List of tallest buildings in St. Louis

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St. Louis skyline, seen from across the Mississippi River. StL Bridge Skyline.jpg
St. Louis skyline, seen from across the Mississippi River.
One Metropolitan Square, pictured at night, designed by the architects Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum. One Metropolitian Square.jpg
One Metropolitan Square, pictured at night, designed by the architects Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum.

The skyline of St. Louis is home to some of the most architecturally significant buildings in the United States, from its eye catching Gateway Arch to its beautiful granite facade, copper roofed One Metropolitan Square. The St. Louis skyline is unique because of its architecture, but also the fact that St. Louis has some of the most historical buildings in the country. Many of these historic buildings are in the heart of downtown, including the historical Wainwright Building, designed by famed architect Louis Sullivan, and one of the first skyscrapers built in the United States. [1] Another prominent and famous St. Louis building is the beautiful Old Courthouse where the Dred Scott case took place. Some of its other tallest buildings include 909 Chestnut Street, and the second tallest courthouse in the world, the Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse. [2] [Note 1]

Contents

History

The history of skyscrapers in St. Louis began with the 1850s construction of Barnum's City Hotel, a six-story building designed by architect George I. Barnett. [3] Until the 1890s, no building in St. Louis rose over eight stories, but construction in the city rose during that decade owing to the development of elevators and the use of steel frames. [4] The first building to use a steel frame in St. Louis was the 1890-91 Wainwright Building, a 10-story office building that was one of the first modern skyscrapers. Designed by Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler, it illustrates Sullivan's principle of "form follows function". [5] From 1864–1894, the tallest building in St. Louis was the Old Courthouse, at a height of 192 feet (59 m). [6] [7] Throughout the 1890s and into the 1900s, St. Louis saw construction move westward, especially that of office buildings. In 1914, the Railway Exchange Building was completed, which became the city's tallest building for many years. [4] The city then underwent a moderate building boom in the 1920s leading to the planning of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in 1935. [4]

Six of the top-30 tallest skyscrapers have been built in the 21st century; the most recent is One Cardinal Way, a 29-story, 320-foot (98 m) tower topped out in 2019 as part of the expansion of Ballpark Village. [8] [9] [10]

Tallest buildings

Skyline0002.png
A panoramic view of the St. Louis skyline, from the far north side.

This list ranks St. Louis skyscrapers that stand at least 250 feet (76 m) tall, based on standard height measurement. This 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. The "Floors" column indicates floors above ground only.

The Gateway Arch, included here for comparison, is not actually a building (according to the generally-accepted criteria of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, because less 49% of its height is made up of floor plates containing habitable floor area), but rather a tower or structure.

