The 10 Tallest Buildings In North America

North America is home to some of the world’s tallest buildings, with 29 skyscrapers rising over 300 meters. However, the first 24 tallest buildings on the continent are located in the United States. Chicago, United States, was home to the world's first skyscraper, while nine of the eleven buildings in the United States (and North America as a whole) that have held the record for the world’s tallest building are located in New York City. Of North America’s 120 tallest buildings, 38 are in New York City, 15 in Chicago, and 10 in Canada. Below are the ten tallest buildings in North America.

1. One World Trade Center - 541 m
2. Central Park Tower - 472 m
3. Willis Tower - 442.1 m
4. 111 West 57th Street - 435 m
5. One Vanderbilt - 427 m
6. 432 Park Avenue - 426 m
7. Trump International Hotel And Tower - 423 m
8. 30 Hudson Yard - 387 m
9. Empire State Building - 381 m
10. Bank Of America Tower - 366 m

1. One World Trade Center - 541 m

One World Trade Center, formerly known as Freedom Tower, is North America’s tallest building and the world’s 6th tallest skyscraper. The supertall structure, including the spire, rises 541 meters into the sky and is located in Lower Manhattan, NYC. Its height in feet (1776 feet) is symbolic of the US Declaration of Independence. One WTC shares its name with the North Tower of the Twin Towers destroyed in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack. The skyscraper has 99 floors, including five underground floors, and 325,275 square meters of floor area. Its construction began on April 27, 2006, and was completed on May 10, 2013, with the complete installation of the spire.

2. Central Park Tower - 472 m

Central Park Tower (Nordstrom Tower) is the world’s tallest residential building and the Western Hemisphere’s second-tallest skyscraper after One WTC. The 98-story tower is also the world’s 14th tallest building at 472 meters and has a floor area of 119,409 meters. It is located in Midtown Manhattan around 57th Street in an area known as Billionaire’s Row. The tower’s construction began on September 17, 2014, and it was topped out on September 17, 2019, and completed in July 2021. The tower has 179 condominiums on the residential section.

3. Willis Tower - 442.1 m

Willis Tower, formally known as Sears Tower, was the world’s tallest building between 1974 and 1998 and was North America’s tallest building until 2013 when One WTC was completed. It is a 108-story skyscraper, rising 442.1 meters and currently the world’s 23rd tallest building. The skyscraper has an observation deck known as Skydeck located at an elevation of 412.4 meters (103rd floor). Over one million people reach the observation deck every year. The tower was constructed from 1970 to 1974. Located in Chicago, Willis Tower is owned by Blackstone Group.

4. 111 West 57th Street - 435 m

111 West 57th Street, or Steinway Tower, is a residential skyscraper located in Manhattan, NYC, along the Billionaire’s Row. It is North America’s 4th tallest skyscraper and the world’s 27th tallest building. The structure’s main section is 435 meters tall and has 91 floors, including the underground floors, according to the SHoP Architect. The construction of the residential tower began on July 8, 2015, and was completed in 2021. However, Steinway Hall's construction started in June 1924 and was completed in October 1925. The 16-story Steinway Hall is preserved beneath the skyscraper.

5. One Vanderbilt - 427 m

One Vanderbilt is a tall office building located at the corner of Vanderbilt Avenue and 42nd Street in Central Manhattan. The 59-story skyscraper, including the spire, is 427 meters tall, making it New York City’s 4th tallest and North America’s 5th tallest building. The skyscraper has a wedge-shaped base and has a pinnacle and pavilions at the top. Although the buildings on the site where One Vanderbilt stands were acquired between 2001 and 2011, the tower’s construction began on February 14, 2017. The building was topped out in September 2019 and opened to the public in September 2020.

6. 432 Park Avenue - 426 m

Although 432 Park Avenue is the world’s 25th tallest building, it is the tallest building know by a street name. It is a 425.5-meter-tall tower located on Park Avenue and 57th Street in Central Manhattan. The residential tower is located in Billionaire’s Row and contains some of New York City’s most expensive residential units. 432 Park Avenue was the world’s tallest residential building at its completion in December 2015. However, it is currently the world’s 3rd tallest residential building. The tower has 85 floors, including three below-ground floors.

7. Trump International Hotel And Tower - 423 m

The Trump International Hotel and Tower, named after President Donald Trump, is Chicago’s second-tallest building and North America’s 7th tallest building. The 423.2-meter-tall skyscraper is located near the Chicago River and provides a view of the river’s entry into Lake Michigan. The condo-hotel has retail spaces, condominiums, and a hotel. The hotel has 339 rooms, while the main structure has 98 floors and a floor area of 240,000 square kilometers. The tower was constructed between 2005 and 2009.

8. 30 Hudson Yard - 387 m

30 Hudson Yard, also known as the North Tower, is located in West Side Manhattan and is part of the planned Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project. It is NYC’s 6th tallest building at 387 meters and has 103 floors. The 100th floor contains an observation deck located at an elevation of 335 meters, making it the world’s second-tallest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere.  The North Tower’s construction started in October 2014, and was completed and opened on March 15, 2019. The tower hosts several tenants, including Wells Fargo Securities, Related Companies, and Facebook.

9. Empire State Building - 381 m

Empire State Building is a supertall structure in Midtown Manhattan whose name is derived from New York State’s nickname (Empire State). The Art Deco building is 443.2 meters tall, including the antenna (380 meters tall without the antenna). The building was constructed between 1930 and 1031 and was the world’s tallest building until 1970 when the World Trade Center was completed. Currently, it is North America’s 9th tallest and the world’s 49th tallest building. The skyscraper is a major attraction in the region because of its observation decks, height, and architecture, attracting about four million visitors annually.

10. Bank Of America Tower - 366 m

Bank of America Tower, nicknamed 1 Bryant Park, is North America’s tallest building as of 2021 at 370 meters. The 55-story building is located in Midtown Manhattan at Sixth Avenue, opposite Bryant Park. The skyscraper was designed by Adamson Associate and Cookfox Architects and constructed between 2004 and 2009. The building has seven mechanical and three underground floors. Some of its tenants include Bank of America, Roundabout Theatre Company, and Marathon Asset Management.

Tallest Building Outside The United States

The CN Tower in Toronto, Canada, is North America's tallest tower, rising 553.3 meters. However, the observation and communication tower is not a residential or office building, thus not considered the continent’s tallest building. North America’s tallest building located outside the United States is T.Op 1 in Monterrey, Mexico. The supertall skyscraper is North America’s 25th tallest building at 305.3 meters. Canada’s First Canadian Place is the continent’s second-tallest building outside the United States at 298 meters. Other tall buildings in North America include JW Marriott Panama, Vitri Tower, Torre KOI, The St. Regis Toronto, and Scotia Plaza.