1930	Tallest building completed in Detroit in the 1930s.
23.024 (tie)	RenCen Tower 500		339 / 103	21	John Portman & Associates	1981
	RenCen Tower 600		339 / 103	21	John Portman & Associates	1981
25.026	1001 Woodward		338 / 103	23	Smith, Hinchman & Grylls	1965
26.027	Renaissance City Apartments		332 / 101	33	Ehrenkrantz, Echkstat & Whitelaw	1985
27.028	AT&T Building Addition		327 / 100	17	H. G. Christman-Burke Company	1974
28.029	Chrysler House		324 / 99	23	Daniel Hudson Burnham	1912
30	Jeffersonian Apartments		322 / 98	30	Gino Rossetti	1965
30.031	AT&T Building		319 / 97	19	Smith, Hinchman & Grylls	1927
31.032 (tie)	Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Building		318 / 97	22		1971
	Coleman A. Young Municipal Center		318 / 97	20	Harley, Ellington & Day	1954	Tallest building completed in the city in the 1950s.
34	Huntington Bank Tower		311 / 95	20	Neumann/Smith Architecture	2022	[1]
35	Penobscot Building Annex		310 / 95	23	Donaldson & Meier	1913
34.036 (tie)	1300 Lafayette East Cooperative		305 / 93	29	Gunnar Birkerts	1961
	Riverfront Tower 300		305 / 93	29	Kadushin	1983
	Riverfront Tower 200		305 / 93	29	Kadushin	1983
39	The Residences Water Square		300 / 91	25		2024

Tallest buildings by pinnacle height

Downtown Detroit's Renaissance Center in 2014

This list ranks Detroit 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.

Tallest proposed or under construction

Tallest under construction

This lists high-rises and skyscrapers under construction or topped-out in Detroit that are expected to rise at least 200 feet (61 m).

Timeline of tallest buildings

The Penobscot Building in 2007; it is the city's third tallest building and rises above the Detroit Financial District.

This lists buildings that once held the title of tallest building in Detroit. For most of Detroit's earlier years, the tallest buildings in the city were churches and government buildings with their steeples. The first skyscraper in the city is usually considered the Hammond Building, completed in 1889. However, since the 10-story building did not surpass the steeple of the Fort Street Presbyterian Church, it never became a city record holder. The first skyscraper to have the distinction of being Detroit's tallest building was the Ford Building, completed in 1909.

Tallest buildings in Detroit's suburban cities

This list ranks buildings in Detroit's suburban municipalities that stand at least 200 feet (61 m) tall, based on standard height measurement. Existing structures are included for ranking purposes based on present height.

Rank	Name	Image	Location	Height feet / m	Floors	Year	Notes
1	3000 Town Center		Southfield	402 / 122	32	1975	The 15th tallest skyscraper in Metro Detroit.
2	1000 Town Center		Southfield	395 / 120	28	1989
3	2000 Town Center		Southfield	370 / 113	28	1986
4	PNC Center		Troy	346 / 106	25	1974	Tallest building in Troy.
5	American Center		Southfield	331 / 101	26	1975
6	5000 Town Center		Southfield	328 / 100	33	1983	A residential skyscraper
7	4000 Town Center		Southfield	270 / 82	20	1979
8	Tower Plaza		Ann Arbor	267 / 82	26	1969	A residential high-rise, Tower Plaza is Ann Arbor's tallest building.
9	Shore Club Skytower		St. Clair Shores	260 / 79	26	1965	Tallest building in St Clair Shores and Macomb County.
10	Travelers Tower I		Southfield	256 / 78	18	1971
11	One Towne Square		Southfield	253 / 77	21	1992
12	Chrysler Headquarters		Auburn Hills	249 / 76	15	1996
13	St. Florian Catholic Church		Hamtramck	247 / 75	1	1928	Tallest building in Wayne County outside of Detroit.
14	Mott Foundation Building		Flint	226 / 69	19	1930	Tallest building in Flint.
15	Macomb County Building		Mount Clemens	219 / 67	13	1944	Tallest building in Mount Clemens.
16=	Park Lane Towers West		Dearborn	213 / 65	15	1973	Tallest building in Dearborn.
16=	Park Lane Towers East		Dearborn	213 / 65	15	1971
16=	Edward Hotel		Dearborn	213 / 65	14	1976
19	Burton Memorial Tower		Ann Arbor	212 / 65	10	1936
20	The Centennial		Troy	207 / 63	16	1983
21	University Towers		Ann Arbor	205 / 62	19	1960
22	Southfield Centre		Southfield	201 / 61	14	1976
23	Southgate Tower		Southgate	200 / 61	13	1973	Tallest building in Downriver and the tallest building between Detroit and Toledo, Ohio. Being redeveloped into apartments as of 2024.

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Edificios más altos de Detroit para niños