One Metropolitan Square is the tallest habitable building in St. Louis and second tallest in Missouri, by only 31 feet. The one metropolitan square at night from the south.jpg
One Metropolitan Square is the tallest habitable building in St. Louis and second tallest in Missouri, by only 31 feet.
The Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse is the second tallest court building in the world and the third tallest building in St. Louis. The Thomas Eagleton courthouse seen from enterprise center.jpg
The Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse is the second tallest court building in the world and the third tallest building in St. Louis.
909 Chestnut street tower is the second tallest building in St. Louis. 909 chestnut street.jpg
909 Chestnut street tower is the second tallest building in St. Louis.
Bank of America Plaza is the tenth-tallest building in St. Louis. US bank plaza.jpg
Bank of America Plaza is the tenth-tallest building in St. Louis.
RankImageNameHeight
feet  /  m
FloorsYearNotes
Gateway Arch, St. Louis.jpg Gateway Arch 630 / 19221967Not defined as a building; shown here for reference. Tallest monument and memorial in the United States. [2] [11] [12]
One metropolitan square St. Louis.jpg One Metropolitan Square 593 / 181421989Tallest habitable building in St. Louis and second tallest habitable building in Missouri. [Note 1] Tallest building in St. Louis built in the 1980s. [13] [14]
909 chestnut street.jpg 909 Chestnut Street 588 / 179441986Formerly One SBC Center, tallest building in St. Louis until the construction of One Metropolitan Square. [15] [16]
The Thomas Eagleton courthouse seen from enterprise center.jpg Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse 557 / 170282000Second tallest judicial building in the world, tallest building built in St. Louis in the 2000s. [17] [18]
One US Bank Plaza.jpg One US Bank Plaza 484 / 148351976Tallest building in St. Louis until the construction of One AT&T Center in 1986. [19] [20]
Laclede Gas Building.jpg Laclede Gas Building 401 / 122311969Tallest building in St. Louis until the construction of One US Bank Plaza in 1976. [21] [22]
Bell telephone magazine (1922) (14569731049).jpg Southwestern Bell Building 399 / 122281926Tallest building in St. Louis until the construction of the Laclede Gas Building. [23] [24]
2010-07-04 1960x2940 stlouis civil courts building.jpg Civil Courts Building 386 / 118131929 [25] [26]
One Hundred Above the Park 2022.jpg One Hundred 385 / 117362020Tallest building in St. Louis outside of downtown. Also known as "One Hundred Above the Park". [27] [28]
Bank of America plaza St. Louis.jpg Bank of America Plaza 384 / 117311981 [29] [30] Originally proposed as one of two
One City Center 2016.jpg One City Center 375 / 114251985Formerly called St. Louis Centre and was the largest urban shopping mall in the U.S. when it opened. [Note 2] [31] [32]
One Cardinal Way334 / 102292020 [33] The first tower to be built as a part of the Ballpark Village Masterplan.
Park East Tower330 / 101262007 [34] [35] The tallest residential building in the city when completed.
Queeny Tower.jpg Queeny Tower 321 / 98191965 [36] [37] Slated for demolition with $1 billion plans in place to build a new wing.
Tower at OPOP312 / 95252010Formerly the Roberts Tower. [38] [39]
Chase Park Plaza.jpg Park Plaza 310 / 94271931Tallest building built in St. Louis during the 1930s. [40] [41]
Saint Francis de Sales Oratory.jpg Saint Francis de Sales Church 300 / 9131895Tallest church in St. Louis. [42] [43]
1010 Market Street KSDK Channel 5 Building296 / 90201981
Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis.jpg Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis 289 / 88242007 [44] [45]
Millennium Hotel from Arch.jpg Millennium Hotel St. Louis 289 / 88281968Formerly Stouffer's Riverfront Towers and the Regal Riverfront Hotel. [46] [47]
ContinentalBuildingSTL.jpg Continental Life Building 286 / 87221930Tallest building in Midtown St. Louis. [48] [49]
Mansion House285 / 87281965 [50] [51]
City Place St. Louis285 / 87281965Formerly the Radisson Hotel & Suites St. Louis. [52] [53]
Gentry's Landing285 / 87281965 [54] [55]
500 Broadway282 / 86221971 [56] [57]
Council House East279 / 85261969 [58] [59]
Equitable Building279 / 85211971 [60] [61]
Hilton East Tower279 / 85251964 [62] [63]
Railway exchange building.jpg Railway Exchange Building 277 / 84221914Tallest building in St. Louis built during the 1910s and world's largest office building in 1914. [64] [65] [66]
Bank of America plaza St. Louis.jpg One Bank of America Plaza275 / 84221976 [67] [68]
Barnes-Jewish Hospital St Louis.jpg Barnes-Jewish Hospital South 269 / 82181971Largest hospital in Missouri. Originally 12 stories and 177 feet (54 m) tall, but additional floors were later added to the top of the building. [69] [70]
St. Louis - Hotel Statler.JPG Renaissance St. Louis Suites Hotel268 / 82241925Formerly the Lennox Hotel. [71] [72]
Missouri Pacific Building, 13th Street, St. Louis, MO - 53125946883.jpg Union Pacific Company Building265 / 81231928Formerly the Missouri Pacific Building. It was planned to be 35 stories but ended at 23 stories because of the Great Depression. [73] [74]
KMOV Gateway Tower cropped.jpg Gateway Tower261 / 80211967 [75] [76]
Dorchester Apartments260 / 79231963 [77]
Saint Louis Place253 / 77201983 [78] [79]
Millennium Center250 / 76201963 [80] [81]
Firmin Desloge Hospital 2015.jpg Desloge Towers 250 / 76151933 [82] [83]

Tallest buildings by pinnacle height

One US Bank Plaza is the second tallest building in St. Louis when ranked by pinnacle height. One US Bank Plaza.jpg
One US Bank Plaza is the second tallest building in St. Louis when ranked by pinnacle height.

