# List of tallest buildings in Milwaukee

The city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is home to 119 high-rise buildings or skyscrapers, 55 of which stand at 200 ft (61 m) or taller. The majority of the city's tallest buildings are located north of the Interstate 794, south of Juneau Avenue, east of Interstate 43, and west of Lincoln Memorial Drive. There are additional high-rises extending northward along Lake Michigan. The tallest building in Milwaukee, and Wisconsin, is the 42-story, 601 ft (183 m) tall U.S. Bank Center, which was completed in 1973. The second-tallest is the 32-story, 550 ft (170 m) tall Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons building, completed in 2017.
The history of skyscrapers in Milwaukee began with the Pabst Building. Completed in 1891, and standing 235 ft (72 m) tall, it was Milwaukee's first skyscraper, and the tallest building in the city until the Milwaukee City Hall was completed four years later. The Pabst Building was demolished in 1981. For nearly eighty years, from 1895 to 1973, City Hall dominated the skyline, and was at the time of its completion, the tallest habitable building in the United States. A significant building boom occurred in the 1960s, resulting in eleven of the top sixteen tallest buildings of the time having been built in that decade, and then between 1985 and 1991, six of the eight tallest buildings of the time were constructed. But a third significant building boom in the twenty-first century includes the construction of the Moderne, a skyscraper with luxury condominiums, the 833 East Michigan office building, the Potawatomi Casino Hotel, the Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons, the 25-story, 335 feet (102 m) tall BMO Financial Center, the 34-story, 387 feet (118 m) tall 7Seventy7 Residential tower, the mass timber Ascent MKE, the 44-story, 537 ft (164 m) tall Couture, and the 31-story, 342 ft (104 m) tall 333 North Water luxury apartment tower, all built since 2012. Future under-construction or approved skyscrapers include the resurrected 27-story, 301 feet (92 m) tall Goll Mansion Apartment Tower and the 32-story 362 ft (110 m) tall Edison, resulting in nine of the sixteen tallest buildings in the city having been constructed since 2005. Another six high-rises have been proposed since the beginning of 2017.

