List of tallest buildings in Boston facts for kids

Skyline of Boston's Back Bay

Skyline of Boston's Financial District

Boston, the capital of the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the largest city in New England, is home to 251 completed high-rises, 32 of which stand taller than 400 feet (122 m). The majority of the city's skyscrapers and high-rises are clustered in the Financial District and Back Bay 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. It is also the tallest building in New England and the 63rd-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). 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.

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. 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 21 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 11th in the United States and 75th in the world with 49 buildings rising at least 330 feet (100 m) in height.

As of August 2017^[update], several major development projects are poised to dramatically alter 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. 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.

Tallest buildings

Boston skyline from the north side of the Charles River

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	200 Clarendon Street (formerly John Hancock Tower)		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)	67th-tallest building in the U.S. as of December 27, 2018 Has been the tallest building in Boston and New England since 1976 Commonly known as John Hancock Tower after its developer, John Hancock Financial Tallest building in Boston constructed in the 1970s
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)	96th-tallest building in the U.S. as of December 27, 2018 The Skywalk, the highest observation deck in New England, is located on the building's 50th floor. Tallest building in the city constructed in the 1960s Was the tallest building in Boston before being surpassed by the John Hancock Tower
02.03	Four Seasons Hotel & Private Residences, One Dalton Street		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.
03.04	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.
04.05	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)	Tallest building in Boston's Financial District
05.06	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
06.07	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
07.08	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
08.09	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)
09.010	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 completed in the 2000s
10.011	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 the city completed in the 1990s
11.012	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)
12.013	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
14	Bulfinch Crossing Residential Tower		519 (158)	45	2020		https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/bulfinch-crossing-residential-tower/16957
15T	Hub on Causeway Office Tower		510 (155)	31	2021
15T	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)
17	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)
18	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)
19	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)
20	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)
21	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)	Tallest building in the West End.
22	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 the city constructed in the 1910s Was the tallest building in Boston before being surpassed by the Prudential Tower
23	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
24T	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)
24T	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
26	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)
27	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)
28	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)
29	Avalon North Station		449 (137)	38	2016	42°21′11″N 71°03′47″W / 42.35302°N 71.06294°W / 42.35302; -71.06294 (Millennium Place Tower II)	2nd Tallest building in the West End neighborhood
30	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)
31	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)
32	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)
33T	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)
33T	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)

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. Standard architectural height measurement, which excludes antennas in building height, is included for comparative purposes.

Under construction

Skyscrapers under construction in Boston that are planned to be erected to at least 400 feet (122 m) tall, and are not yet completed structures:

Tallest approved or proposed

Skyscrapers approved or proposed in Boston that are planned to be at least 400 feet (122 m) tall, and are not yet under construction:

* Table entries with dashes (—) indicate that information regarding building dates of completion has not yet been released.

Tallest by neighborhood

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. However, since the 13-story building did not surpass the steeple of the Church of the Covenant, 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.

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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
Hancock Place		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)

See also

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