List of tallest buildings in San Francisco facts for kids

The Salesforce Tower (right) became San Francisco's tallest building in 2017. Before that, the Transamerica Pyramid (left) held the title from 1972 to 2017.

San Francisco, California, is a city in the United States known for its many tall buildings. It has at least 482 high-rise buildings, and 58 of them are taller than 400 feet (122 meters).

The very tallest building in San Francisco is the Salesforce Tower. It stands at an amazing 1,070 feet (326 meters) high! As of 2023, it's also the 17th-tallest building in the entire United States.

Before the Salesforce Tower, the Transamerica Pyramid was the city's tallest building for 45 years, from 1972 to 2017. It reaches 853 feet (260 meters) into the sky. The third-tallest building in San Francisco is 181 Fremont, which is 802 feet (244 meters) tall.

San Francisco has 27 skyscrapers that are at least 492 feet (150 meters) tall. More tall buildings are being built, planned, or have been approved. The city's collection of tall buildings, called its skyline, is the second largest in the Western United States (after Los Angeles). It's the sixth largest in the whole United States, following New York City, Chicago, Miami, Houston, and Los Angeles.

The JP Morgan Chase Building is one of San Francisco's many tall buildings.

How San Francisco's Skyscrapers Grew

San Francisco's first skyscraper was the Chronicle Building. It was finished in 1890 and stood 218 feet (66 meters) tall. The owner of the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper wanted a special tower to show how important his paper was.

Not long after, a rival businessman, Claus Spreckels, bought another newspaper, the San Francisco Call. He wanted an even taller building! The Call Building was completed in 1898. It was 315 feet (96 meters) tall and stood across Market Street from the Chronicle Building. The Call Building was the city's tallest for almost 25 years.

Surviving Earthquakes and Building Booms

Both of these early skyscrapers were built with strong steel frames. They survived the big 1906 earthquake. This showed everyone that tall buildings could be built safely, even in an area where earthquakes happen.

More skyscrapers were built in the early 1900s. Then, in the 1920s, there was another big building boom. Many new tall buildings, like the Russ Building and the Shell Building, were constructed. They were often designed in Neo-Gothic or Art Deco styles, reaching heights of 300 to 400 feet (90 to 120 meters).

The Great Depression and World War II stopped new skyscraper construction for a while. Building started again in the 1950s.

The "Manhattanization" Era

From the late 1960s to the late 1980s, San Francisco had a huge building boom. Many of its tallest office buildings were built during this time. For example, the 44 Montgomery and the Bank of America Center each became the tallest building in California when they were finished.

The Transamerica Pyramid, completed in 1972, was 853 feet (260 meters) tall. It was quite famous and even caused some arguments because it looked so different.

This rapid growth was called "Manhattanization" by people who thought San Francisco was becoming too much like New York City. This led to new laws in 1985 to control how tall buildings could be and where they could be built. These rules were some of the strictest in the country.

Protecting History and Planning for the Future

The new rules protected over 250 historic buildings. They also made sure that new projects included open spaces. To manage growth, the city set a limit on how much new office space could be built each year.

These limits, along with an economic slowdown in the early 1990s, meant fewer skyscrapers were built for a while.

Later, the city created new plans, like the Rincon Hill Plan in 2005. These plans allowed taller buildings in specific areas, especially South of Market near the new Transbay Transit Center.

Since the early 2000s, San Francisco has seen another building boom. Many buildings over 400 feet (122 meters) have been proposed, approved, or are being built. The Salesforce Tower was finished in 2017. It's the first "supertall" skyscraper in San Francisco, meaning it's over 984 feet (300 meters) tall. It's now one of the tallest in the United States.

An aerial view of downtown San Francisco in 2015. The Transamerica Pyramid is on the right. The base of the Salesforce Tower is on the lower left.

San Francisco's Tallest Buildings Today

This list shows San Francisco's skyscrapers that are at least 400 feet (122 meters) tall. The height includes spires and decorative parts, but not antenna masts. The "Year" column shows when the building was completed.

