Raleigh, the second largest city in North Carolina, is home to more than 50 completed high-rise buildings, 14 of which stand taller than at least . The tallest building in Raleigh is the 32-story PNC Plaza, which rises tall and was completed in 2008. It also stands as the tallest building in the state of North Carolina outside Charlotte. The second-tallest skyscraper in the city is Two Hannover Square, which rises and was completed in 1991. The Wells Fargo Capitol Center, completed in 1990, is Raleigh's third tallest building, rising at 400 feet (122 m). Overall, of the 25 tallest buildings in North Carolina, three are located in Raleigh. The history of skyscrapers in Raleigh began with the completion of the North Carolina State Capitol in 1840. The first skyscraper in the city is the Briggs Hardware Building, which was completed in 1874. Overall, the Council on Vertical Urbanism ranks Raleigh's skyline is the 46th largest in the United States, 63rd in North America, and 285th in the world.__TOC__

History

Historical skyline appearance

18th–20th century

Raleigh was designed as a planned city in 1792 by William Christmas, which hampered the city's ability to house future skyscrapers. The first dwelling in the city & Wake County is the Joel Lane House, built in 1769. Other large buildings completed around that time include the North Carolina State House, which was finished in 1796. Raleigh's skyscraper history began in 1874 with the four story Briggs Hardware Building, becoming the first skyscraper in Raleigh. Edenton Street United Methodist Church later was completed in 1881. There was a building boom of 2-4 story buildings around Fayetteville Street in the early 20th century. The boom included Capital Apartments, Capital Club Building, Masonic Temple Building, and Odd Fellows Building.The Wake County Office Building was built in 1942, and became the tallest building, when Edenton Street United Methodist Church was destroyed by fire on July 28, 1956. The second construction boom occurred in the 1960s with multiple modernist buildings, including the Branch Banking and Trust Building. The 1990s had the completion of three of the tallest buildings in the city, with two being over .

2000s–present In the 2000s, Red Hat Tower, Quorum Center, and PNC Plaza were built, with PNC Plaza being the first building over . Soleil Center was planned 43-story skyscraper in 2005, which never materialized due to the Great Recession. In 2009, the Raleigh City Council passed a comprehensive plan, for construction outside of city center: Downtown, Brier Creek, Midtown, Crabtree Valley, West Raleigh, Cameron/University, Triangle Town Center, and New Bern/WakeMed. The first skyscrapers outside of the downtown area was built in North Hills. Renaissance Raleigh Hotel opened in 2008 and Captrust Tower in 2009. Other buildings completed in the late 2010-2020s include Bank of America Tower, Park Central, Midtown Plaza, Advance Auto Parts Tower, The Eastern, The Tower at Cardinal North Hills, NHX North Tower Apartments, One North Hills Tower, and North Hills Tower 5. Skyhouse Raleigh completed in 2015, making it the tallest residential skyscraper. The Dillon became the tallest structure in the Warehouse District in 2018.

Highline Glenwood in Glenwood South will be the second tallest building and Omni Raleigh will be the fifth tallest building once they are completed.

Tallest buildings

There have been several buildings in Raleigh that have held the title as the tallest building in the city. While the 3-story North Carolina State Capitol was the first high-rise building in the city, the Briggs Hardware Building is generally regarded as Raleigh's first skyscraper, when it was completed in 1874. The Edenton Street United Methodist Church was completed in 1881 and held the title as the tallest building in Raleigh for 75 years until it was destroyed by fire in 1956, for which the Wake County Office Building became the tallest building. Capital Bank Plaza became the tallest building in 1964, until the completion of the State Capitol Holiday Inn in 1969. In 1977, One Progress Plaza overtook the Holiday Inn as the tallest in the city. First Union Capitol Center is the first building over in 1990. Two Hannover Square quickly became the tallest building in 1991. In 2008, RBC Plaza became the first building over .

Cityscape

Map of tallest buildings The map below shows the location of buildings taller than 200 ft (61 m) in Raleigh, most of which are in the city's Central Business District and North Hills. Each marker is numbered by the building's height rank, and colored by the decade of its completion.

Tallest buildings

This list ranks Raleigh high rises , 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 buildings was completed. Buildings tied in height are sorted by year of completion with earlier buildings ranked first, and then alphabetically.

