This list of tallest buildings in Chicago ranks skyscrapers by height in the U.S. city of Chicago, Illinois, which is considered to be the birthplace of the skyscraper.[1][2] The tallest building in Chicago is the 108-story Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower), which rises 1,451 feet (442 m) in the Chicago Loop and was completed in 1974.[3] It also stands as the tallest building in the United States, and the fifth-tallest building in the world. In addition, the Willis Tower has the second most floors of any completed building in the world, and stands as the world's second tallest completed skyscraper when measuring to pinnacle height,[3] rising 1,730 feet (527 m) with the addition of its western antenna.[4] The second-, third- and fourth-tallest buildings in Chicago are the Trump International Hotel & Tower, the Aon Center and the John Hancock Center, respectively. As of June 2008[update], the John Hancock Center, with 49 floors of condominiums,[5] holds the world record for the highest residence.[6] In addition, Chicago has the distinction of being the only city in the world with more than one completed building containing at least 100 floors.[A]
The history of skyscrapers in Chicago began with the 1885 completion of the Home Insurance Building, which is often regarded as the first steel-framed skyscraper in the world. The building was originally constructed with a height of 138 feet (42 m) and 10 stories, and was later expanded to a height of 180 feet (55 m) and 12 stories before being demolished in 1931.[7][8] Historically, Chicago has played a prominent role in the development of the skyscraper. The Masonic Temple Building was the tallest building in the world using the unconventional definition that excludes the New York World Building's ornamental lantern.[9] Three past buildings have been considered the tallest building in the United States, including the Chicago Board of Trade Building, which in both of its incarnations held the title of Chicago's tallest building.[10] Chicago went through a very early high-rise construction boom that lasted from the early 1920s to the mid-1930s, during which time 11 of the city's 91 tallest buildings were constructed. The city then went through an even larger building boom that has lasted from the early 1960s until the present. During this time, the city has seen the completion of 79 buildings rising at least 500 feet (152 m) in height, including the Sears Tower, the Aon Center and the John Hancock Tower. The high-rises that have been constructed are mostly concentrated in the Loop and along the Magnificent Mile in Chicago's Near North Side community area. Chicago is the site of 91 completed buildings that stand at least 500 feet (152 m) in height, with 16 more under construction. Overall, the skyline of Chicago is ranked (based on existing and under-construction buildings over 500 feet (152 m) tall) first in the Midwestern United States and second in the United States, after New York City.[B] As of October 2009[update], there are 1,105 completed high-rises in the city, second in the country behind New York.[11] Based on the average height of the ten tallest completed buildings, Chicago has the tallest skyline in the world.[12]
Chicago has two buildings under construction that are planned to exceed 1,000 feet (304.8 m) in height: the 2,000-foot (610 m) Chicago Spire,[13] and the 1,362-foot (415 m) Waterview Tower.[14] The 150-story Chicago Spire, upon its completion in 2012, would become the tallest building in the United States and the second tallest building in the world.[13] The tower would also stand as the tallest all-residential building in the world,surpassing Q1 in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.[15] There are also several buildings proposed for construction in the city, the largest being the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and Residence Tower, which would rise 1,265 feet (386 m) and 107 floors upon its completion in 2012.[16] As of June 2008[update], there are 160 high-rise buildings under construction, approved for construction, and proposed for construction in Chicago.[11]
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This list ranks Chicago skyscrapers that stand at least 550 feet (168 m) tall, based on standard height measurement. This height includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts. An equal sign (=) following a rank indicates the same height between two or more buildings. The "Year" column indicates the year in which a building was completed.