Rank	Name	Image	Height ft (m)	Floors	Use	Year	Coordinates	Notes
1	Salesforce Tower		1,070 (326)	61	Office	2018	37°47′24″N 122°23′49″W / 37.7899°N 122.3969°W / 37.7899; -122.3969 (Salesforce Tower)	17th-tallest building in the United States 2nd-tallest building in California Tallest building in San Francisco since 2018
2	Transamerica Pyramid		853 (260)	48	Office	1972	37°47′42.72″N 122°24′10.08″W / 37.7952000°N 122.4028000°W / 37.7952000; -122.4028000 (Transamerica Pyramid)	Was San Francisco's tallest building from 1972 until 2018 Was the tallest building on the West Coast from 1972 to 1974
3	181 Fremont		803 (245)	56	Office, Residential	2017	37°47′23″N 122°23′43″W / 37.78970°N 122.39535°W / 37.78970; -122.39535 (181 Fremont)	Second-tallest building with both offices and homes west of the Mississippi River.
4	555 California Street		779 (237)	52	Office	1969	37°47′30.84″N 122°24′13.68″W / 37.7919000°N 122.4038000°W / 37.7919000; -122.4038000 (555 California Street)	Was the tallest building on the West Coast from 1969 to 1972 Used to be called Bank of America Center
5	345 California Center		721 (220)	48	Hotel, Office	1986	37°47′33.00″N 122°24′1.80″W / 37.7925000°N 122.4005000°W / 37.7925000; -122.4005000 (345 California Center)	Tallest building in the middle of a city block in San Francisco Its height includes flagpoles
6	Millennium Tower		645 (197)	58	Residential	2009	37°47′25.44″N 122°23′45.96″W / 37.7904000°N 122.3961000°W / 37.7904000; -122.3961000 (Millennium Tower)	This tower has tilted and sunk a bit over time.
7	One Rincon Hill		641 (195)	60	Residential	2008	37°47′8.8″N 122°23′31.7″W / 37.785778°N 122.392139°W / 37.785778; -122.392139 (One Rincon Hill South Tower)	Was originally called One Rincon Hill South Tower Tallest building in the city used only for homes
8	The Avery		618 (188)	56	Residential	2019	37°47′16″N 122°23′39″W / 37.78778°N 122.39417°W / 37.78778; -122.39417 (The Avert (Transbay Block 8))
9	Park Tower at Transbay		605 (184)	43	Office	2018	37°47′25″N 122°23′39″W / 37.79028°N 122.39417°W / 37.79028; -122.39417 (Park Tower at Transbay)
10	Salesforce West		600 (183)	43	Office	1985	37°47′25.7″N 122°23′50.1″W / 37.790472°N 122.397250°W / 37.790472; -122.397250 (Salesforce West)	Previously known as 50 Fremont Center
	101 California Street		600 (183)	48	Office	1982	37°47′34.26″N 122°23′52.55″W / 37.7928500°N 122.3979306°W / 37.7928500; -122.3979306 (101 California Street)
12	575 Market Street Tower at Market Center		573 (175)	40	Office	1975	37°47′22.38″N 122°24′1.08″W / 37.7895500°N 122.4003000°W / 37.7895500; -122.4003000 (Chevron Tower)	Used to be called Standard Oil Buildings and later Chevron Towers
13	Four Embarcadero Center		571 (174)	45	Office	1982	37°47′42.72″N 122°23′45.96″W / 37.7952000°N 122.3961000°W / 37.7952000; -122.3961000 (Four Embarcadero Center)
14	One Embarcadero Center		568 (173)	45	Office	1971	37°47′40.2″N 122°23′58.92″W / 37.794500°N 122.3997000°W / 37.794500; -122.3997000 (One Embarcadero Center)
15	44 Montgomery Street		565 (172)	43	Office	1967	37°47′23.28″N 122°24′6.48″W / 37.7898000°N 122.4018000°W / 37.7898000; -122.4018000 (44 Montgomery Street)	Was the tallest building in California from 1967 to 1969
16	Spear Tower at One Market Plaza		564 (172)	43	Office	1976	37°47′35.84″N 122°23′40.27″W / 37.7932889°N 122.3945194°W / 37.7932889; -122.3945194 (One Market Plaza, Spear Tower)
17	One Sansome Street		550 (168)	41	Office	1984	37°47′25.5″N 122°24′4.6″W / 37.790417°N 122.401278°W / 37.790417; -122.401278 (One Sansome Street)	Also known as the Citigroup Center
