Rising 1,070 feet tall, the Salesforce Tower is the tallest building in the Bay Area, the 17th tallest in the United States, and the 91st tallest in the world. The distinctive glass-wrapped tower has been designed by one of the preeminent architects in the world, Pelli Clarke Pelli. Unsurprisingly, it remains a divisive contribution to the San Francisco skyline.
In January of 2021, the Oceanwide Center in San Francisco was expected to become the second tallest tower in the Bay Area. Construction was put on hold in October of 2020, and subsequent issues throughout 2021 have imperiled Oceanwide’s plans. However, foundation work is complete, and there remains hope that a new developer could pick up and finish the highly anticipated 910-foot tower designed by Foster + Partners.
The third tallest building proposed or built, and the second tower building standing in the Bay Area, is the Transamerica Pyramid, the defining icon for the San Francisco skyline since its completion in 1972. With a rooftop height of 853 feet tall, the pyramid would not be surpassed in height until 2018 with the completion of the Salesforce Tower. William L. Pereira & Associates is responsible for the design.
The fourth tallest skyscraper in the city planned or built is 181 Fremont Street, a residential tower overlooking the Transbay Transit Center in SoMa, San Francisco. Completed in 2017, it is the tallest mixed-use tower in the Bay Area standing 810 feet above street level. Heller Manus Architects is responsible for the design.
The fifth tallest building in the Bay Area planned or built in the SFYIMBY January 2021 Countdown is the Transbay Parcel F at 550 Howard Street in SoMa, San Francisco. Proposed by a joint venture with Hines, Urban Pacific, and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, the mixed-use tower will rise 806 feet above street level. Construction is scheduled to start in the first quarter of next year.
