List of tallest voluntarily demolished buildings

Voluntary building demolition is the decision by either the landowner or a higher government body to demolish a structure for any number of reasons, ranging from severe structural damage to the redevelopment of the land the building sits upon. Involuntary (or unplanned) building demolitions, such as the collapse of a building during a severe earthquake or by a terrorist attack, are not included in this list.

The demolition of especially high buildings presents unique challenges, especially when their location is within densely populated areas of their respective cities. Buildings particularly tall are most often deconstructed floor-by-floor down to the building's basement, as opposed to controlled implosion of the structure, which would most likely damage surrounding structures.

The following list includes the tallest demolished buildings, with an height of at least 100 meters (328 ft)

RankBuilding nameCityCountryHeightFloorsYear completedYear demolishedMethodReason
(m)(ft)
1AXA TowerSingapore Singapore2357715219862023DeconstructionDemolished for redevelopment of the tower's site.
2270 Park AvenueNew York United States2157075219602021DeconstructionDemolished to make way for a taller building at 270 Park Avenue.[1]
3Singer BuildingNew York United States1876124719081968DeconstructionDemolished to make way for One Liberty Plaza.
4CPF BuildingSingapore Singapore1715614619762017DeconstructionDemolished to make way for a 29-storey office tower (only 10 meters taller). 2nd tallest building ever to be demolished in Asia.
5Meena Plaza IAbu Dhabi United Arab Emirates168.5553462014 (halted)2020ImplosionTopped out, but never completed. Tallest building ever to be demolished using explosives.[2]
6Fuji Xerox TowersSingapore Singapore1655413819872023DeconstructionDemolished for redevelopment of the tower's site.
7World Trade Center (Tokyo)Tokyo Japan1635334019702023DeconstructionDemolished as part of the Hamamatsucho Station West Entrance District redevelopment
8Morrison HotelChicago United States1605264519251965ManualDemolished to make way for Bank One Plaza.
9Deutsche Bank BuildingNew York United States1585183919742011DeconstructionHeavily damaged from the September 11 attacks.
10UIC BuildingSingapore Singapore1524994019732013DeconstructionDemolished to make way for V on Shenton.
t-11One Meridian PlazaPhiladelphia United States1504923819721999DeconstructionHeavily damaged from a fire on February 23, 1991.
t-11Tun Razak TowerKuala Lumpur Malaysia1504923519832014DeconstructionDamaged from the 2014 fire that broke out on the 27th floor of the building.
13City Investing BuildingNew York United States1484873319081968ManualDemolished to make way for One Liberty Plaza.
Mizuho Bank Uchisaiwaichō Head Office BuildingTokyo Japan1434693819812023DeconstructionDemolished as part of the Uchisaiwaicho 1-Chome District Redevelopment
13The Ritz-Carlton, Hong KongHong Kong Hong Kong1424653119932009ManualDemolished to make way for China Construction Bank Tower.
14Grand Prince Hotel AkasakaTokyo Japan1414633919822013DeconstructionDemolished to make way for Tokyo Garden Terrace.
15Hennessy CentreHong Kong Hong Kong1404584119832008ManualDemolished to make way for Hysan Place.
t-16The Harmon HotelParadise United States138453472009 (halted)2015ManualFound to be structurally deficient and subsequently ordered demolished; never opened.
t-16Funkhaus am Raderberggürtel [de]Cologne Germany1384533419802019DeconstructionPartial vacancy since 2003.
t-18Ardmore Park Old Block 1Singapore Singapore1374493619781997ManualDemolished to build new structures on the site.[3]
t-18Ardmore Park Old Block 2Singapore Singapore1374493619781997ManualDemolished to build new structures on the site.
t-18Ardmore Park Old Block 3Singapore Singapore1374493619781997ManualDemolished to build new structures on the site.
21Shaw TowerSingapore Singapore1344403519752020DeconstructionDemolished for redevelopment of the tower’s site.
22J. L. Hudson Department Store and AdditionDetroit United States1344392919111998ImplosionBankruptcy of J.L. Hudson Department Store; replaced by the Hudson's Tower in 2017 with construction expected to be completed in 2024.
23National City Company BuildingNew York United States1314323219281982ManualDemolished to make way for 60 Wall Street.
24Palace IIRio de Janeiro Brazil1304262219951998ImplosionPartially collapsed on February 22, 1998 due to engineering error.
24.5Savoy-Plaza HotelNew York United States1284203319271965ManualDemolished to make way for the General Motors Building.
25State Office BlockSydney Australia1284203219651997ManualDemolished to make way for Aurora Place.
26The ExcelsiorHong Kong Hong Kong126.3414.53719732019ManualDemolished to make way for a 135m tall office tower.