18	The Harrison		541 (165)	49	Residential	2014	37°47′11.04″N 122°23′31.44″W / 37.7864000°N 122.3920667°W / 37.7864000; -122.3920667 (One Rincon Hill North Tower)	Was originally called One Rincon Hill North Tower.
19	One Front Street		538 (164)	38	Office	1979	37°47′30.5″N 122°23′55.7″W / 37.791806°N 122.398806°W / 37.791806; -122.398806 (One Front Street)	Also known as Shaklee Terraces and 444 Market Street
20	First Market Tower		528 (161)	39	Office	1973	37°47′25.80″N 122°23′56.76″W / 37.7905000°N 122.3991000°W / 37.7905000; -122.3991000 (First Market Tower)
	One Post Street		528 (161)	38	Office	1969	37°47′19.32″N 122°24′9.36″W / 37.7887000°N 122.4026000°W / 37.7887000; -122.4026000 (McKesson Plaza)
22	425 Market Street		520 (158)	38	Office	1973	37°47′27.96″N 122°23′53.16″W / 37.7911000°N 122.3981000°W / 37.7911000; -122.3981000 (425 Market Street)
23	Four Seasons Private Residences at 706 Mission Street		510 (155)	43	Residential, Museum	2020	37°47′10″N 122°24′9″W / 37.78611°N 122.40250°W / 37.78611; -122.40250 (706 Mission Street)
24	One Montgomery Tower		500 (152)	38	Office	1982	37°47′20.76″N 122°24′11.88″W / 37.7891000°N 122.4033000°W / 37.7891000; -122.4033000 (Post Montgomery Center)	Was called Pacific Telesis Tower
25	333 Bush Street		495 (151)	43	Office, Residential	1986	37°47′26.16″N 122°24′10.80″W / 37.7906000°N 122.4030000°W / 37.7906000; -122.4030000 (333 Bush Street)
26	Hilton San Francisco Tower I		493 (150)	46	Hotel	1971	37°47′7.08″N 122°24′39.24″W / 37.7853000°N 122.4109000°W / 37.7853000; -122.4109000 (Hilton San Francisco Tower I)	Tallest building used only as a hotel in the city
27	Pacific Gas & Electric Building		493 (150)	34	Office	1971	37°47′29.76″N 122°23′44.88″W / 37.7916000°N 122.3958000°W / 37.7916000; -122.3958000 (Pacific Gas & Electric Building)	Might get a new look and name (200 Mission Street)
28	50 California Street		487 (148)	37	Office	1972	37°47′38.40″N 122°23′50.64″W / 37.7940000°N 122.3974000°W / 37.7940000; -122.3974000 (50 California Street)	Also known as Union Bank Building
	555 Mission Street		487 (148)	33	Office	2008	37°47′18.60″N 122°23′54.96″W / 37.7885000°N 122.3986000°W / 37.7885000; -122.3986000 (555 Mission Street)	Tallest office building built in the 2000s
30	St. Regis Museum Tower		484 (147)	42	Hotel, Residential	2005	37°47′10.68″N 122°24′4.68″W / 37.7863000°N 122.4013000°W / 37.7863000; -122.4013000 (St. Regis Museum Tower)
31	100 Pine Center		476 (145)	33	Office	1972	37°47′33.32″N 122°23′56.21″W / 37.7925889°N 122.3989472°W / 37.7925889; -122.3989472 (100 Pine Center)
	45 Fremont Street		476 (145)	34	Office	1978	37°47′28.32″N 122°23′49.56″W / 37.7912000°N 122.3971000°W / 37.7912000; -122.3971000 (45 Fremont Street)	Also known as the Bechtel Building
33	333 Market Street		472 (144)	33	Office	1979	37°47′30.98″N 122°23′51.00″W / 37.7919389°N 122.3975000°W / 37.7919389; -122.3975000 (333 Market Street)
34	650 California Street		466 (142)	34	Office	1964	37°47′34.2″N 122°24′18.7″W / 37.792833°N 122.405194°W / 37.792833; -122.405194 (650 California Street)	Was the tallest building in California from 1965 to 1967 Also known as the Hartford Building
35	LUMINA I		450 (137)	43	Residential	2015	37°47′19.30″N 122°23′31.99″W / 37.7886944°N 122.3922194°W / 37.7886944; -122.3922194 (LUMINA I)
36	100 First Plaza		447 (136)	27	Office	1988	37°47′21.0″N 122°23′51.0″W / 37.789167°N 122.397500°W / 37.789167; -122.397500 (100 First Plaza)	Also called Delta Dental Tower
37	340 Fremont Street		440 (134)	40	Residential	2016	37°47′13.23″N 122°23′33.86″W / 37.7870083°N 122.3927389°W / 37.7870083; -122.3927389 (340 Fremont Street)