## Tallest buildings

This list ranks the fifty tallest Milwaukee skyscrapers based on standard height measurement. This includes spires and architectural details, but does not include antenna masts. The "Year" column indicates the year of completion.
| Rank | Name | Height ft / m | Floors | Year | Notes |
| 1 | U.S. Bank Center | 601 ft (183 m) | 42 | 1973 | Tallest building in the state; previously called the First Wisconsin Center (1973–92) and the Firstar Center (1992–2002). The building won a Distinguished Building Award from the Chicago Chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 1974. |
| 2 | Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons | 550 ft (170 m) | 32 | 2017 | Largest building in Wisconsin by square footage, and the second-tallest in the state. |
| 3 | The Couture | 537 ft (164 m) | 44 | 2024 | Tallest residential building in the state of Wisconsin. |
| 4 | 100 East Wisconsin | 495 ft (151 m) | 37 | 1989 | Designed as a postmodern version of old German vernacular architecture and built on the site of the former 14-story Pabst skyscraper, this was the second tallest building in the state for 28 years. |
| 5 | University Club Tower | 446 ft (136 m) | 36 | 2007 | Tallest building constructed in the 21st century, until the Northwestern Mutual Tower. |
| 6 | Associated Bank River Center | 426 ft (130 m) | 28 | 1988 | Second-tallest building in Milwaukee at the time it was completed. In 2016, Associated Bank, the largest Wisconsin-based bank, purchased the building for 60.5 million dollars. |
| 7 | 411 East Wisconsin Center | 408 ft (124 m) | 30 | 1985 | Constructed with 1,200 eight-ton, pre-cast concrete panels in a modern architectural style. Riverview Realty Partners purchased the building in 2014. The new owners have tried to make this a Green Building. The building boasts a 5-story high lobby. |
| 8 | Northwestern Mutual North Tower | 395 ft (120 m) | 19 | 1990 | The light blue pyramid at the top is lit at night. In 2023, Northwestern Mutual announced a major renovation to the North Tower. |
| 9 | 7Seventy7 | 387 ft (118 m) | 34 | 2018 | The residential tower includes 310 apartments, parking, retail, and a public plaza. |
| 10 | Kilbourn Tower | 380 ft (120 m) | 34 | 2005 | Luxury condominiums in Milwaukee. Example: In 2018 the entire 31st floor is a condominium which was priced at $1.8 million. |
| 11 | Milwaukee City Hall | 353 ft (108 m) | 15 | 1895 | Tallest habitable building in the world for more than four years after completion (1895–99); tallest building in Milwaukee for nearly 80 years. Was the tallest building in Milwaukee before being surpassed by U.S. Bank Center. |
| 12 | The Moderne | 348 ft (106 m) | 31 | 2012 | Tallest building in Wisconsin west of the Milwaukee River. |
| 13 | 333 North Water | 342 ft (104 m) | 31 | 2024 | The residential tower boasts the highest rents in Milwaukee on a per-square-foot basis. |
| 14 | BMO Financial Center | 335 ft (102 m) | 25 | 2020 | The bank's new 360,000-square-foot, 25-story office tower was turned over to occupants in April 2020. |
| 15 | American Family Field | 330 ft (100 m) | 4 | 2001 | (Formerly Miller Park) Tallest Stadium in MLB and Wisconsin. |
| 16 | The Potawatomi Casino Hotel | 307 ft (94 m) | 21 | 2014 | With the 2019 expansion of a second tower, the hotel reached 500 rooms. |
| 17 | 1000 North Water Street | 296 ft (90 m) | 16 | 1991 | The light pink facade and windows give it a unique appearance in Milwaukee's skyline. The building also is home to the Milwaukee field office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. |
| 18 | Chase Tower | 288 ft (88 m) | 22 | 1961 | Second-tallest building in Milwaukee at the time it was completed. Once the site of the Marine Bank, it was known as Bank One Plaza before Bank One's merger with Chase. Contains 480,000 square feet of Class A office space and houses Milwaukee Public Radio. |
| 19 | Ascent MKE | 284 ft (87 m) | 25 | 2022 | The 25-story, 493,000 sq. ft. structure is the world’s tallest timber structure. |
| 20 | Allen-Bradley Clock Tower | 283 ft (86 m) | 17 | 1962 | The world's second-largest four-sided clock sits atop this tower. |
| 21 | Wisconsin Tower | 280 ft (85 m) | 22 | 1930 | Second-tallest building in Milwaukee at the time of its completion in 1930. The 22 story Art-Deco tower was converted into 74 condominiums in 2006. |
| 22 | St. Johns on the Lake - North Tower | 280 ft (85 m) | 22 | 2020 | The new building was opened in March 2020 and includes 79 independent living units, 16 catered living units, a lecture hall/performance space and two levels of below-grade parking. |
