Cincinnati is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio, with a metropolitan area population of 2.3 million. The economic hub of southwestern Ohio, Cincinnati is home to over 120 high-rises, 41 of which have a height greater than 200 feet (61 m). It has the third-most skyscrapers taller than 300 feet (91 m) in Ohio, after Cleveland and Columbus, with 18 such buildings. The tallest building in Cincinnati is the Great American Tower at Queen City Square, a 665 ft (203 m), 40-story office building that was completed in 2011. It is the third-tallest building in Ohio, and the tallest completed in the state during the 21st century.
| Skyline of Cincinnati | |
|---|---|
Downtown Cincinnati from Devou Park in 2019 | |
| Tallest building | Great American Tower at Queen City Square (2011) |
| Tallest building height | 665 ft (202.7 m) |
| First 150 m+ building | Fourth and Vine Tower (1913) |
| Number of tall buildings (2025) | |
| Taller than 75 m (246 ft) | 30 |
| Taller than 100 m (328 ft) | 12 |
| Taller than 150 m (492 ft) | 3 |
| Taller than 200 m (656 ft) | 1 |
| Number of tall buildings — feet | |
| Taller than 200 ft (61.0 m) | 42 |
| Taller than 300 ft (91.4 m) | 17 |
One of the largest cities in the United States at the turn of the 20th century, Cincinnati was the site of first skyscraper taller than 492 ft (150 m) outside of New York City. Completed in 1913, the Hellenic-inspired Fourth and Vine Tower was the fifth-tallest building in the world at the time at 495 ft (151 m). It was the tallest outside of New York City and Philadelphia. An early construction boom occurred during the late 1920s, which culminated with an even taller skyscraper on Vine Street, the 574 ft (175 m) Carew Tower, in 1930. Part of a three-tower mixed-use Art Deco complex, the Carew Tower made Cincinnati the fourth city in the world more than one building taller than 492 ft (150 m), after New York City, Chicago, and Detroit.
Another boom took place from the 1950s until the 1990s, especially from the mid-1970s onwards. Several buildings from this era serve as notable corporate headquarters, such as the Kroger Building for the epnoymous retail company, Fifth Third Center for Fifth Third Bank, and the Scripps Center for the E. W. Scripps Company. Procter & Gamble's headquarters include twin postmodern towers. Columbia Plaza and Macy's Building were former headquarters of Chiquita and Macy's, Inc., respectively. Since the 1990s, few tall buildings have been constructed in Cincinnati, with the notable exception of the Great American Tower at Queen City Square in 2011. The building's tiara-shaped top ended the Carew Tower's 80-year long reign as Cincinnati's tallest building. In recent years, a number of commercial buildings have been converted into residential use, including the Fourth and Vine Tower and Macy's Building. Conversion of the Carew Tower into apartments is ongoing.
Most of the city's high-rises are located in Downtown Cincinnati, which is surrounded by Interstate 71 and Interstate 75. The former separates the downtown skyline from the Ohio River to the south. Between Interstate 71 and the river are two of the city's most famous stadiums, the Paycor Stadium and the Great American Ball Park. The University of Cincinnati contains Crosley Tower and the former Sanders Hall. Directly across the Ohio River is Covington, Kentucky, where several few high-rises sit along the river. Cincinnati's skyline was the inspiration for the name of Skyline Chili, a chain of Cincinnati-style chili restaurants. The restaurant's logo features a silhouette of the city's skyline.
History
Number of high-rise buildings by height in Cincinnati by the end of each year, based on the list below. This takes into account two demolished buildings that were once taller than 200 ft (61 m). Click on the legend to toggle a specific height on or off. View chart definition.
Cityscape
Map of tallest buildings
The map below shows the location of buildings taller than 200 ft (61 ft) in Downtown Cincinnati, where the majority of the city's tallest buildings are. Each marker is numbered by the building's height rank, and colored by the decade of its completion. There are five buildings taller than 200 ft (61 m) in Cincinnati that are located outside downtown.
Buildings taller than 200 ft (61 m) in Downtown Cincinnati. An asterisk (*) next to the building's name indicates it is located outside the map.
