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List of tallest buildings in Spokane facts for kids

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Spokane skyline from Edwidge Woldson Park (Aug 2019)
Downtown Spokane skyline from the South Hill

The city of Spokane, located in the east of the U.S. state of Washington, is the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region of the United States, where it serves as a hub for retail trade and services. As of January 2022, Spokane has 40 high-rise buildings. High-rise development began in 1891, shortly after the Great Spokane Fire of 1889, with the completion of the 146-foot (45 m) Review Building featuring a traditional brick-and-stone construction.

In the late 19th century, the term skyscraper was typically used to describe buildings of a relatively modest 10 to 20 stories in height that were built on a ground level of thick masonry walls, as opposed to the contemporary usage of the term which is often used to describe more modern high-rise buildings in excess of 40 or 50 stories that were made possible with the incorporation of a metal framework. After the advent of steel-frame construction, allowing for increased strength to support more floors, the construction of skyscrapers locally began increasing in the early 20th century.

The U.S. Bank Building (built 1910) and the Paulsen Medical and Dental Building (built 1929) were among the earliest skyscrapers in Spokane and both held the title of tallest building in the city, respectively. The U.S. Bank Building was also the tallest building in the state of Washington upon its completion. The current tallest building in Spokane, surpassing the Paulsen Medical and Dental Building, is the 288-foot-tall (88 m) Bank of America Financial Center, which was completed in 1981 and has held the distinction for 43 years. Taller buildings have since been proposed but not constructed.

Cityscape

Panorama of Downtown Spokane looking north from Cliff Drive in December 2015.
Panorama of Downtown Spokane looking north from Cliff Drive in December 2015

Tallest buildings

Spokane has 24 high rises that stand at least 145 feet (44 m) tall based on standard height measurement. This height includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts. Spokane's first high-rise, the Review Building was the tallest building in Spokane upon completion in 1891 and held the title for roughly 10 years. The U.S. Bank Building was the tallest building in the city from 1910 until 1929 when it was surpassed in height by the Paulsen Medical and Dental Building, which lasted as the tallest from 1929 until 1981 when the current tallest building, the Bank of America Financial Center was completed.