| 23 | BMO Harris Bank Building | 277 ft (84 m) | 21 | 1969 | Former headquarters of M&I Bank, the largest bank based in Wisconsin. |
| 24 | Bay View Terrace | 275 ft (84 m) | 25 | 1964 | Tallest building on Milwaukee's south side. The north and south facades have no windows, save for the balcony doors. |
| 25 | Hilton Milwaukee City Center | 274 ft (84 m) | 25 | 1927 | Second-tallest building in Milwaukee at the time of its completion. The antenna on top makes the total height of the building 630 feet (192m), and this hotel is the largest in Milwaukee when measured by the number of rooms (729). |
| 26 | Diamond Tower | 267.4 ft (81.5 m) | 21 | 1982 | Contains 113 condos. |
| 27 | St. Johns on the Lake - South Tower | 267.4 ft (81.5 m) | 21 | 2011 | |
| 28 | Regency House | 265 ft (81 m) | 27 | 1969 | High Rise in "East Town" neighborhood. In 1974 the apartments were sold as condominiums. |
| 29 | Juneau Village | 264 ft (80 m) | 27 | 1965 | The building is owned by Lore Hauck. Rent starts at $600 for a one bedroom. |
| 30 | Yankee Hill Apartments 1 | 261 ft (80 m) | 23 | 1987 | High end residential rental units in downtown Milwaukee. |
| 31 | The BreakWater | 260 ft (79 m) | 21 | 2009 | |
| 32 | 833 East Michigan | 258 ft (79 m) | 17 | 2016 | |
| 33 | 633 Building | 252 ft (77 m) | 20 | 1964 | In 2017 a real estate developer (J. Jeffers & Co.) purchased the building. A 40-foot sign advertising Miller Brewing Company is situated atop the tower. |
| 34 | Wisconsin Gas Building | 250 ft (76 m) | 20 | 1930 | The light on top turns either red, blue, or gold depending on the weather forecast for the following day. |
| 35 | The Pfister Hotel | 250 ft (76 m) | 21 | 1965 | Hotel dates back to the late 19th century. Visitors have claimed it is haunted. The tower was added to the hotel in 1965. |
| 36 | Basilica of St. Josaphat | 250 ft (76 m) | 1 | 1897 | The Basilica of St. Josaphat is the tallest church in Milwaukee. The dome on this church is the world's sixth largest. |
| 37 | Locust Court Apartments | 250 ft (76 m) | 24 | 1969 | In 2019 the Milwaukee Housing Authority considered tearing the building down to make way for a mixed income development. |
| 38 | Arlington Court Apartments | 250 ft (76 m) | 24 | 1969 | This high rise is managed by the Milwaukee Housing Authority (230 one bedroom apartments). In order to live in this building a tenant must be 50 years old or older, or be an adult with a Disability. |
| 39 | Landmark on the Lake | 248 ft (76 m) | 27 | 1991 | The building is 248 feet tall from the Prospect Avenue entrance; the building is 350 feet tall at the rear. There are 275 condominium units in the 27 floor high rise. |
| 40 | Cathedral Place | 244 ft (74 m) | 19 | 2004 | A mixed-use tower where the 27 residential units are on the lower floors, and the 200,000 square feet of office space is on the upper floors. The building won a Distinguished Building Award from the Chicago Chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 2005. |
| 41 | UW-Milwaukee's Sandburg Residence Hall, North Tower | 243 ft (74 m) | 27 | 1971 | The North Tower's height reaches 482 feet (147 m) with the antenna. |
| 42 | Riverview Apartments | 242 ft (74 m) | 19 | 1964 | This building is owned and managed by The Milwaukee Public Housing Authority. It is considered low income housing, and rent can be as low as $50. |
| 43 | Yankee Hill Apartments 2 | 242 ft (74 m) | 23 | 1987 | |
| 44 | The Potawatomi Casino Hotel Tower II | 242 ft (74 m) | 19 | 2019 | Addition of 119 rooms and suites to bring the hotel total to 500 rooms. |
| 45 | Hyatt Regency | 229.24 ft (69.87 m) | 18 | 1980 | |
| 46 | Two-Fifty | 229.24 ft (69.87 m) | 18 | 1973 | Klug & Smith Co designed the 14 story office building on the site. The 19-story Contemporary-style tower was designed by Perkins & Will |
| 47 | Straz Tower | 229.24 ft (69.87 m) | 18 | 1954 | Formerly the YMCA Building. This building is on the Marquette University Campus. |
| 48 | Cudahy Tower | 224 ft (68 m) | 16 | 1928 | |
| 49 | Park Lafayette North Tower | 221 ft (67 m) | 20 | 2009 | |
| 50 | Park Lafayette South Tower | 221 ft (67 m) | 20 | 2009 | |
| 51 | Catholic Financial Life Building | 220 ft (67 m) | 18 | 1970 | |
| 52 | Prospect Tower (Milwaukee) | 217 ft (66 m) | 23 | 1964 | |
| 53 | City Center at 735 | 216 ft (66 m) | 16 | 1914 | |
| 54 | AT&T Building | 213 ft (65 m) | 19 | 1924 | |
| 55 | Wells Building | 212 ft (65 m) | 15 | 1901 | |
| 56 | 310W (formerly Reuss Federal Plaza) | 210 ft (64 m) | 14 | 1983 | |
| 57 | Edgewater Terrace | 203 ft (62 m) | 17 | 1967 | There are 74 residential condominiums in the tower— 1, 2 and 3 bedroom units. |