Rank | Name | Image | Height ft (m) |
Floors | Year | Coordinates | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Willis Tower | 1,451 (442) | 108 | 1974 | 8th-tallest building in the world; Tallest building in the United States; Tallest building in the world until 1998; Tallest building completed in the world in the 1970s[3][4] | ||
2 | Trump International Hotel and Tower | 1,389 (423) | 96 | 2009 | 10th-tallest building in the world; 2nd-tallest building in the United States; Tallest building completed in the United States in the 2000s[17][18] | ||
3 | Aon Center | 1,136 (346) | 83 | 1973 | 22nd-tallest building in the world; 5th-tallest in the United States[19][20] | ||
4 | John Hancock Center | 1,127 (344) | 100 | 1969 | 24th-tallest building in the world; 6th-tallest in the United States; Tallest completed building in the world that contains both commercial and residential units; Tallest building constructed in Chicago in the 1960s[6][21] | ||
5 | AT&T Corporate Center | 1,007 (307) | 61 | 1989 | 11th-tallest in the United States; Tallest building constructed in Chicago in the 1980s[22][23] | ||
6 | Two Prudential Plaza | 995 (303) | 64 | 1990 | 13th-tallest in the United States; Tallest building constructed in Chicago in the 1990s[24][25] | ||
7 | 311 South Wacker Drive | 961 (293) | 65 | 1990 | 16th-tallest in the United States[26][27] | ||
8 | 900 North Michigan | 871 (266) | 66 | 1989 | 29th-tallest building in the United States[28][29] | ||
9 | Water Tower Place | 859 (262) | 74 | 1976 | 31st-tallest building in the United States[30][31] | ||
10 | Chase Tower | 850 (259) | 60 | 1969 | 34th-tallest building in the United States[32][33] | ||
11 | Park Tower | 844 (257) | 67 | 2000 | 37th-tallest building in the United States[34][35] | ||
12 | Aqua | 823 (251) | 82 | 2009 | 40th-tallest building in the United States; One of tallest buildings in the world designed by a female-lead architectural firm; First skyscraper in Chicago to contain a hotel, condominiums, apartments and retail space.[36][37][38][39] | ||
13 | The Legacy at Millennium Park | 822 (251) | 73 | 2010 | 41st-tallest building in the United States; Tallest all-residential building in Chicago[40][41] | ||
14 | Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower | 796 (243) | 57 | 2010 | First completed in 1997 with a height of 571 feet (174 m)[42][43] The second phase of construction to add 24 floors was completed in 2010. | ||
15 | 300 North LaSalle | 784 (239) | 60 | 2009 | [44][45] | ||
16 | Three First National Plaza | 767 (234) | 57 | 1981 | 58th-tallest in the United States.[46][47] | ||
17 | Chicago Title and Trust Center | 755 (230) | 50 | 1992 | 63rd-tallest building in the United States.[48][49] | ||
18 | One Museum Park | 734 (224) | 62 | 2009 | 85th-tallest building in the United States. Tallest building on South Side of Chicago[50][51] Tallest building in the city located outside of the Chicago Loop and the Near North Side. | ||
19 | Olympia Centre | 725 (221) | 63 | 1986 | 89th-tallest building in the United States.[52][53] | ||
20 | 330 North Wabash | 695 (212) | 47 | 1973 | Also known as IBM Building.[54][55] | ||
21 | Elysian* | 686 (209) | 60 | 2010 | [56][57] | ||
22 | 111 South Wacker Drive | 681 (208) | 51 | 2005 | [58][59] | ||
23 | 181 West Madison Street | 680 (207) | 50 | 1990 | [60][61] | ||
24 | Hyatt Center | 679 (207) | 48 | 2005 | [62][63] | ||
25 | One Magnificent Mile | 673 (205) | 58 | 1983 | [64][65] | ||
26 | 340 on the Park | 672 (205) | 64 | 2007 | [66][67] | ||
27 | 77 West Wacker Drive | 668 (204) | 49 | 1992 | Also known as the United Building. Formerly known as the R.R. Donnelley Building.[68][69] | ||
28 | One North Wacker | 652 (199) | 50 | 2001 | Also known as the UBS Tower. [70][71] | ||
29 | Richard J. Daley Center | 648 (198) | 31 | 1965 | Tallest flat-roofed building in the world that contains fewer than 40 floors.[72][73] | ||
30 | 55 East Erie Street | 647 (197) | 56 | 2003 | 2nd-tallest completed all-residential building in the city, and 3rd-tallest all-residential building in the country.[74][75] | ||
31 | Lake Point Tower | 645 (197) | 70 | 1968 | Shortest building in the world to contain 70 floors.[76][77] | ||
