America's Tallest Building
Chicago vs. New York, Battle To Build The US's Tallest Skyscraper
Nov 13, 2009
The construction of the world’s first skyscraper, the Chicago’s Home Insurance Building in 1885, began a new era in the development of the modern city. Although the earliest skyscrapers were built in Chicago, high land prices in Manhattan soon led to New York becoming the home of the skyscraper.
The History Of America’s Tallest Building
Since 1885 all but two of the buildings that have held the title of America’ tallest building have been situated in either New York or Chicago.
- 1885- 1890 Home Insurance Building, 180 ft. (Chicago)
- 1890- 1894 New York World Building, 309 ft. (New York)
- 1894- 1895 Manhattan Life Insurance Building, 348 ft. (New York)
- 1895- 1899 Milwaukee City Hall, 353 ft. (Milwaukee)
- 1899- 1901 Park Row, 391 ft. (New York)
- 1901- 1908 Philadelphia City Hall, 548 ft. (Philadelphia)
- 1908- 1909 Singer Building, 612 ft. (New York)
- 1909- 1913 New York Metropolitan Life Insurance Building, 700 ft. (New York)
- 1913- 1930 Woolworth Building, 792 ft. (New York)
- 1930- 1930 40 Wall Street, 927 ft. (New York)
- 1930- 1931 Chrysler Building, 1,046 ft. (New York)
- 1931- 1971 Empire State, 1,250 ft. (New York)
- 1972- 1974 World Trade Center, 1,368 ft. (New York)
- 1974- Present Sears Tower (Willis Tower), 1,451 ft. (Chicago)
Throughout the 20th Century both cities continued to expand and grew upwards, however it was New York that lead the way, as successive buildings on Manhattan Island claimed the honor of being America’s tallest building.
The title passed between some of New York’s most famous buildings, including the Empire State and World Trade Center, before the construction of the Sears Tower (now known as the Willis Tower) in 1974. This building reclaimed the honor for Chicago, the birthplace of the skyscraper, and the Second City’s most famous landmark still hold’s the title of America’s tallest building today.
America’s Top Ten Tallest Buildings
- 1,451 ft. Willis Tower (Sears Tower)- Chicago
- 1,362 ft. Trump International Hotel- Chicago
- 1,250 ft. Empire State Building- New York
- 1,200 ft. Bank of America Tower- New York
- 1,136 ft. Aon Center- Chicago
- 1,127 ft. John Hancock Center- Chicago
- 1,046 ft. Chrysler Building- New York
- 1,046 ft. New York Times Building- New York
- 1,023 ft. Bank of America Plaza- Atlanta
- 1,018 ft. U.S. Bank Tower- Los Angeles
Today, over a hundred years after the birth of the skyscraper, two America cities still dominate the list of America’s tallest buildings, as eight out of the top ten are found in New York or Chicago.
America’s Tallest Building - The Future
With a whole host of tall structures in various stages of construction and design the list looks set to change dramatically in the next five years.
The completion of New York’s Freedom Tower (scheduled for 2013) will once again see the title pass back to New York City. However, if the Chicago Spire, where construction has been temporary suspended, is ever completed the title would once again return to the birthplace of the skyscraper.
Ever since the construction of the Home Insurance building two American cities have become synonymous with the skyscraper. For over one hundred years America's tallest building has been located almost exclusively in Chicago, the birthplace of the skyscraper, and New York, the home of the skyscraper. These two cities look set to continue their dominance, and rivalry, as both continue to construct increasingly tall buildings.
 |
 |
 |
 |
