World Trade Center Photo by Brian Kachejian
New York City has one of the most recognizable skylines in the world, and it has changed dramatically during the era of supertall construction. Seven of the buildings in this ranking were completed in 2015 or later. The list uses architectural height, the standard followed by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Architectural height is measured from the lowest significant open-air pedestrian entrance to the top of the building’s permanent architectural features, including spires but excluding antennas, flagpoles, and other technical equipment.
10. Three World Trade Center
Address: 175 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10007 | explorewtc.com
Three World Trade Center opened in June 2018 as part of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan. The 80-story tower stands 1,079 feet, or 329 meters, tall and contains approximately 2.5 million square feet of office space. It was designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners and developed by Silverstein Properties on land owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Three World Trade Center is primarily a private office building and does not have a public observation deck. Its exterior structural system gives the tower a distinctive crystalline appearance, while setbacks and outdoor terraces break up its profile near the upper floors.
9. Bank of America Tower
Address: One Bryant Park, New York, NY 10036 | durst.org/properties/one-bryant-park
The Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park was completed in 2009 and stands 1,200 feet, or 366 meters, tall to the top of its architectural spire. The tower was designed by COOKFOX Architects and developed by The Durst Organization in partnership with Bank of America. It rises on Sixth Avenue between West 42nd and West 43rd Streets, directly across from Bryant Park.
The building became one of New York City’s most prominent examples of environmentally conscious skyscraper design. Its systems include on-site power generation, water reclamation, high-performance air filtration, and an ice-storage cooling system. The office floors are private, but the Urban Garden Room at street level serves as a public indoor space. The building does not have an observation deck.
8. Empire State Building
Address: 350 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10118 | (212) 736-3100 | (877) 692-8439 | esbnyc.com
The Empire State Building is the oldest structure in this ranking and remains one of the world’s most famous skyscrapers. Designed by Shreve, Lamb and Harmon in the Art Deco style, it was constructed in approximately 13 months and officially opened on May 1, 1931.
The Empire State Building has an architectural height of 1,250 feet, or 381 meters. Its total height reaches 1,454 feet when the antenna is included, but the antenna does not count toward architectural height. The building was the tallest in the world until the original World Trade Center’s North Tower surpassed it.
The Empire State Building is open to the public. Its Observatory Experience includes the open-air 86th-floor deck and the enclosed 102nd-floor observatory. The building operates throughout the year, but visiting hours vary by date and season. Timed reservations are recommended through the official website.
7. 30 Hudson Yards
Address: 500 West 33rd Street, New York, NY 10001 | (332) 204-8500 | edgenyc.com
30 Hudson Yards opened in 2019 as the tallest building in the Hudson Yards development on Manhattan’s West Side. The Kohn Pedersen Fox-designed tower stands 1,270 feet, or 387 meters, tall and contains approximately 2.6 million square feet of office space.
The building is open to visitors through Edge, an indoor and outdoor observation experience on the 100th and 101st floors. Its outdoor platform rises 1,131 feet above the city and includes a glass floor, angled glass walls, and panoramic views. City Climb allows ticketed visitors to ascend the outside of the building above the observation deck. Entrance to Edge is on Level 4 of The Shops and Restaurants at Hudson Yards. Tickets and current operating hours are available on the official website.
6. 270 Park Avenue
Address: 270 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017 | (212) 270-6000 | jpmorganchase.com
JPMorganChase officially opened its new global headquarters at 270 Park Avenue on October 21, 2025. The 60-story skyscraper stands 1,388 feet, or 423 meters, tall and contains approximately 2.5 million square feet of workspace. Foster + Partners designed the tower to accommodate about 10,000 employees and thousands of daily visitors.
The building replaced the former Union Carbide Building and was designed as New York City’s largest all-electric tower, with net-zero operational emissions. The office areas are not open for public tours or observation. At ground level, however, the raised structure creates wider sidewalks and a large public plaza on Madison Avenue with landscaping, seating, and public art.
5. 432 Park Avenue
Address: 432 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022 | 432parkavenue.com
432 Park Avenue was completed in 2015 and stands 1,396 feet, or 426 meters, tall. Designed by Rafael Viñoly and developed by CIM Group and Macklowe Properties, the 96-story condominium tower became one of the defining buildings of Manhattan’s Billionaires’ Row.