27CAGA HouseSydney Australia1254103019771992ManualDemolished to make way for Governor Phillip Tower.
28Bayer-HochhausLeverkusen Germany1224003219632012ManualVarious issues with structure.
29Empire Landmark HotelVancouver Canada120393.74219732019DeconstructionDemolished to make way for a pair of new high-rise residential towers.
30Landmark TowerFort Worth United States120393.63019522006ImplosionAbandoned since 1990, and later damaged in a tornado in 2000. The cost to renovate the building was deemed unviable.
31Asahi Seimei Otemachi BuildingTokyo Japan119.63922919712023DeconstructionDemolished to make way for Torch Tower.
32First National Bank BuildingPittsburgh United States1183872619121969ManualDemolished to make way for One PNC Plaza.
32Jinhua BuildingXi'an China1183872119962015ImplosionDemolished for redevelopment of the tower's property. It was not used for decades even though it was legally the property of Jinhua Pharmaceutical Factory.
33Centre International RogierBrussels Belgium1173843019602001ManualDemolished to make way for Rogier Tower.
34AfE-TurmFrankfurt Germany1163813219722014ImplosionDemolished for redevelopment of the tower's site. Tallest building to have been imploded in Europe.
35Ocean TowerSouth Padre Island United States115379302008 (halted)2009ImplosionDemolished after cracks were found in the building's supporting columns, and various other deficiencies, were discovered during construction. Never opened.
36Trinity Court BuildingNew York United States1143742619272015ManualDemolished to make way for 76 Trinity Place
37Pearl Bank ApartmentsSingapore Singapore113.43723819762019DeconstructionDemolished to make way for One Pearl Bank.
38Richfield TowerLos Angeles United States1133721319291969ManualDemolished to make way for City National Plaza.
39Edifício São VitoSão Paulo Brazil1123672719592011ManualBuilding fell into disrepair.
40Landmark Hotel and Casino Las VegasParadise United States1113643119691995ImplosionDemolished to make way for a parking lot for the Las Vegas Convention Center.
41Wilson Mendes Caldeira Building [pt]São Paulo Brazil1103613219631975ImplosionImploded to make way for the metro station and Praça da Sé.
42Furama Hong Kong HotelHong Kong Hong Kong1103603219732002ManualDemolished to make way for AIA Central.
43Chongqing passenger transport building / Chaotianmen HotelChongqing China1103603219962012ImplosionDemolished to make way for Raffles City.
Yamato Seimei BuildingTokyo Japan1093592619842023DeconstructionDemolished as part of the Uchisaiwaicho 1-Chome District Redevelopment
44Stardust Resort & Casino Las VegasWinchester United States1083543219902007ImplosionDemolished to make way for Echelon Place and Resorts World Las Vegas.
45Lisbon Bank BuildingJohannesburg South Africa1083542619672019ImplosionA fire in 2018 caused the structure to be deemed unstable.[4][5][6]
46Yufeng buildingNanchang China1083542619902017Implosion
47Sheraton Lincoln HotelHouston United States1073522819622011DeconstructionThe hotel had sat vacant since 1986 at the time of its demolition.
48Millennium Hotel CincinnatiCincinnati United States1073503219772022Manual
49Windsor TowerMadrid Spain1063483219792005ManualHeavily damaged from a fire on February 12, 2005.
50Hotel Sofitel TokyoTokyo Japan1063482619942008Deconstruction
51Manhattan Life Insurance BuildingNew York United States1063481818941963 or 1964Manual
52Farmers Bank BuildingPittsburgh United States1053452719021997ImplosionDemolished due to a lack of tenants.
52Crowne Plaza HotelKuala Lumpur Malaysia1053452619732014DeconstructionDemolished to make way for the proposed Tradewinds Square.
53Capital Plaza TowerFrankfort United States1033382819722018ImplosionFalling concrete and water leaks from the building were reported in its later years. It was demolished to make way for a new 5-story office building, park, and 1,100-space parking garage.
54Supertech Apex TowerNoida India103338322009-2012 (halted)2022ImplosionDemolished due to Violation of National Building Code, along with the slightly smaller Ceyane Tower.
55New York Tribune BuildingNew York United States1023351918751966Manual
56Enterprise HouseMelbourne Australia1023362419732020DeconstructionDemolished to redevelop the tower's site.
57Friedrich-Engelhorn-HochhausLudwigshafen Germany1013332819572014ManualDemolished for the new BASF headquarters building.
58Martin TowerBethlehem United States1013322119722019ImplosionDemolished for mixed-use rezoning of the tower's property.
59Sparkasse Hagen TowerHagen Germany1013312119752004ImplosionDamage from water leakage problems.
60Tower BuildingBaltimore United States1013301619121986Manual
61Drapers' GardensLondon United Kingdom1003283019672007DeconstructionDemolished for redevelopment of the tower's site.
62Southwark TowersLondon United Kingdom1003282519762008DeconstructionDemolished to make way for The Shard.

References