The Tallest Buildings in Tampa

Tampa is the third largest city in the Florida state situated in the Tampa Bay. The main city covers an area of about 175.22 square miles, and the whole Tampa area is home to 2.4 million people as of the 2016 census. The main economic activities that drive the city are finance, retail, healthcare, insurance, real estate, tourism, and shipping both by air and by the sea which employ more than 922,000 people. Many large corporations that range from banks to telecommunication giants have their regional offices in the city of Tampa which has contributed significantly to the high presence of tall buildings that dot the Tampa skyline.

The Tallest Buildings in Tampa

100 North Tampa

The 100 North Tampa is the tallest building in Tampa City towering at 579 feet and housing 42 floors. 100 North Tampa was formerly called Regions Building and was constructed from 1990 to 1992 costing a total of $108 million in the process. It has a floor area of 552,080 square feet and is equipped with 15 elevators. 100 North Tampa is home to Regions Bank, KPMG, the American International Group and Holland & Knight, a law firm among others.

Bank of America Plaza

The Bank of America Plaza is the second tallest building in Tampa and stands at 577 feet with 42 floors. The building was completed in 1986 and was known as Barnett Plaza before changing to its current name. It has a 20,000 square foot floor area. On January 5, 2002, a plane flown by a 15-year-old amateur pilot crashed into the Plaza destroying part of it.

One Tampa City Center

One Tampa City Center is an office skyscraper standing at 537 feet and housing 39 floors. It has been known by two names in the past, first as GTE Center and later as the Verizon Building, and it was constructed in 1981. One Tampa City Center covers 735,024 square feet of floor area and is home to famous firms like Merrill Lynch, Verizon, PNC Bank, and many others.

SunTrust Financial Center

Standing at 525 feet, the SunTrust Financial Center was completed in 1992 and houses 36 floors making it the fourth tallest building in Tampa. It is an office complex that was designed by Cooper Carry. The building was designed to withstand winds of up to 110 mph.

Element

The Element stands at 460 feet and has 35 floors. Unlike the others on the list, the Element is a residential building that was completed in 2009. It has 395 residential units that range from 734-2470 square feet. The rent for the units starts from $1,605 per month.

History of High-Rise Buildings in Tampa

Tampa is home to more than 127 high-rise buildings out of which 15 rise to more than 280 feet high. The history of skyscrapers in the city began in 1913 after the Citizens Bank Building was completed; it was the first high-rise building in the city and it stood at ten stories high. This was the beginning of high-rise buildings in the city. The first building to surpass 250 feet was Franklin Exchange Building which stood at 280 feet. A construction boom was experienced in the city since 1981 ranking it second in the high-rise building count in the US.