	399 Fremont Street		440 (134)	42	Residential	2016	37°47′13.94″N 122°23′31.34″W / 37.7872056°N 122.3920389°W / 37.7872056; -122.3920389 (399 Fremont Street)
	500 Folsom		440 (134)	43	Residential	2019	37°47′14″N 122°23′43″W / 37.78722°N 122.39528°W / 37.78722; -122.39528 (Transbay Block 9)
40	One California		438 (133)	32	Office	1969	37°47′35.52″N 122°23′49.92″W / 37.7932000°N 122.3972000°W / 37.7932000; -122.3972000 (One California)
41	San Francisco Marriott Marquis		436 (133)	39	Hotel	1989	37°47′5.64″N 122°24′15.48″W / 37.7849000°N 122.4043000°W / 37.7849000; -122.4043000 (San Francisco Marriott Marquis)
42	Russ Building		435 (133)	32	Office	1927	37°47′28.32″N 122°24′10.08″W / 37.7912000°N 122.4028000°W / 37.7912000; -122.4028000 (Russ Building)	Was one of the tallest buildings built in the city in the 1920s
	140 New Montgomery		435 (133)	26	Office	1925	37°47′13.20″N 122°24′0.00″W / 37.7870000°N 122.4000000°W / 37.7870000; -122.4000000 (140 New Montgomery)	Was one of the tallest buildings built in the city in the 1920s Originally called the Pacific Telephone Building
44	Jasper		430 (131)	39	Residential	2015	37°47′9.19″N 122°23′37.61″W / 37.7858861°N 122.3937806°W / 37.7858861; -122.3937806 (45 Lansing Street)
45	MIRA		422 (129)	39	Residential	2020	37°47′23.9″N 122°23′30.0″W / 37.789972°N 122.391667°W / 37.789972; -122.391667 (160 Folsom Street)
46	The Infinity II		420 (128)	41	Residential	2009	37°47′21.76″N 122°23′26.39″W / 37.7893778°N 122.3906639°W / 37.7893778; -122.3906639 (The Infinity II)
	JPMorgan Chase Building		420 (128)	31	Office	2002	37°47′19.6″N 122°23′58.0″W / 37.788778°N 122.399444°W / 37.788778; -122.399444 (JPMorgan Chase Building, San Francisco)
	The Paramount		420 (128)	40	Residential	2002	37°47′12.0″N 122°24′7.0″W / 37.786667°N 122.401944°W / 37.786667; -122.401944 (Paramount, San Francisco)
49	Providian Financial Building		417 (127)	30	Office	1981	37°47′28.40″N 122°23′42.16″W / 37.7912222°N 122.3950444°W / 37.7912222; -122.3950444 (Providian Financial Building)	Also called Pacific Gateway Building
50	Three Embarcadero Center		413 (126)	31	Office	1977	37°47′42.5″N 122°23′50.5″W / 37.795139°N 122.397361°W / 37.795139; -122.397361 (Three Embarcadero Center)
	Two Embarcadero Center		413 (126)	30	Office	1974	37°47′41.8″N 122°23′54.5″W / 37.794944°N 122.398472°W / 37.794944; -122.398472 (Two Embarcadero Center)
	Salesforce East		413 (126)	30	Office	2015	37°47′27.31″N 122°23′48.25″W / 37.7909194°N 122.3967361°W / 37.7909194; -122.3967361 (350 Mission Street)
53	595 Market Street		410 (125)	30	Office	1979	37°47′21.31″N 122°24′2.92″W / 37.7892528°N 122.4008111°W / 37.7892528; -122.4008111 (595 Market Street)
54	123 Mission Street		407 (124)	29	Office	1986	37°47′30.84″N 122°23′40.20″W / 37.7919000°N 122.3945000°W / 37.7919000; -122.3945000 (123 Mission Street)
55	101 Montgomery		404 (123)	28	Office	1984	37°47′25.44″N 122°24′8.64″W / 37.7904000°N 122.4024000°W / 37.7904000; -122.4024000 (101 Montgomery)
	Embarcadero West		404 (123)	34	Office	1989	37°47′37.9″N 122°24′1.6″W / 37.793861°N 122.400444°W / 37.793861; -122.400444 (Embarcadero West)
57	100 Van Ness Avenue		400 (122)	29	Residential	1974	37°46′36.2″N 122°25′09.1″W / 37.776722°N 122.419194°W / 37.776722; -122.419194 (100 Van Ness Avenue)	Was an office tower, then changed into homes in 2015.
	LUMINA II		400 (122)	38	Residential	2015	37°47′19.47″N 122°23′29.41″W / 37.7887417°N 122.3915028°W / 37.7887417; -122.3915028 (LUMINA II)
	Fifteen Fifty		400 (122)	40	Residential	2020	37°46′25.3″N 122°25′5.7″W / 37.773694°N 122.418250°W / 37.773694; -122.418250 (Fifteen Fifty)	Also known as 1550 Mission Street