This list ranks St. Louis 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.

RankNamePinnacle height
feet / m
Standard height
feet / m
Notes
- [Note 1] Gateway Arch 630 / 192630 / 192 [14]
1 One Metropolitan Square 593 / 181593 / 181 [14]
2 One US Bank Plaza 592 / 180484 / 148 [20]
3 909 Chestnut Street 588 / 179588 / 179 [16]
4 Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse 557 / 170557 / 170 [18]
5 Southwestern Bell Building 460 / 140399 / 122 [24]

Tallest under construction, approved, planned, and proposed,

This lists buildings that are under construction, approved, or proposed in St. Louis and are planned to rise over 100 feet (30 m). A floor count of 10 stories is used in place of the 100-foot (30 m) limit if the building's proposed height has not yet been determined.

NameNeighborhoodHeight*
feet / m
FloorsYearStatusUseNotes|-
AHM Mass Timber TowerDowntown West330-600/ 102~292026?ProposedResidential280 unit apartment building at 21st and Locust streets
Albion West EndCentral West End335 / 102302024PlannedResidential293 unit apartment building at 4974 Lindell Blvd
Armory HotelMidtown200 / 6118TBDPlannedHotelA hotel proposed to be built as part of a second phase of the Armory District
City Foundry Phase 2Midtown140? / 43142023PlannedResidential282-unit apartment building announced as part of the $115 Million Phase 2 development. Will also include 20,000SF of retail space, and a 60,000SF office building


Timeline of tallest buildings

The Railway Exchange Building was St. Louis's tallest building from 1914 to 1926. Railway exchange building.jpg
The Railway Exchange Building was St. Louis's tallest building from 1914 to 1926.

This lists buildings that once held the title of tallest building in St. Louis, based on standard height measurement.

NameStreet addressYears as tallestHeight
feet / m
FloorsReferences
Old Courthouse Between Broadway, Chestnut, Fourth, & Market Streets1864–1894192 / 592 [6] [7]
St. Louis Union Station 1894–1914230 / 706 [84] [85]
Railway Exchange Building 1914–1926277 / 8421 [86] [87]
Southwestern Bell Building 1926–1969399 / 12228 [23] [24]
Laclede Gas Building 1969–1976401 / 12231 [21] [22]
One US Bank Plaza 1976–1986484 / 14835 [19] [20]
One AT&T Center 1986–1989588 / 17944 [15] [16]
One Metropolitan Square 1989–present593 / 18142 [13] [14]

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 The Gateway Arch is actually the 52nd tallest structure in Missouri (which includes antenna masts, chimneys, etc.). Although it is not habitable, the Arch is included on this list for comparative purposes.
  2. The mall itself has closed, although the building is still used for office space.

References

  1. Sage, St Louis (July 20, 2017). "Was the Wainwright Building the first skyscraper?". www.stlmag.com. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  2. 1 2 "How Tall is it?". National Park Service. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
  3. "Early St. Louis Hotels". stlouis.genealogyvillage.com. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 "Downtown (C.B.D.)". City of St. Louis. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
  5. Roth, Leland M. (1979). A concise history of American architecture. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press. pp. 180–1. ISBN   0-06-430086-2 . Retrieved February 7, 2010.
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  10. Editors, Ballpark Digest (December 4, 2019). "Ballpark Village Expansion Hits Latest Construction Milestone | Ballpark Digest" . Retrieved June 30, 2024.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
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  77. "Dorchester Apartments". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
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