32 | River East Center | 644 (196) | 58 | 2001 | [78][79] | ||
33 | Grand Plaza I | 641 (195) | 57 | 2003 | [80][81] | ||
34 | 155 North Wacker | 638 (195) | 45 | 2009 | [82][83] | ||
35 | Leo Burnett Building | 635 (194) | 50 | 1989 | [84][85] | ||
36 | The Heritage at Millennium Park | 631 (192) | 57 | 2005 | [86][87] | ||
37 | NBC Tower | 627 (191) | 37 | 1989 | [88][89] | ||
38 | 353 North Clark | 624 (190) | 44 | 2009 | [90][91] | ||
39 | Millennium Centre | 610 (186) | 59 | 2003 | [92][93] | ||
40 | Chicago Place | 608 (185) | 49 | 1991 | [94][95] | ||
41 | Chicago Board of Trade Building | 605 (184) | 44 | 1930 | Tallest Art Deco building in the world outside of New York City. Tallest building constructed in the city in the 1930s.[10][96] | ||
42= | One Prudential Plaza | 601 (183) | 41 | 1955 | Tallest building constructed in Chicago in the 1950s.[97][98] | ||
42= | CNA Center | 601 (183) | 44 | 1972 | [99][100] | ||
44 | Heller International Building | 600 (183) | 45 | 1992 | Tallest building in the city west of the Chicago River.[101][102] | ||
45 | Madison Plaza | 599 (182) | 45 | 1982 | [103][104] | ||
46 | One Museum Park West* | 595 (181) | 54 | 2010 | [105][106] | ||
47 | 1000 Lake Shore Plaza | 590 (180) | 55 | 1964 | [107][108] | ||
48 | The Clare at Water Tower | 589 (179) | 52 | 2008 | Will stand as one of the tallest senior living centers in the world upon completion.[109][110] | ||
49= | Marina City I | 588 (179) | 61 | 1964 | [111][112] | ||
49= | Marina City II | 588 (179) | 61 | 1964 | [113][114] | ||
49= | Citigroup Center | 588 (179) | 41 | 1985 | [115][116] | ||
52 | Mid-Continental Plaza | 583 (178) | 49 | 1972 | [117][118] | ||
53 | Smurfit-Stone Building | 582 (177) | 41 | 1983 | [119][120] | ||
54 | North Pier Apartments | 581 (177) | 61 | 1990 | [121][122] | ||
55 | Citadel Center | 580 (177) | 37 | 2003 | [123] | ||
56 | The Fordham | 574 (175) | 52 | 2003 | [124][125] | ||
57 | 190 South LaSalle Street | 573 (175) | 42 | 1987 | [126][127] | ||
58 | One South Dearborn | 571 (174) | 39 | 2005 | [128][129] | ||
59 | Onterie Center | 570 (174) | 57 | 1985 | [130][131] | ||
60 | Chicago Temple Building | 568 (173) | 21 | 1924 | Tallest building constructed in the city in the 1920s.[132][133] | ||
61 | Palmolive Building | 565 (172) | 37 | 1929 | [134][135] | ||
62= | Huron Plaza | 560 (171) | 56 | 1983 | [136][137] | ||
62= | Boeing International Headquarters | 560 (171) | 36 | 1990 | [138][139] | ||
64= | The Parkshore | 556 (169) | 56 | 1991 | [140][141] | ||
64= | North Harbor Tower | 556 (169) | 55 | 1988 | [142][143] | ||
66 | Civic Opera House | 555 (169) | 45 | 1929 | [144] | ||
67 | Streeter Place | 554 (169) | 53 | 2009 | [145][146] | ||
68= | Newberry Plaza | 553 (169) | 53 | 1974 | [147][148] | ||
68= | Michigan Plaza South | 553 (169) | 46 | 1985 | [149][150] | ||
68= | 30 North LaSalle | 553 (169) | 44 | 1975 | [151][152] | ||
71 | Pittsfield Building | 551 (168) | 39 | 1927 | [153][154] | ||
72= | Harbor Point | 550 (168) | 54 | 1975 | [155][156] | ||
72= | One South Wacker | 550 (168) | 40 | 1982 | [157][158] |
This list ranks Chicago 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.
Pinn. Rank |
Std. Rank |
Name | Pinnacle height ft (m) |
Standard height ft (m) |
Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Willis Tower | 1,730 (527) | 1,451 (442) | [4] |
2 | 2 | Trump International Hotel and Tower | 1,389 (423) | 1,389 (423) | [18] |
3 | 4 | John Hancock Center | 1,500 (457) | 1,127 (344) | [21] |
4 | 3 | Aon Center | 1,136 (346) | 1,136 (346) | [20] |
5 | 5 | AT&T Corporate Center | 1,007 (307) | 1,007 (307) | [23] |
6 | 6 | Two Prudential Plaza | 995 (303) | 995 (303) | [25] |
7 | 7 | 311 South Wacker Drive | 961 (293) | 961 (293) | [27] |
8 | 42 | One Prudential Plaza | 912 (278) | 601 (183) | [98] |
9 | 8 | 900 North Michigan | 871 (266) | 871 (266) | [29] |
10 | 9 | Water Tower Place | 859 (262) | 859 (262) | [31] |
This lists buildings that are under construction in Chicago and are planned to rise at least 550 feet (168 m). Under construction buildings that have already been topped out are also included.