Future Skyscrapers: Under Construction, Approved, and Proposed

San Francisco's skyline is still growing! Here's a look at buildings that are being built, have been given permission to be built, or are just ideas for the future.

Buildings Under Construction

These buildings are currently being built in San Francisco and are planned to be at least 328 feet (100 meters) tall.

Approved Buildings

These buildings have been approved for construction in San Francisco and are planned to be at least 328 feet (100 meters) tall.

Proposed Buildings

These buildings are ideas for future construction in San Francisco and are planned to be at least 328 feet (100 meters) tall.

* If you see dashes (—) in the table, it means the number of floors or the completion date hasn't been announced yet.

Timeline of San Francisco's Tallest Buildings

This list shows the buildings that were once the tallest in San Francisco, including the current tallest, the Salesforce Tower.

The first Palace Hotel was San Francisco's tallest building from 1875 to 1890.

Name	Image	Street address	Years as tallest	Height ft (m)	Floors	Notes / Reference
Montgomery Block		628 Montgomery Street	1853–1854	~50 (15)	4
Old Saint Mary's Cathedral		660 California Street	1854–1875	90 (27)	1
Palace Hotel		2 New Montgomery Street	1875–1890	120 (37)	7
Chronicle Building		690 Market Street	1890–1898	218 (66)	10
Call Building		703 Market Street	1898–1922	315 (96)	15
225 Bush Street		225 Bush Street	1922–1925	328 (100)	22
140 New Montgomery		140 New Montgomery Street	1925–1964	435 (133)	26
Russ Building		235 Montgomery Street	1927–1964	435 (133)	31
650 California Street		650 California Street	1964–1967	466 (142)	33
44 Montgomery Street		44 Montgomery Street	1967–1969	565 (172)	43
555 California Street		555 California Street	1969–1972	779 (237)	52
Transamerica Pyramid		600 Montgomery Street	1972–2018	853 (260)	48
Salesforce Tower		415 Mission Street	2018–present	1,070 (326)	61

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Edificios más altos de San Francisco para niños