RankNameImageLocationHeightft (m)FloorsYearPrimary Purpose Notes1PNC PlazaDowntown — Fayetteville Street 322008Office/ Residential Previously known as RBC Plaza. Was the U.S. headquarters of RBC Bank. Tallest building in North Carolina outside of Charlotte. Tallest building completed in Raleigh in the 2000s.2Two Hannover Square Downtown — Fayetteville Street291991Office Formerly known as BB&T Building. Was the tallest building in Raleigh before being surpassed by PNC Plaza. Tallest building completed in Raleigh in the 1990s.3150 Fayetteville Downtown — Fayetteville Street301990Office Formerly known as First Union Capitol Center, Wachovia Capitol Center and Wells Fargo Capitol Center. Was the tallest building in Raleigh before being surpassed by Two Hannover Square.4 The Eastern North Hills 36 2022 Residential Formerly known as Walter Tower. Tallest building completed in Raleigh in the 2020s.5FNB Tower Downtown — Fayetteville Street222019Office/ Residential Formerly known as Charter Square North. Regional headquarters of First National Bank. Tallest building completed in Raleigh in the 2010s.6One Progress Plaza Downtown — Fayetteville Street211977Office Formerly known as Progress Energy Building, CP&L Building, Carolina Power & Light Building, Center Plaza Was the tallest building in Raleigh before being surpassed by 150 Fayetteville. Tallest building completed in Raleigh in the 1970s.7One City Plaza Downtown — Fayetteville Street171985Office Formerly known as One Bank of America Plaza, One Hannover Square. Tallest building completed in Raleigh in the 1980s.8Red Hat Tower Downtown — Moore Square192004Office Formerly known as Two Progress Tower, Progress Energy Tower. Previously the headquarters of Progress Energy; is now the headquarters of Red Hat.Dudley Price, "First a tower, now a complex," News & Observer, February 15, 2002.9301 Hillsborough Downtown — Glenwood South192022Office Phase 1 of the Raleigh Crossing development. Headquarters of Pendo.10Bank of America Tower North Hills182016Office Bank of America, Merrill Lynch and U.S. Trust moved their operations to the building. 11The Dillon Downtown — Warehouse District172018Office/ Residential The building was built on the 2.5-acre occupies the former Dillon Supply warehouse.12 The Holston at The Weld Downtown202025Residential Two tower developments near Dix Park.13 Ray at The Weld Downtown202025Residential Two tower developments near Dix Park.14Skyhouse Raleigh Downtown — Moore Square232015Residential Upon its completion in 2015, it became the tallest apartment building in Raleigh.15Captrust Tower North Hills172009Office 16Wake County Justice Center Downtown — Fayetteville Street122013Office 17 East Civic Tower Downtown — Fayetteville Street 17 2026 Office Topped out on November 7, 2025. It will be a city hall complex in downtown, which will consolidate most of the city functions into one building. The building is located at 110 S McDowell St, the former Raleigh Police Department headquarters.18Advance Auto Parts Tower North Hills202020Office Headquarters for Advance Auto Parts.19400H Downtown — Glenwood South202023Office/ Residential 20Wake County Public Safety Center Downtown — Fayetteville Street171991Office 21Cardinal North Hills - East TowerNorth Hills182023Residential Located in the North Hills area.22Holiday Inn Raleigh DowntownDowntown — Glenwood South20 1969Hotel Formerly known as Clarion Hotel. Future conversion to Hotel Indigo.

Raleigh Historic Landmark. Tallest building completed in Raleigh in the 1960s.23North Hills Tower 5North Hills182025OfficeLocated in the North Hills Innovation District.24333 Fayetteville Street Downtown — Fayetteville Street151964Office Formerly known as 333 Corporate Plaza, Capital Bank Plaza Was the tallest building in Raleigh before being surpassed by One Progress Plaza.25 The Strand North Hills 20 2027 Mixed-Use A 20-story residential tower with have 362 apartments and of ground-level retail. Topped out September 23, 2026.26Sheraton Capital Center Downtown — Fayetteville Street171982Hotel 27Charter Square Downtown — Fayetteville Street112015Office Platinum LEED certified.28The Maeve Downtown — Warehouse District202025Residential 29Park Central North Hills162017Residential 30West CondominiumsDowntown — Glenwood South152008Residential 31Wake County Office Building Downtown — Glenwood South151942Office Was the tallest building in Raleigh before being surpassed by 333 Fayetteville Street. Tallest building completed in Raleigh in the 1940s.32Raleigh Marriott City Center Downtown — Fayetteville Street172008Hotel33Quorum Center Downtown — Glenwood South152007Office/ Residential Building received damage from the Metropolitan apartment complex fire on March 16, 2017.

Tallest under construction or proposed

Under construction Buildings approved that are currently under construction, in site prep, or demolition phase. Buildings listed are planned to rise above and include:

Name Image Height(ft.)/(m.) Floors Year Status Primary PurposeNotes Highline Glenwood 37 2028 Under Construction Mixed-Use Initially planned to rise to 32 stories, but modified in 2022. The building experienced permit delays in 2023 and broke ground in October 2025. It will have 306 Residential units, and it will be the first phase of Highline Glenwood. The developer Turnbridge Equities, has secured financing for the project. Once complete, it is expected to be the tallest residential building in the city. Omni Raleigh 29 2028 Under Construction Mixed-Use It is a 29-story hotel containing 600 rooms and of retail. The site is located on former surface parking directly across the street from the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh. It broke ground in February 2026 and it will deliver near the end of 2028Union West232026Under ConstructionMixed-UseInitial planned for two towers, 32-stories. Now a single, 23-story building.

Proposed Buildings currently planned, approved or on hold. Buildings listed are planned to rise above 200 feet (60 m) and include: