List of tallest buildings in Portland, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
s in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
city of Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. The tallest building in Portland is currently the 41-story Wells Fargo Center
Wells Fargo Center (Portland, Oregon)
Wells Fargo Center is an office building located in Portland, Oregon, United States. The tower rises 546 feet with 40 floors of office space and three levels of parking below the surface...
, which rises 546 feet (166 m). The building has been the tallest skyscraper in the State of Oregon since its completion in 1972. The second-tallest building in Portland is the US Bancorp Tower, which rises 536 feet (163 m) and 42 floors. The building is sometimes informally referred to as "Big Pink" for its similarly colored granite exterior.
Portland's history of skyscrapers is generally thought to begin in 1907 with the completion of the Wells Fargo Building. Since then, over 100 highrise buildings have been constructed in the city, with the majority being completed between 1970 and 2000. No Portland buildings are among the tallest in the United States, but the city is home to three buildings over 500 feet (152 m). Overall, Portland's skyline is ranked (based on existing and under construction buildings over 500 feet (152 m) tall) second in the Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
(after Seattle), fifth in the Pacific Coast region
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
(after Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Las Vegas), and 25th in the United States.
The city is undergoing an era of highrise construction, especially in the South Waterfront
South Waterfront
The South Waterfront is a high-rise district under construction on former brownfield industrial land in the South Portland neighborhood south of downtown Portland, Oregon, U.S. It is one of the largest urban redevelopment projects in the United States...
area, where several residential towers and an office building have been built over the past few years, including the John Ross Tower
John Ross Tower
John Ross Tower is a condominium skyscraper in the South Waterfront neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. It stands at a height of , the first building in the district to reach the maximum height allowed for development and Portland's seventh-tallest building. It is also the largest residential...
. More residential buildings will be built close to the Willamette River
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
as development of the South Waterfront progresses. Meanwhile, in Downtown Portland
Downtown Portland
Downtown Portland, the city center of Portland, Oregon, United States, is located on the west bank of the Willamette River. It is in the northeastern corner of the southwest section of the city and is where most of the city's high-rise buildings are found....
, Park Avenue West Tower
Park Avenue West Tower
Park Avenue West, nicknamed PAW, is a high-rise building currently under construction in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. When completed it will stand at a height of 476 feet and become the third tallest building in Portland behind the Wells Fargo Center and the US Bancorp Tower.Park...
, a 33-story skyscraper, is scheduled to break ground. At 476 feet (145 m), Park Avenue West would become the third-tallest building in the city upon completion.
Tallest buildings
This list ranks Portland skyscrapers that stand at least 250 feet (76 meters) 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.| Rank | Name | Image | Height feet / m Metre The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology... |
Floors | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wells Fargo Center Wells Fargo Center (Portland, Oregon) Wells Fargo Center is an office building located in Portland, Oregon, United States. The tower rises 546 feet with 40 floors of office space and three levels of parking below the surface... |
 |
546 / 166 | 41 | 1972 | Has been the tallest building in Portland and Oregon since 1972; tallest building constructed in the city in the 1970s; formerly known as First National Bank Tower and First Interstate Bank Tower |
| 2 | US Bancorp Tower |  |
536 / 163 | 42 | 1983 | Tallest building constructed in Portland in the 1980s |
| 3 | KOIN Center KOIN Center KOIN Center is a , 35-storey, skyscraper in Portland, Oregon. The building, the third tallest in the city, was designed by the firm of Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership and opened in 1984 at a cost of .-History:... |
 |
509 / 155 | 35 | 1984 | |
| 4 | PacWest Center PacWest Center PacWest Center is an office skyscraper in Portland, Oregon. At , it is the fourth-tallest building in Portland. The 29-story building was designed by Hugh Stubbins & Associates of Cambridge, Massachusetts and completed in 1984.... |
 |
418 / 127 | 29 | 1984 | |
| 5 | Fox Tower |  |
372 / 113 | 27 | 2000 | Tallest building constructed in Portland in the 2000s |
| 6 | Standard Insurance Center Standard Insurance Center The Standard Insurance Center, originally the Georgia-Pacific Building, is a 27 story office building in Portland, Oregon. Completed in 1968, it currently serves as part of the headquarters of The Standard, the brand name under which Standard Insurance Company and other subsidiaries of StanCorp... |