- 1950s and before
- 1960s
- 1970s
- 1980s
- 1990s
- 2000s
- 2010s
1
Great American Tower at Queen City Square2
Carew Tower3
Fourth and Vine Tower4
Scripps Center5
Fifth Third Center6
Center at 600 Vine7
First Financial Center8
Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza9
Columbia Plaza10
PNC Center11
US Bank Tower/Westin Hotel12
Atrium Two13
36 East Seventh Street14
Kroger Building15
Macy's Building16
525 Vine Center17
Enquirer Building18
Edgecliff Point Condos*19
Proctor and Gamble Tower I20
Proctor and Gamble Tower II21
National City Tower22
Duke Energy Building23
Terrace Plaza Hotel24
One Lytle Place25
Hyatt Regency Cincinnati26
The American Building27
Fourth & Walnut Center28
AT580 Downtown Apartments29
Bartlett Building30
Atrium One31
Cincinnati Times-Star Building32
Encore33
The Edgecliff*34
Crosley Tower*35
Cincinnati City Hall36
The Regency*37
CCHMC Clinical Sciences Pavilion*38
303 Broadway Tower39
Tri-State Building40
Ingalls Building41
1010 on the Rhine42
Fourth and Race TowerTallest buildings
This list ranks skyscrapers and high-rises in Cincinnati that stand at least 200 feet (61 m) tall, based on standard height measurement. This includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts. The "Year" column indicates the year in which a building was completed.
Was the tallest building in Cincinnati upon completion
| Rank | Name | Image | Address | Height ft (m) | Floors | Year | Purpose | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great American Tower at Queen City Square | 301 East 4th Street | 665 (202.7) | 40 | 2011 | Office | Third-tallest building in Ohio and the tallest building in Cincinnati. Tallest building completed in Cincinnati in the 2010s. | |
| 2 | Carew Tower | 35 West 5th Street | 574 (175) | 49 | 1930 | Residential | The tallest building completed in Cincinnati in the 1930s. Originally built as a mixed-use office and retail building. Currently undergoing conversion to a residential building. | |
| 3 | Fourth and Vine Tower | 1 West 4th Street | 495 (150.9) | 31 | 1913 | Residential | Tallest building completed in Cincinnati in the 1910s. When completed, it was the fifth-tallest building in the world, and the tallest building in the world outside of New York City and Philadelphia. Formerly known as the Union Central Life Insurance Company Building and the Central Trust Tower. Also known as PNC Tower (not to be confused with PNC Center). | |
| 4 | Scripps Center | 312 Walnut Street | 468 (142.7) | 36 | 1990 | Office | The tallest building completed in Cincinnati in the 1990s. | |
| 5 | Fifth Third Center | 511 Walnut Street | 423 (129) | 32 | 1969 | Office | Tallest building completed in Cincinnati in the 1960s. Headquarters of Fifth Third Bank. | |
| 6 | Center at 600 Vine | 600 Vine Street | 418 (127.4) | 30 | 1984 | Office | Tallest building completed in Cincinnati in the 1980s. | |
| 7 | First Financial Center | 255 East 5th Street | 410 (125) | 32 | 1992 | Office | Headquarters of First Financial Bank, Roto-Rooter, and Chemed. Also known as Chemed Center. | |
| 8 | Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza | 35 West 5th Street | 372 (113.4) | 31 | 1931 | Hotel | Part of the same complex as Carew Tower. Opened as St. Nicholas Plaza in 1931, but has operated under variations of the Netherland Plaza name. | |
| 9 | Columbia Plaza | 250 East 5th Street | 368 (112.2) | 29 | 1984 | Office | Formerly known as Chiquita Center, as the former headquarters of Chiquita. | |
| 10 | PNC Center | 201 East 5th Street | 354 (108) | 27 | 1979 | Office | Tallest building completed in Cincinnati in the 1970s. | |
| 11 | US Bank Tower/Westin Hotel | 425 Walnut Street | 351 (107) | 26 | 1981 | Mixed-use | Mixed-use office and hotel building. Currently hosts a Westin hotel. | |
| 12 | Atrium Two | 221 East 4th Street | 351 (107) | 28 | 1984 | Office | ||
| 13 | 36 East Seventh Street | 36 East 7th Street | 322 (98) | 26 | 1989 | Office |
| |
| 14 | Kroger Building | 1014 Vine Street | 320 (97.5) | 25 | 1954 | Office | Headquarters of American retail company Kroger. | |