Name | Height ft (m) |
Floors | Year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chicago Spire | 2,000 (610) | 150 | — | Construction suspended; Would be the tallest building in the United States, the tallest all-residential building in the world and tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere.[13][159][160] |
Waterview Tower | 1,047 (319) | 89 | 2012 | Construction suspended[14][161] |
Elysian | 686 (209) | 60 | 2010 | [162][163] |
One Museum Park West | 595 (181) | 54 | 2010 | [164][165] |
This lists buildings that are approved for construction in Chicago and are planned to rise at least 500 feet (152 m). A floor count of 40 stories is used as the cutoff in place of a height of 500 feet (152 m) for buildings whose heights have not yet been released by their developers.
Name | Height* ft / m |
Floors | Year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and Residence Tower | 1,265 / 386 | 107 | 2012 | project canceled [16][166] |
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Chicago | 930 / 283 | 78 | 2010 | project canceled [167][168] |
Cityfront Plaza Tower III | 65 | 2009 | project canceled [169][170] |
* Table entries without text indicate that information regarding building heights, floor counts, and/or dates of completion has not yet been released.
This lists buildings that are proposed for construction in Chicago and are planned to rise at least 500 feet (152 m). A floor count of 40 stories is used as the cutoff in place of a height of 500 feet (152 m) for buildings whose heights have not yet been released by their developers.
Name | Height* ft / m |
Floors* | Year* | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Grant Park Tower IV | 900 / 274 | 83 | [171] | |
29 South LaSalle | 870 / 265 | 51 | 2009 | [172][173] |
Park Michigan | 866 / 264 | 80 | 2009 | [174][175] |
InterContinental Chicago (North Tower) | 850 / 259 | 71 | 2009 | [176][177] |
375 East Wacker Drive | 840 / 259 | 76 | 2010 | [178] |
Grant Park Tower III | 790 / 241 | 73 | [179][180] | |
200 North Riverside Plaza | 700 / 213 | 50 | 2009 | [181] |
Lakeshore East Building 2-O | 650 / 198 | [182] | ||
150 East Ontario | 588 / 179 | 51 | [183] | |
Lakeshore East Building 2-A | 550 / 168 | 2010 | [184] | |
Lakeshore East Building 3-I | 525 / 160 | 2010 | [185] | |
630 North McClurg Court, South Tower | 515 / 157 | 50 | 2009 | Also known as 335-363 East Erie South.[186][187] |
630 North McClurg Court, North Tower | 515 / 157 | 50 | 2009 | Also known as 335-363 East Erie North.[188][189] |
The Peshtigo | 58 | 2010 | [190] | |
Medici Towers I | 53 | [191] | ||
Central Station - 1200 South Indiana | 53 | 2009 | [192] | |
222 West Randolph | 50 | [193] | ||
740 North Rush | 50 | [194] | ||
319 East Illinois Street | 50 | [195] |
* Table entries without text indicate that information regarding building heights, floor counts, and/or dates of completion has not yet been released.
This is a list of buildings that once held the title of tallest building in Chicago. Of all the buildings that have held the title, only Willis Tower has held the title of world's tallest building.
Name | Years as tallest | Height ft (m) |
Floors | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
First Holy Name Cathedral[C] | 1854–1869 | 245 (75) | 1 | [196] |
Saint Michael's Church | 1869–1885 | 290 (88) | 1 | [197] |
Chicago Board of Trade Building[D] | 1885–1895 | 322 (98) | 10 | [198] |
Masonic Temple Building | 1895–1899 | 302 (92)* | 21 | [199] |
Montgomery Ward Building[E] | 1899–1922 | 394 (120) | 22 | [200] |
Wrigley Building | 1922–1924 | 438 (134) | 30 | [201] |
Chicago Temple Building | 1924–1930 | 568 (173) | 23 | [133] |
Chicago Board of Trade Building | 1930–1965 | 605 (184) | 44 | [96] |
Richard J. Daley Center | 1965–1969 | 648 (198) | 32 | [73] |
John Hancock Center | 1969–1973 | 1,127 (344) | 100 | [21] |
Aon Center | 1973–1974 | 1,136 (346) | 83 | [20] |
Willis Tower | 1974–present | 1,451 (442) | 108 | [4] |
* The Masonic Temple, built in 1892, became the tallest in Chicago three years later when the Board of Trade Building had its clock tower removed.
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