 |
367 / 112 | 27 | 1970 | Tallest reinforced-concrete building in the world at the time of its completion |
| =7 | John Ross Tower John Ross Tower John Ross Tower is a condominium skyscraper in the South Waterfront neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. It stands at a height of , the first building in the district to reach the maximum height allowed for development and Portland's seventh-tallest building. It is also the largest residential... |
 |
325 / 99 | 32 | 2007 | Tallest building in the South Waterfront District; tallest all-residential building in Portland |
| =7 | The Ardea |  |
325 / 99 | 31 | 2008 | |
| =7 | Mirabella Tower Mirabella Tower The Mirabella Tower is a high-rise building in the South Waterfront District in Portland, Oregon, United States. Construction began in 2008 on the tall residential tower. It joined both the John Ross Tower and 3720 Tower as the seventh tallest building in Portland when it was completed in 2010.... |
325 / 99 | 30 | 2010 | ||
| 10 | Congress Center |  |
321 / 98 | 23 | 1980 | |
| 11 | Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse The Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse is a federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon. It is named in honor of former U.S. Senator Mark O. Hatfield. It is used by the United States District Court for the District of Oregon.... |
 |
318 / 97 | 16 | 1997 | Tallest building constructed in the city in the 1990s |
| 12 | ODS Tower ODS Tower (Portland, Oregon) ODS Tower is an 24-story office building in Portland, Oregon. At 308 ft. , it is Portland's tenth-tallest building. Although it is named for ODS Health Plans, critics displeased by the building have nicknamed it the "Odious Tower".... |
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308 / 94 | 24 | 1999 | |
| 13 | Lloyd Center Tower Lloyd Center Tower The Lloyd Center Tower is an 88 meter tall office tower in the Lloyd District of Portland, Oregon. At 20 stories, it is the tallest building in Oregon outside of downtown Portland.... |
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290 / 88 | 20 | 1981 | |
| 14 | 1000 Broadway 1000 Broadway (Portland, Oregon) 1000 Broadway is a 24 story office building in Portland, Oregon. The distinguishing feature of the building is a series of rings that form a dome over the center portion of its roof. Because of this, the building is nicknamed "The Ban Roll-on Building" and "R2 D2".The architectural firm of Broome,... |
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288 / 88 | 23 | 1991 | |
| 15 | Portland Plaza Portland Plaza The Portland Plaza is a condominium skyscraper in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. It stands at a height of 272 feet/83 meters, and contains 25 floors.The Portland Plaza was designed by the firm of DMJM and was completed in 1973... |
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272 / 83 | 25 | 1973 | |
| 16 | One Main Place One Main Place (Portland, Oregon) One Main Place is a privately-owned commercial office building in Downtown Portland in the U.S. state of Oregon. Located at the west end of the Hawthorne Bridge, the 20-story skyscraper is tall. Completed in 1982, it is the fifteenth tallest building in Portland, and the sixteenth largest by... |
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270 / 82 | 20 | 1980 | |
| 17 | Edith Green - Wendell Wyatt Federal Building Edith Green - Wendell Wyatt Federal Building The Edith Green – Wendell Wyatt Federal Building is a high rise structure in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Opened in 1975, the 18 story-tower is owned by the Federal Government. The international style office building has more than of space... |
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270 / 82 | 18 | 1975 | Also known as the Federal Office Building |
| 1/ | Union Bank of California Tower Union Bank of California Tower The Union Bank of California Tower is an , 15 story office building in Portland, Oregon completed in 1969, and designed by the firm of Anshen and Allen of San Francisco. It is an International-style building, with a strong presence on Broadway. The most prominent feature of the Union Bank of... |
 |
268 / 82 | 15 | 1969 | Tallest building constructed in Portland in the 1960s; also known as Union Bank building |
| 1* | twelve west (building) Twelve west (building) twelve | west is a 22-floor, mixed-use apartment and office building located in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. The building is home to INDIGO @ twelve | west apartments and ZGF Architects LLP. During design and construction the building was known as “12W” and “ZGF Tower”, but the name... |
266 / 81 | 22 | 2009 | Four power-generating wind turbines are located on the roof | |
| 20 | Umpqua Bank Plaza Umpqua Bank Plaza Umpqua Bank Plaza is a 19-story tall office tower in Downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Faced with red brick, the structure is tall and has of space. Opened in 1975 at a cost of $16 million, the building was designed by Wolff, Zimmer, Gunsul, Frasca . Originally named the Benjamin Franklin... |
263 / 80 | 19 | 1975 | ||
| 21 | 200 Market | 257 / 78 | 19 | 1973 | ||