| 15 | Macy's Building | 7 7th Street | 317 (96.7) | 21 | 1978 | Residential | Formerly an office building. Originally built as the Federated Building; headquarters of Macy's, Inc. from 1994 to 2020. Converted into apartments and reopened as 7 West 7th Apartments in 2025. | |
| 16 | 525 Vine Center | 525 Vine Street | 309 (94.2) | 23 | 1985 | Office | ||
| 17 | Enquirer Building | 312 Elm Street | 305 (93.0) | 25 | 1992 | Office | Headquarters of the The Cincinnati Enquirer daily newspaper from 1992 to 2022. | |
| 18 | Edgecliff Point Condos | 1201 Edgecliff Point | 284 (86.5) | 24 | 1990 | Residential | Located In East Walnut Hills. Not to be confused with The Edgecliff, a 231-foot building nearby. | |
| 19 | Proctor and Gamble Tower I | 301 East 6th Street | 280 (85) | 17 | 1985 | Office | ||
| 20 | Proctor and Gamble Tower II | 301 East 6th Street | 280 (85) | 17 | 1985 | Office | ||
| 21 | National City Tower | 1 East 4th Street | 279 (85.0) | 20 | 1968 | Office | Also known as Provident Tower. | |
| 22 | Duke Energy Building | 139 East 4th Street | 272 (82.9) | 18 | 1929 | Office | Designed by Cincinnati architectural firm Garber & Woodward and John Russell Pope. Also known as the Cinergy Building. | |
| 23 | Terrace Plaza Hotel | 15 West 6th Street | 272 (82.9) | 20 | 1948 | MIxed-use | Contains serviced apartments, as well as office, hotel, and retail space. | |
| 24 | One Lytle Place | 621 East Mehring Way | 269 (82.0) | 26 | 1980 | Residential | ||
| 25 | Hyatt Regency Cincinnati | 151 West 5th Street | 260 (79.2) | 23 | 1984 | Hotel | ||
| 26 | The American Building | 30 East Central Parkway | 256 (78.0) | 18 | 1928 | Office | ||
| 27 | Fourth & Walnut Center | 105 East 4th Street | 255 (77.7) | 19 | 1904 | Office | Tallest building completed in Cincinnati in the 1900s. | |
| 28 | AT580 Downtown Apartments | 580 Walnut Street | 252 (77) | 17 | 1973 | Residential | Formerly known as the 580 Building. Converted to apartments in 2014. | |
| 29 | Bartlett Building | 36 East 4th Street | 252 (76.8) | 19 | 1901 | Office | Currently known as the Renaissance Cincinnati Downtown Hotel. Originally an office building, it reopened as a hotel in 2014. | |
| 30 | Atrium One | 221 East 4th Street | 252 (76.8) | 20 | 1981 | Office | ||
| 31 | Cincinnati Times-Star Building | 800 Broadway | 239 (72.9) | 15 | 1933 | Office | Also known by its street address, 800 Broadway. | |
| 32 | Encore | 716 Sycamore Street | 238 (72.5) | 17 | 2017 | Residential | Previously known as 8th & Sycamore. | |
| 33 | The Edgecliff | 2200 Victory Parkway | 231 (70.4) | 26 | 1960 | Residential | Not to be confused wth Edgecliffe Point Condos, a 284-foot building nearby. | |
| 34 | Crosley Tower | 301 Clifton Court | 231 (70) | 16 | 1969 | Education | Part of the University of Cincinnati. Named after local inventor Powel Crosley Jr. | |
| 35 | Cincinnati City Hall | 801 Plum Street | 228 (69.5) | 4 | 1890 | Government | Tallest building in Cincinnati from 1890 to 1901. | |
| 36 | The Regency | – | 2444 Madison Road | 228 (69.5) | 20 | 1967 | Residential | |
| 37 | Cincinnati Children's Hospital Clinical Sciences Pavilion | 240 Albert Sabin Way | 228 (69) | 15 | 2015 | Hospital | ||
| 38 | 303 Broadway Tower | 303 Broadway | 223 (68) | 15 | 2006 | Office | ||
| 39 | Tri-State Building | – | 432 Walnut Street | 215 (65.5) | 15 | 1903 | Office | |
| 40 | Ingalls Building | 6 East 4th Street | 210 (64) | 16 | 1903 | Hotel | World's first reinforced concrete skyscraper. | |
| 41 | 1010 on the Rhine | 1010 Walnut St | 205 (62.6) | 18 | 2019 | Residential | Contains 8 floors of apartments above a 10 story base, which consists of a 2 floor Kroger Grocery Store and an 8 story parking garage. | |
| 42 | Fourth and Race Tower | – | 101-105 West 4th Street | 200 (61.0) | 16 | 1927 | Hotel |
- Sources do not state the exact height of this building. This figure was determined using Google Earth by subtracting the altitude of the building's lowest main pedestrian open-air entrance from the highest architectural point.
Tallest under construction or proposed
Under construction
Since the completion of 1010 on the Rhine in 2019, there have been no buildings under construction in Cincinnati that were planned to be taller than 200 feet (61 m).
Proposed
This table includes buildings that have been proposed or approved to rise at least 200 ft (61 m) tall as of 2025. The year column indicates the estimated year of completion.
| Name | Height ft (m) | Floors | Year (est.) | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banks Tower 1 | 275 (83.8)* | 24 | 2029-2034 | Proposed | In early planning stage[citation needed] |
| Banks Tower 2 | 275 (83.8)* | 24 | 2029-2034 | Proposed | In early planning stage[citation needed] |
| Convention Hotel | 264 (80.5) | 23 | 2028 | Approved |
Tallest demolished
This table lists buildings that once stood taller than 200 ft (61 m) in Cincinnati that have been demolished.
| Name | Image | Height ft (m) | Floors | Year Completed | Year Demolished | Purpose | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Millennium Hotel Cincinnati | 350 (106.7) | 32 | 1977 | 2022 | Hotel | The hotel closed in 2019, and demolition was completed three years later. Tallest building ever demolished in Cincinnati. | |
| Sander Hall | – | 297 (90.5) | 27 | 1971 | 1991 | Residential | When it stood, the building's tip was the highest point in Hamilton County. |
Tallest buildings in the Cincinnati metropolitan area
| Cincinnati metropolitan area | |
|---|---|
| Population | 2,302,815 (2024 estimate) |
| Cities included | Cincinnati, Covington |
| Number of tall buildings (2025) | |
| Taller than 100 m (328 ft) | 12 |
| Taller than 150 m (492 ft) | 3 |
| Taller than 200 m (656 ft) | 1 |
| Number of tall buildings — feet | |
| Taller than 200 ft (61.0 m) | 44 |
| Taller than 300 ft (91.4 m) | 18 |
Cincinnati holds the majority of buildings taller than 200 ft (61 m) in its metropolitan area. The remainder are in Covington, Kentucky, which lies directly south of Cincinnati across the Ohio River.
| Rank | Name | Image | City | Height ft (m) | Floors | Year | Purpose | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RiverCenter I | Covington | 308 (94) | 19 | 1990 | Office | Tallest building in Covington and in the Cincinnati metropolitan area outside of Cincinnati. | |
| 2 | The Ascent at Roebling's Bridge | Covington | 293 (89.4) | 21 | 2007 | Residential | Tallest residential building in Covington. Noted for its curved roof and striped facade. | |
| 3 | RiverCenter II | Covington | 292 (89) | 17 | 1998 | Office | ||
| 4 | Madison Place | – | Covington | 267 (81) | 18 | 2001 | Residential |
- Sources do not state the exact height of this building. This figure was determined using Google Earth by subtracting the altitude of the building entrance from the highest architectural point.
Tallest unbuilt
This table includes former proposals designed to rise at least 200 feet (61 m) that were approved for construction in Cincinnati, but were cancelled or downsized prior to construction.
| Name | Image | Location | Height ft (m) | Floors | Project years | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fountain Square West | 505 Vine St | 862 (262) | 63 | 1985-86 | Canceled | $257 million dollar skyscraper was proposed by Galbreath Co. in 1985 and was a final contender for bidding in the Fountain Square West bid. Was cancelled in May 1986 due to not being picked by final committee after a controversial RFP process. Would have been the Second Tallest Building in Ohio if built. 800,000 sq ft of office space, four floors of retail, 750 space underground parking garage, 250 room hotel. | |
| Fountain Place | 505 Vine St | 725 (220) | 50 | 1985-1988 | Canceled | Federated/Emery were chosen to develop Fountain Square West, naming the development Fountain Place, by the City of Cincinnati in May 1986. Project was estimated at $200 million dollars in cost. Project was cancelled due to the developer defaulting on the development agreement with the City of Cincinnati in September 1988 after 2 years of false starts and tensions between the City of Cincinnati and the group. At 725 ft. it would have been the tallest building in Cincinnati. 705,000 sq ft of office space, 400 room hotel, 1,000 space underground parking garage, 233,000 sq ft of retail. | |
| Fountain Square South | 21 E Fifth St | 660 (201) | 50 | 1972-1974 | Canceled | Tower was proposed in January 1972 by Unit One Co for the SE Corner of Fifth and Vine Streets in Downtown Cincinnati. Project was cancelled in 1974 due to immense pushback by community over destruction of Albee Theater and the height throwing a shadow over Fountain Square. The Westin was later built in the corner this tower would have been built. Albee Theater would be torn down anyways in 1977 despite protest. 50 stories in height, 400 space underground parking garage. | |
| Fountain Square West | 505 Vine St. | 648 (197) | 48 | 1989-1991 | Canceled | Galbreath Co., having been the back up developer if Federated/Emery would drop out was selected again to develop Fountain Square West in late 1989. The $275 million dollar Helmut Jahn designed proposal was unveiled in June 1990. Approved in July 1990. Galbreath was the second developer to default on its development agreement for the long-winding Fountain Square West project, defaulting in February 1991 due to financing difficulties and financial issues with the developer. At 648 ft it would have been the tallest building in Cincinnati. 1.7 million sq ft of office, hotel, retail and parking. 750 space underground garage. City erected a surface parking lot after this proposal fell through in the center of Downtown Cincinnati from 1992-1996. | |
| Pluss Holdings Entertainment Center and Office Tower | 650 Walnut St | 550+ (167+) | 46 | 1988-1990 | Canceled | Proposal was accepted by committee in September 1988. Design was fully unveiled in January 1990. $200 million-dollar mixed use project would have had a 5-story entertainment center with a 41-story office tower on top. Pluss Holdings defaulted on its development agreement in June 1990 after being unable to secure financing. Block instead became the Aronoff Center. | |
| Temple Tower | 142 E Fourth St | 470 (143) | 40 | 1929-1930 | Canceled | First Presbyterian Church proposed this 470 ft skyscraper in August 1929. $3 million dollar project would have included 32 stories of offices, 8 stories of tower, and a 4-story church at the base. Project was cancelled due to financial difficulties stemming from the Great Depression. | |
| 1 East Fourth St | 1 East Fourth St | 456 (139) | 35 | 1964-1965 | Downsized | Project was proposed in September 1964. The $18 million-dollar Provident Tower would have been 35 stories and 456 ft tall. 860,162 sq ft total floor area. By late 1965 the project was significantly downsized, with the finished building in 1968 having a markedly different design and height, reaching only 279 ft. | |
| 311 Race St. (312 Elm Phase II) | 311 Race St | 400+ (121+) | 30 | 1990-1993, 1998. | Cancelled | Duke and Associates proposed this project as a second phase and taller twin tower to 312 Elm. Project would have been 30 stories and around 400 ft in height. Project was stalled by early 1993 due to economic factors in Downtown Cincinnati and fully cancelled by the late 1990s. | |
| Fourth and Race Apartment Tower | 407 Race St. | 300+ (91+) | 30 | 2013-2014 | Cancelled | This $82 million-dollar 300-unit residential tower with a grocery store was proposed in 2013 by Flaherty and Collins. Council approved the project and subsidy in late 2013. Due to opposition by Mayor Cranley over amount of subsidy, project was scrapped in 2014 with a smaller 4th and Race tower eventually being developed by 3CDC and Flaherty and Collins. | |
| Union Central Annex Tower | 309 Vine St | 300-350 (91-106) | 24 | 1925-27 | Downsized/Cancelled | Annex Tower of the Union Central Tower was approved in January 1926. 24 story office tower would have provided additional space for the Union Central Insurance Co. The 8-story base for the tower was completed in 1927(Now City Club Apartments CBD) but the tower plan was quietly scrapped by the company around the time the base was completed, despite the base being designed for a tower on top. |
Timeline of tallest buildings
This lists buildings that once held the title of tallest building in Cincinnati.
| Name | Image | Street address | Years as tallest | Height ft (m) | Floors | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati City Hall | 801 Plum Street | 1890–1901 | 228 (69) | 4 | ||
| Bartlett Building | 36 East 4th Street | 1901–1904 | 252 (77) | 19 | ||
| Fourth & Walnut Center | 105 East 4th Street | 1904–1913 | 255 (78) | 19 | ||
| Fourth and Vine Tower | 1 West 4th Street | 1913–1930 | 495 (151) | 31 |
| |
| Carew Tower | 35 West 5th Street | 1930–2011 | 574 (175) | 49 |
| |
| Great American Tower at Queen City Square | 301 East 4th Street | 2011–present | 665 (203) | 41 |
See also
- List of tallest buildings in Ohio
- List of tallest buildings in Cleveland
- List of tallest buildings in Columbus
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