Below are the top 12 tallest skyscrapers proposed in the United States, ranked in order from shortest to tallest.
For tallest completed skyscrapers in the United States, see this page.
Schuylkill Yards Supertall
Current status: Proposed
Height: 334 m / 1095 ft Floors: 70
City: Philadelphia Uses: Office, Residential
Architect: SHoP Architects Developers: Brandywine Realty Trust; Drexel University
The Schuylkill Yards supertall, or 3101 Market Street named by its address, is proposed as a part of Schuylkill Yards, a $3.5 billion project currently under development in University City, West Philadelphia.
The design of the supertall tower is kind of similar to that of the Brooklyn Tower and 111 West 57th Street in New York City, since they are all designed by the same architectural firm, SHoP Architects.
The Schuylkill Yards will occupy 14 acres of area, the groundbreaking occurred in 2017, and the first phase was completed in 2019. However, the construction on the supertall tower will not begin soon, as the whole project is planned to be complete in 2035, with the supertall being the last phase.
If built, the Schuylkill Yards supertall will be the second tallest building in Philadelphia, after the 1,121-foot-tall Comcast Technology Center, or it will also possibly be the third tallest if Transit Terminal Tower (another supertall project proposed for Philadelphia) is complete earlier.
570 Fifth Avenue
Current status: Proposed
Height: 335 m / 1100 ft Floors: 78
City: New York City Uses: Residential, Hotel
Architect: Unknown Developer: Extell Development
In December 2021, Extell Development proposed to build an 1,100-foot residential tower at 570 Fifth Avenue in New York City. The demolition of the preexisting buildings on the site had completed in April 2023, the construction of the tower is likely to begin in 2024 and complete in 2028. If built, the residential tower will become Extell’s third project to surpass 1,000 feet in New York City (after One 57 and Central Park Tower), and also become the second tallest building on Fifth Avenue after the Empire State Building. The developer also has an alternative option for the project, which is to build an office tower that would be more chunky but shorter (only 860 feet) due to the zoning. This second option is only viable if they can secure an anchor tenant, a task that has proven quite challenging in recent years, building a residential tower is the more feasible option.
41-47 West 57th Street
Current status: Proposed
Height: 335 m / 1100 ft Floors: 63
City: New York City Uses: Residential, Hotel
Architect: Office for Metropolitan Architecture Developer: Sedesco
In 2015, American architect Mark Foster Gage designed an ornate, 102-story residential tower for 41 West 57th Street, the tower is adorned with sculptures of eagles and gold paneling, appearing like a building out of a fantasy movie, such design is almost impossible to be adopted by developers in modern days due to the high cost to build.
Turkish developer Sedesco purchased the site in 2018, and with several adjacent properties he purchased earlier, it becomes possible to build a supertall tower on the site under the zoning. Dutch architectural firm OMA is chosen to design the tower, they released the rendering of the tower in mid 2021. The tower will have 63 stories, with 119 condominium units on middle and upper floors, and a hotel with 158 rooms on lower floors.
Demolition work for the former occupants on the site has completed, but it’s still unclear when will the construction begin. If the construction begins in 2024, the tower is expected to complete in 2028.
333 South Figueroa
Current status: Proposed
Height: 338 m / 1108 ft Floors: 77
City: Los Angeles Uses: Residential, Hotel
Architect: DiMarzio Kato Architecture Developer: Shenzhen New World Group
333 South Figueroa is a 77-story supertall skyscraper proposed by Chinese developer Shenzhen New World Group for Los Angeles, the skyscraper is planned to be 1,108 feet tall by roof height. If built, it will surpass Wilshire Grand Center and U.S. Bank Tower to become the new tallest building in Los Angeles, and also the tallest building west of the Mississippi.
The tower would be built at West 3rd and Figueroa streets, adjacent to L.A. Grand Hotel, a 13-story building that was purchased by the developer in 2010. The tower would hold 242 condominium units and a hotel with 599 rooms.
The project has been put on hold due to corruption allegations, as the developer offered a significant bribe to a member of the City Council to secure approval to build the tower.
Transit Terminal Tower
Current status: Proposed
Height: 366 m / 1200 ft Floors: 85
City: Philadelphia Uses: Office
Architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Developers: Amtrak; Brandywine Realty Trust; Drexel University
Transit Terminal Tower, or 2901 Arch Street named by its address, is a proposed supertall tower included in the 30th Street Station District Plan, which is a major megadevelopment to be built on the banks of the Schuylkill River in University City, West Philadelphia, the above mentioned Schuylkill Yards is also a part of this development project.
8 highrises ranging in heights from 405 ft to 1,200 ft and several shorter buildings will be built in the development area, they will rise on a deck above the massive Amtrak railyard, kind of similar to the Hudson Yards development in New York City, which is also built above a railyard.
The project is a joint venture involving Amtrak, Brandywine Realty Trust, and Drexel University, it is expected to cost around 10 billion dollars and take over 25 years to complete, and will possibly become a second downtown of Philadelphia.
PENN 15
Current status: Approved
Height: 387 m / 1270 ft Floors: 61
City: New York City Uses: Office
Architect: Foster + Partners Developer: Vornado Realty Trust
Also known as 15 Penn Plaza and Vornado Tower, this office tower was first proposed by Vornado Realty Trust in 2010, to be built on the site of the former Hotel Pennsylvania, a 22-story historic building built in 1919. The site is located only 2 blocks away from the famous Empire State Building, which will appear shorter than this office tower. It was originally designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli, and was then redesigned by Foster and Partners, the planned height is slightly increased from 1214 ft to 1270 ft.
Demolition of Hotel Pennsylvania began in early 2022 and was completed in July 2023, and the construction of the tower was expected to begin in early 2024. However, in December 2023, it was reported that Moody’s Investors Service downgraded Vornado’s debt rating to junk category, it will be very difficult for Vornado to secure a construction loan from a lender in the coming years, so the construction of the tower will possibly be postponed for several years.
Two World Trade Center
Current status: On Hold
Height: 411 m / 1350 ft Floors: 88
City: New York City Uses: Office
Architect: Foster + Partners Developer: Silverstein Properties
Planned as the second tallest building of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex, replacing the original Two World Trade Center, though it will occupy the site of the original 5 World Trade Center. The construction started in 2010 but halted in 2012, with the foundation completed. The above-ground construction is unlikely to continue without a signed tenant. The building was originally designed by Foster and Partners, and underwent a redesign by Bjarke Ingels Group to cater to the preferences of potential tenants, but no companies actually signed a lease, so the developer returned to Foster and Partners for a new design, which is the current design shown in the rendering.
Tribune East Tower
Current status: Approved
Height: 439 m / 1442 ft Floors: 102
City: Chicago Uses: Residential, Hotel
Architect: Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture Developer: CIM Group; Golub & Company
Tribune East Tower is a mixed-use supertall tower planned in Chicago, to be built to the east of the Tribune Tower, a historic neo-Gothic building featuring iconic buttresses at its pinnacle. The tower will soar to a remarkable height of 1,442 ft, only 8 feet shy of Willis Tower’s 1,450 ft.
The tower is designed by Adrian Smith, the architect who also designed the nearby 1388-ft-tall Trump International Hotel and Tower, and is best known for designed the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. The developer is CIM group, the project has secured the final approval in May 2020, construction was originally slated to start in 2022, but has been delayed, with the new anticipated start date set for 2024.
Tower Fifth
Current status: Proposed
Height: 474 m / 1556 ft Floors: 96
City: New York City Uses: Office, Observatory
Architect: Gensler Developer: Macklowe Properties
Tower Fifth was proposed in January 2019 by Harry Macklowe, who co-developed the 1396ft-tall 432 Park Avenue with CIM Group. As the name suggests, the office tower will be built on 5th Avenue, just across the East 51st street from St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The tower will rise to 1556 ft, surpassing Central Park Tower by 6 ft, it will become the next tallest skyscraper in New York City by roof height if built earlier than the other two proposals in the city. Designed by Gensler, the tower will feature a distinctive cantilevered block near the top, which will contain a multi-level observation deck.
175 Park Avenue
Current status: Approved
Height: 480 m / 1575 ft Floors: 83
City: New York City Uses: Office, Hotel
Architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Developer: RXR Realty; TF Cornerstone
Also known as Project Commodore, this skyscraper is planned to be built on the other side of Grand Central Terminal from the 1401-foot-tall One Vanderbilt, and immediately next to the iconic Chrysler Building, it will replace the 26-story Grand Hyatt hotel, which was originally known as The Commodore Hotel, and a new Grand Hyatt will occupy the upper floors of the new tower. The initially envisioned height of the tower was 1646 ft (502 m), but was scaled down to 1575 ft (480 m) when the project received approval in December 2021.
Affirmation Tower
Current status: Proposed
Height: 507 m / 1663 ft Floors: 95
City: New York City Uses: Office, Hotel, Observatory
Architect: Adjaye Associates Developers: Exact Capital Group; Peebles Corporation; Witkoff
Affirmation Tower is a 95-story supertall tower proposed to be built at 418 11th Avenue, also known as Site K, located immediately north of Hudson Yards complex. If built with the height as currently proposed, the tower will safely become the next tallest building in New York City by roof height, surpassing both Central Park Tower and the proposed 175 Park Avenue by a considerable margin.
Renderings of Affirmation Tower showcase the tower with a bold inverted design comprised of a series of blocks that cantilevers progressively towards the western side as the tower rises, the design is a little similar to that of BIG’s version of Two World Trade Center. A landscaped outdoor terrace can be seen on the rooftop of the tower and a smaller one atop the podium. The tower will have hotels, offices, and an observation deck on the top.
Boardwalk at Bricktown – Legends Tower
Current status: Proposed
Height: 581 m / 1907 ft Floors: 134
City: Oklahoma City Uses: Residential
Architect: Unknown Developer: Matteson Capital
The tallest building proposed for the United States is not to be built in New York City or Chicago, but in Oklahoma City, where there is only 2 buildings over 500ft tall. In December 2023, California developer Scot Matteson unveiled his plan to transform a tract of empty parking lots in Oklahoma City’s lower downtown area into a bustling entertainment district, which will include a 134-story residential skyscraper, a luxury hotel, and two condo towers rising from a retail podium. The residential skyscraper will rise to a whooping height of 1,907 ft, more than twice the height of the nearby Devon Energy Center, which is the city’s current tallest building, and even much taller than One World Trade Center in New York City, the current tallest building in the United States.
Matteson said he has been planning this project for over two years, and despite facing doubt and skepticism from officials and the public, he remains confident that he will get the project through to completion.
The project has been approved in April 2024 and the construction work is expected to start in July 2024.