| 22 | Harrison West Condominium Tower Harrison West Condominium Tower The Harrison West Condominium Tower is a building in downtown Portland, Oregon. It was the tallest building in the city from its completion in 1965 until it was surpassed in 1969 by the Union Bank of California Tower. It is 25 floors and 78 meters tall.... |
256 / 78 | 25 | 1965 | Also known as Portland Center Apartments 1 | |
| 23 | Benson Tower |  |
250 / 76 | 26 | 2007 | |
Tallest under construction, approved and proposed
This lists skyscrapers that are under construction, approved or proposed in Portland and planned to rise over 250 feet (76 m), but are not yet completed structures.| Name | Height feet / m Metre The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology... |
Floors | Year* (est.) |
Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Tower Smart tower The SMART Tower or “Sustainable Modern Art Tower”, is a proposed building in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. The building would stand at a height of , making it, by far, the tallest building in the city. The tower design includes an observation deck, restaurant, ballroom and parking... |
650 / 198 | 16 | Proposed | Would become the tallest structure in Portland upon completion | |
| Park Avenue West Tower Park Avenue West Tower Park Avenue West, nicknamed PAW, is a high-rise building currently under construction in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. When completed it will stand at a height of 476 feet and become the third tallest building in Portland behind the Wells Fargo Center and the US Bancorp Tower.Park... |
476 / 145 | 33 | 2010 | Construction halted April 2009 | |
| Manhattan Tower | 325 / 99 | 32 | Proposed | ||
| The Cosmopolitan Tower | 325 / 99 | 31 | 2009 | Proposed | |
| 100 NE Multnomah Office Tower | 267 / 81 | 19 | Proposed | ||
| Allegro Condominiums | 250 / 76 | 21 | Approved | ||
Timeline of tallest buildings
| Name | Street address | Years as tallest | Height feet / m Metre The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology... |
Floors | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wells Fargo Building Wells Fargo Building The Wells Fargo Building is a historic office building in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. The large doorstep at the building's entryway required the largest slab of granite ever shipped to Portland at the time. Completed in 1907, it is the first steel-framed building in Portland, and is... |
309 SW 6th Avenue | 1907–1911 | 185 / 56 | 12 | |
| Yeon Building Yeon Building The Yeon Building is a historic , 15-story office building completed in 1911 in downtown Portland, Oregon. Almost completely clad in glazed terra-cotta, and culminating in a colonnade on the top floors, the Yeon Building once was illuminated at night by light sockets built into the cornices, but... |
522 SW 5th Avenue | 1911–1913 | 194 / 59 | 15 | |
| American Bank Building American Bank Building The American Bank Building is a 15 floor building in Portland, Oregon, U.S. It stands tall and was built in 1913.The building was tallest in the city for 24 years until surpassed by the Public Service Building in 1927. Designed by A. E. Doyle, it is located at 621 SW Morrison Street and was... |
621 SW Morrison Street | 1913–1927 | 207 / 63 | 15 | |
| Public Service Building | 920 SW Sixth Avenue | 1927–1962 | 220 / 67 | 16 | |
| Standard Plaza | 1100 SW Sixth Avenue | 1962–1963 | 222 / 68 | 16 | |
| Hilton Portland Hotel Hilton Portland Hotel The Hilton Portland & Executive Tower is a hotel located in Portland, Oregon. The complex has dual towers, with the tallest, 22 floors at built in 1962, and the latest completed in 2002 with 20 floors. The hotel was the tallest building in the city for three years until surpassed by the Harrison... |
921 SW Sixth Avenue | 1963–1965 | 241 / 73 | 22 | |
| Harrison West Condominium Tower Harrison West Condominium Tower The Harrison West Condominium Tower is a building in downtown Portland, Oregon. It was the tallest building in the city from its completion in 1965 until it was surpassed in 1969 by the Union Bank of California Tower. It is 25 floors and 78 meters tall.... |
200 SW Harrison | 1965–1969 | 256 / 78 | 25 | |
| Union Bank of California Tower Union Bank of California Tower The Union Bank of California Tower is an , 15 story office building in Portland, Oregon completed in 1969, and designed by the firm of Anshen and Allen of San Francisco. It is an International-style building, with a strong presence on Broadway. The most prominent feature of the Union Bank of... |
707 SW Washington Street | 1969–1970 | 268 / 82 | 15 | |
| Standard Insurance Center Standard Insurance Center The Standard Insurance Center, originally the Georgia-Pacific Building, is a 27 story office building in Portland, Oregon. Completed in 1968, it currently serves as part of the headquarters of The Standard, the brand name under which Standard Insurance Company and other subsidiaries of StanCorp... |
900 SW Fifth Avenue | 1970–1972 | 367 / 112 | 27 | |
| Wells Fargo Center Wells Fargo Center (Portland, Oregon) Wells Fargo Center is an office building located in Portland, Oregon, United States. The tower rises 546 feet with 40 floors of office space and three levels of parking below the surface... |
1300 SW 5th Avenue | 1972–present | 546 / 166 | 41 | |
External links
- Diagram of Portland skyscrapers on SkyscraperPage.com