From Oklahoma to Texas, cities across the United States are engaging in a vertical race, with new skyscraper projects aiming to redefine their skylines.

Currently in the lead is Oklahoma City’s Legends Tower, a 1,907-foot structure that would be the tallest building in the U.S. upon completion. However, other towers in New York, Austin, Detroit, and Bellevue are advancing their own bids.

Why It Matters

The race for the world’s tallest building is an international one, though the U.S. does not currently have a competitor that could beat either the current tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, or the Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia, which will be the tallest in the world upon completion.

Legends Tower (Oklahoma City, OK)

• Height: 1,907 feet
• Floors: 126
• Use: Mixed-use (residential, hotel, retail)

The Legends Tower will be the most prominent of the new generation of skyscrapers, standing taller than One World Trade Center in Manhattan and making Oklahoma City, rather than New York or Chicago, home to the nation’s tallest building. It will also be the sixth-tallest building in the world. It is currently scheduled for completion by 2030.

270 Park Avenue (New York City, NY)

• Height: 1,388 ft
• Floors: 60
• Use: Office (JPMorgan Chase headquarters)

Currently under construction in Midtown Manhattan, this tower will serve as JPMorgan Chase’s new headquarters. At 60 stories, it is set to become one of the tallest office buildings in New York, replacing the Union Carbide Building. Construction began in 2021, with topping out expected in 2025.

3. Waterline – Austin, TX

• Height: 1,031 ft
• Floors: 74
• Use: Mixed-use (residential, hotel, office)

Waterline will become Texas’s tallest building when completed in 2026. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, the tower will integrate 351 luxury apartments, a 251-room 1 Hotel Austin, and 700,000 square feet of office space. Located at 98 Red River Street, adjacent to Lady Bird Lake, the development will also feature 24,000 square feet of ground-level retail and restaurants.

4. Hudson’s Site Tower – Detroit, MI

• Height: 685 ft
• Floors: 49
• Use: Mixed-use (residential, hotel, retail)

The Hudson’s Site development will be the tallest in Michigan when it opens in 2025. Built on the historic site of the former J.L. Hudson’s department store, the SHoP Architects-designed tower features a 49-story skyscraper, a 14-story mid-rise, and underground parking. It will host 97 luxury condos, a 210-room EDITION Hotel, and General Motors’ new global headquarters, along with retail and event space.

5. Bellevue 600 – Bellevue, WA

• Height: 600 ft
• Floors: 43
• Use: Office

Bellevue 600 topped out in 2024 at 600 feet, becoming the tallest building in the city, and will be the first tower on this list to be completed; it is expected to be finished later in 2025. The 43-story tower, designed by NBBJ for Amazon, includes 885,000 square feet of office space, a 16,000-square-foot meeting center, and 14,000 square feet of retail. Located at 600 108th Avenue NE, it’s directly connected to the Bellevue Downtown Link light rail station and the city’s transit hub.