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) as of 2026. It has the third highest number of skyscrapers taller than 300 feet (91 m) of any city in Ohio, after Cleveland and Columbus, with 17 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.

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

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.

Tallest buildings

This list ranks skyscrapers and high-rises in Cincinnati that stand at least 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. Buildings tied in height are sorted by year of completion with earlier buildings ranked first, and then alphabetically.

Rank Name Image Location Heightft (m) Floors YearPurpose Notes 1 Great American Tower at Queen City Square 301 East 4th Street 40 2011OfficeThird-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 49 1930ResidentialThe 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 31 1913ResidentialTallest 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 36 1990OfficeThe tallest building completed in Cincinnati in the 1990s. 5 Fifth Third Center 511 Walnut Street 32 1969OfficeTallest building completed in Cincinnati in the 1960s. Headquarters of Fifth Third Bank. 6 Center at 600 Vine 600 Vine Street 30 1984OfficeTallest building completed in Cincinnati in the 1980s. 7 First Financial Center 255 East 5th Street 32 1992OfficeHeadquarters of First Financial Bank, Roto-Rooter, and Chemed. Also known as Chemed Center. 8 Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza 35 West 5th Street 31 1931HotelPart 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 29 1984OfficeFormerly known as Chiquita Center, as the former headquarters of Chiquita. 10 PNC Center 201 East 5th Street 27 1979OfficeTallest building completed in Cincinnati in the 1970s. 11US Bank Tower/Westin Hotel 425 Walnut Street 261981Mixed-useMixed-use office and hotel building. Currently hosts a Westin hotel.12Atrium Two221 East 4th Street281984Office 13 36 East Seventh Street 36 East 7th Street261989Office 14 Kroger Building 1014 Vine Street 25 1954OfficeHeadquarters of American retail company Kroger. 15 Macy's Building 7 7th Street 21 1978ResidentialFormerly 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 23 1985Office17Enquirer Building312 Elm Street251992OfficeHeadquarters of The Cincinnati Enquirer daily newspaper from 1992 to 2022.18Edgecliff Point Condos1201 Edgecliff Point241990ResidentialLocated In East Walnut Hills. Not to be confused with The Edgecliff, a 231-foot building nearby.19Proctor and Gamble Tower I301 East 6th Street171985Office20Proctor and Gamble Tower II301 East 6th Street171985Office21National City Tower1 East 4th Street201968OfficeAlso known as Provident Tower. 22 Duke Energy Building 139 East 4th Street 18 1929OfficeDesigned by Cincinnati architectural firm Garber & Woodward and John Russell Pope. Also known as the Cinergy Building.23Terrace Plaza Hotel15 West 6th Street201948MIxed-useContains serviced apartments, as well as office, hotel, and retail space.24One Lytle Place621 East Mehring Way261980Residential 25 Hyatt Regency Cincinnati 151 West 5th Street 23 1984Hotel26The American Building30 East Central Parkway181928Office 27 Fourth & Walnut Center 105 East 4th Street 19 1904OfficeTallest building completed in Cincinnati in the 1900s.28AT580 Downtown Apartments580 Walnut Street171973ResidentialFormerly known as the 580 Building. Converted to apartments in 2014. 29 Bartlett Building 36 East 4th Street 19 1901OfficeCurrently 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 201981Office31Cincinnati Times-Star Building800 Broadway151933OfficeAlso known by its street address, 800 Broadway.32Encore716 Sycamore Street172017ResidentialPreviously known as 8th & Sycamore. 33 The Edgecliff 2200 Victory Parkway 26 1960ResidentialNot to be confused wth Edgecliffe Point Condos, a 284-foot building nearby.34Crosley Tower301 Clifton Court161969EducationPart of the University of Cincinnati. Named after local inventor Powel Crosley Jr.35Cincinnati City Hall801 Plum Street41890GovernmentTallest building in Cincinnati from 1890 to 1901.36The Regency–2444 Madison Road201967Residential37Cincinnati Children's Hospital Clinical Sciences Pavilion240 Albert Sabin Way152015Hospital38303 Broadway Tower303 Broadway152006Office39Tri-State Building 432 Walnut Street151903Office40Ingalls Building6 East 4th Street161903HotelWorld's first reinforced concrete skyscraper.411010 on the Rhine1010 Walnut St182019ResidentialContains 8 floors of apartments above a 10 story base, which consists of a 2 floor Kroger Grocery Store and an 8 story parking garage.42Fourth and Race Tower–101-105 West 4th Street161927Hotel

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 2026. The year column indicates the estimated year of completion. +NameHeightft (m)FloorsYear(est.)StatusNotesBanks Tower 1*242029-2034ProposedIn early planning stageBanks Tower 2*242029-2034ProposedIn early planning stageConvention Hotel232028Approved

Tallest demolished This table lists buildings that once stood taller than 200 ft (61 m) in Cincinnati that have been demolished. Name ImageHeightft (m)FloorsYear completedYear demolishedPurposeNotesMillennium Hotel Cincinnati3219772022HotelThe hotel closed in 2019, and demolition was completed three years later. Tallest building ever demolished in Cincinnati.Sander Hall–2719711991ResidentialWhen it stood, the building's tip was the highest point in Hamilton County.

Tallest buildings in the Cincinnati metropolitan area

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 Heightft (m) Floors YearPurpose Notes 1 RiverCenter I Covington 19 1990OfficeTallest building in Covington and in the Cincinnati metropolitan area outside of Cincinnati.2The Ascent at Roebling's BridgeCovington212007ResidentialTallest residential building in Covington. Noted for its curved roof and striped facade.3RiverCenter IICovington171998Office4Madison Place–Covington182001Residential

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.