## Tallest under construction, approved, and proposed

This lists buildings that are under construction, approved, or proposed in Milwaukee.
| Name | Height feet / m | Floors | Year | Status | Notes | Reference |
| 1550 N. Prospect Ave. | 277/84 | 25 | 2025 | Approved | A proposal to move the Goll Mansion closer to Prospect Avenue was approved by the Common Council in September 2017, allowing the tower to be constructed in the Mansion's current location. After years of delay, the project was revived on April 12, 2022 by a new investor group. In December 2022 a new design was approved with construction expected to start in 2023. | [120][121][122] [123][124] |
| The Edison | 362' | 32 | 2027 | Approved | Planned mass-timber residential high-rise. Groundbreaking planned for late-2023 with completion in 2027. Originally planned for 15 stories, it was later updated to be 32 stories. Would likely be the tallest mass timber tower in the United States if built. | |
| 1490 N Farwell Ave | 251’ | 25 | 2024 | Approved | Proposed by New Land Enterprises with 310 apartments. Includes the Renaissance Place event center, which could be reopened in some form as part of the development. | |
| Masonic Center Hotel | 234/71 | 18 | Unknown | Approved | The existing 128-year-old Masonic Center will be renovated, and a 14-story tower will be built above it, at a cost of $60 million. In December 2018 developers announced a delay due to Updated timeline has the project starting in June 2019 and completing by early 2021. As of May 2020, no construction has occurred, and no update has been offered. | |
| Portfolio | Unknown | 20 | Unknown | Proposed | A proposed 20-story, $100 million apartment tower is to include 176 apartments by Milwaukee based Mandel Group. It was scheduled to break ground during the 3rd quarter of 2019, but no updates have been announced regarding construction. | |
| 1433 N Water Street | 240+/73+ | 24 | Unknown | Proposed | The Redevelopment Authority board's approval in May 2017 to waive the Park East redevelopment plan's height limitation of 12 stories for the N. Water St. site is the last announced development for the project. | |
| Edison Place | 240/73.2 | 20 | Unknown | Proposed | Mix-used building which would include possible move-in of the Marcus Corp headquarters, was set for construction in fall 2017 if tenants and financing could have been arranged, but no new announcements have been made since Marcus did soil testing in 2018. | |
| The Caroline | 390' | 32 | Unknown | Proposed | Announced in April 2019. Proposed 350 mixed-income units and 40,000 square feet of office space. Developed by the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee. Target start of 2020 with two years to completion. | |

## Timeline of tallest buildings

| Name | Height | Floors | Year | Status | Notes |
| Pabst Building | 235 ft (72 m) | 14 | 1891 | Demolished | The Pabst Building was 14 stories, tall constructed in a neo-gothic style. Great detailing and a granite arch at the entrance. This building was Milwaukee's first skyscraper: at the time the Pabst was the tallest building in Milwaukee. The building was demolished in 1981, 100 East Wisconsin was constructed on this site eight years later. |
| Milwaukee City Hall | 353 ft (108 m) | 15 | 1895 | Completed | Dominated the Milwaukee skyline for nearly eighty years and was the tallest habitable building in the world at completion. Will drop out of the top ten tallest buildings in Milwaukee once the Couture is completed. |
| U.S. Bank Center | 601 ft (183 m) | 42 | 1973 | Completed | Tallest building in Wisconsin since its completion. A square block was cleared to make way for The First Wisconsin building. |

## Tallest demolished

This table lists buildings in Milwaukee that were demolished and at one time stood at least 200 feet (61 m) in height.
| Name | Height ft (m) | Floors | Completed in | Destroyed in | Notes |
| Northwestern Mutual Place | 283 ft (86 m) | 16 | 1979 | 2014 | Demolished and replaced with the Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons |
| Pabst Building | 235 ft (72 m) | 14 | 1891 | 1981 | |
| Lake Front Depot | 234 ft (71 m) | | 1889 | 1968 | |