The building is private and has no public observation deck. Its square form and grid of 10-foot-by-10-foot windows remain consistent from the base to the crown, creating one of the skyline’s most immediately recognizable silhouettes. Open mechanical floors and structural engineering systems help the exceptionally slender tower respond to wind.
4. One Vanderbilt
Address: One Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017 | (877) 682-1401 | summitov.com
One Vanderbilt opened in September 2020 and stands 1,401 feet, or 427 meters, tall. The 67-story, 1.7-million-square-foot office tower was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and developed by SL Green Realty. It rises beside Grand Central Terminal and is connected directly with the terminal and surrounding transit network.
The public can visit SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, an observation and art experience occupying the 91st through 93rd floors. SUMMIT includes mirrored installations, glass skyboxes, indoor viewing rooms, and an outdoor terrace. Entrances are available from Vanderbilt Avenue, East 42nd Street, and Grand Central Terminal. Timed tickets are required, and current operating hours should be confirmed on the official website.
3. 111 West 57th Street
Address: 111 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019 | 111w57.com
111 West 57th Street, commonly called Steinway Tower, was completed in 2022 and stands 1,428 feet, or 435 meters, tall. Designed by SHoP Architects, the project combines a slender new residential tower with the landmarked Steinway Hall, designed by Warren and Wetmore and completed in 1925.
The building is private and has no public observation deck. Its narrow profile, terra-cotta piers, glass curtain wall, and bronze detailing reinterpret the masonry skyscrapers of early 20th-century New York. With a height-to-width ratio of approximately 24 to 1, it is among the most slender skyscrapers ever constructed.
2. Central Park Tower
Address: 217 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019 | (212) 957-5557 | centralparktower.com
Central Park Tower stands 1,550 feet, or 472 meters, tall and is the world’s tallest residential tower. Designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture and developed by Extell Development Company, the building contains 179 residences above a retail base that includes the Nordstrom flagship store.
The residential tower and its private club are not open to the general public. Shoppers can visit the Nordstrom spaces at the building’s base, but there is no public observation deck. Central Park Tower reaches its full architectural height without a spire, making its 1,550-foot parapet the highest occupied residential roofline in New York City.
1. One World Trade Center
Address: 285 Fulton Street, New York, NY 10007 | (212) 602-4000 | oneworldobservatory.com
One World Trade Center is the tallest building in New York City, the United States, and the Western Hemisphere. It stands 1,776 feet, or 541 meters, tall, a symbolic reference to the year of the Declaration of Independence. The 104-story tower was designed by David Childs of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and developed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and The Durst Organization.
Construction began in 2006, the tower surpassed the Empire State Building’s height in 2012, its final spire section was installed in 2013, and the building opened in November 2014. The 408-foot spire is recognized as a permanent architectural element and is therefore included in the official height.
One World Observatory is open to the public on floors 100 through 102. The observatory includes panoramic indoor views, interactive exhibits, dining, and the SkyPod elevators. The entrance is at 117 West Street near Vesey Street. Timed tickets are available online, and current operating hours should be checked before visiting.
Summary
Four of New York City’s 10 tallest buildings offer public observation experiences: One World Trade Center, One Vanderbilt, 30 Hudson Yards, and the Empire State Building. The Bank of America Tower includes the public Urban Garden Room, while 270 Park Avenue adds a public plaza at street level. Central Park Tower, 111 West 57th Street, 432 Park Avenue, and Three World Trade Center do not have public observation decks.
The ranking is based on architectural height as defined by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. That standard includes permanent spires and parapets but excludes antennas and other functional equipment. This is why the Empire State Building is ranked at its 1,250-foot architectural height rather than its 1,454-foot total height, while One World Trade Center’s permanent spire is included in its official 1,776-foot measurement.
Sources: Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat; One World Observatory; Empire State Building; Edge NYC; SUMMIT One Vanderbilt; JPMorganChase; Kohn Pedersen Fox; The Durst Organization; World Trade Center; Central Park Tower; 111 West 57th Street; 432 Park Avenue.
10 Tallest Buildings In New York City article published on ClassicNewYorkHistory.com © 2026