Tallest buildings in Spokane
Rank Name Image Height
ft (m)
Floors Use Year Coordinates
1 Bank of America Financial Center Bank of America Financial Center 288 (88) 20 Offices 1981 47°39′27″N 117°25′18″W / 47.65750°N 117.42167°W / 47.65750; -117.42167 (Bank of America Financial Center)
2 Washington Trust Tower Washington Trust East Tower.png 243 (74) 18 Offices 1982 47°39′22″N 117°25′18″W / 47.65611°N 117.42167°W / 47.65611; -117.42167 (Wells Fargo Center)
3 Davenport Hotel Tower Davenport Hotel Tower 224 (68) 20 Hotel 2007 47°39′23″N 117°25′22″W / 47.65639°N 117.42278°W / 47.65639; -117.42278 (The Davenport Hotel Tower)
4 Paulsen Medical and Dental Building Paulsen Medical Center 221 (67) 18 Offices 1929 47°39′28″N 117°25′7″W / 47.65778°N 117.41861°W / 47.65778; -117.41861 (Paulsen Center)
5 U.S. Bank Building US Bank Building 219 (67) 16 Offices 1910 47°39′30″N 117°25′9″W / 47.65833°N 117.41917°W / 47.65833; -117.41917 (U.S. Bank)
6 Washington Trust Financial Center Washington Trust Financial Center 212 (65) 16 Offices 1973 47°39′25″N 117°25′22″W / 47.65694°N 117.42278°W / 47.65694; -117.42278 (Washington Trust Financial Center)
7 Chase Building Chase Building 205 (62) 15 Offices 1973 47°39′31″N 117°25′18″W / 47.65861°N 117.42167°W / 47.65861; -117.42167 (Chase Bank)
8 Davenport Grand Hotel Davenport Grand Hotel 195 (59)
16 Hotel 2015 47°39′35″N 117°25′1″W / 47.65972°N 117.41694°W / 47.65972; -117.41694 (The Davenport Grand)
Cathedral Plaza Cathedral Plaza 195 (59)
15 Residential 1971 47°39′27″N 117°25′45″W / 47.65750°N 117.42917°W / 47.65750; -117.42917 (Cathedral Plaza Apartments)
Riverfalls Tower Riverfalls Tower 195 (59)
15 Residential 1973 47°39′30″N 117°25′52″W / 47.65833°N 117.43111°W / 47.65833; -117.43111 (Riverfalls Tower Apartments)
11 Park Tower Park Tower 190 (58) 20 Residential 1974 47°39′35″N 117°24′51″W / 47.65972°N 117.41417°W / 47.65972; -117.41417 (Park Tower Apartments)
12 DoubleTree Hotel Spokane City Center DoubleTree Hotel Spokane City Center 182 (55)
14 Hotel 1975 47°39′40″N 117°24′50″W / 47.66111°N 117.41389°W / 47.66111; -117.41389 (DoubleTree Hotel)
Sacred Heart Medical Center - Main Tower Sacred Heart Medical Center - Main Tower 182 (55)
14 Hospital 1971 47°38′57″N 117°24′47″W / 47.64917°N 117.41306°W / 47.64917; -117.41306 (Sacred Heart Medical Center)
14 Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist 180 (55) 1 Religious 1961 47°38′42″N 117°24′36″W / 47.64500°N 117.41000°W / 47.64500; -117.41000 (Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist)
15 Parkade Plaza Parkade Plaza 173 (53) 11 Parking 1967 47°39′32″N 117°25′13″W / 47.65889°N 117.42028°W / 47.65889; -117.42028 (Parkade)
16 Lilac Plaza Lilac Plaza 169 (52)
13 Residential 1972 47°43′16″N 117°24′16″W / 47.72111°N 117.40444°W / 47.72111; -117.40444 (Lilac Plaza Retirement Community)
17 Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes 164 (50) 1 Religious 1908 47°39′29″N 117°25′42″W / 47.65806°N 117.42833°W / 47.65806; -117.42833 (Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes)
18 Paulsen Building Paulsen Building 160 (49) 11 Offices 1911 47°39′28″N 117°25′9″W / 47.65778°N 117.41917°W / 47.65778; -117.41917 (Paulsen Building)
19 Davenport Hotel Davenport Hotel 157 (48) 14 Hotel 1914 47°39′25″N 117°25′28″W / 47.65694°N 117.42444°W / 47.65694; -117.42444 (The Historic Davenport Hotel)
20 Ridpath Club Apartments Ridpath Hotel 156 (48)
12 Residential 1952 47°39′25″N 117°25′13″W / 47.65694°N 117.42028°W / 47.65694; -117.42028 (Ridpath Club Apartments)
21 Centennial Hotel Centennial Hotel 156 (48)
12 Hotel 1993 47°39′50″N 117°25′0″W / 47.66389°N 117.41667°W / 47.66389; -117.41667 (The Centennial Hotel)
22 Centennial Mills Flouring Mill Centennial Mills Flouring Mill 147 (45) 10 Industrial 1940 47°39′46″N 117°22′34″W / 47.66278°N 117.37611°W / 47.66278; -117.37611 (Centennial Mills Flouring Mill)
23 Cooper George Cooper George 146 (45) 13 Residential 1952 47°39′4″N 117°25′21″W / 47.65111°N 117.42250°W / 47.65111; -117.42250 (Cooper George Apartments)
Review Building Review Building 146 (45) 10 Offices 1891 47°39′27″N 117°25′34″W / 47.65750°N 117.42611°W / 47.65750; -117.42611 (The Spokesman-Review Building)

See also

  • Architecture of Spokane, Washington
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