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Long Island, New York, is not known for having many tall buildings. As a suburban region, residents and local governments have generally opposed proposals to construct tall buildings, to distinguish it from neighboring Queens and Brooklyn, which are geographically part of Long Island but are part of New York City. Most of the tallest buildings were constructed by government entities, who are exempt from local zoning regulations.
Long Island has one building taller than 300 feet (91 m), the Stony Brook University Hospital tower, and at least four other buildings taller than 200 feet, including Nassau University Medical Center and the Alfonse M. D'Amato United States Courthouse. Long Island has no cluster of high-rises dense enough to create an urban landscape, although there are regions with a larger number of scattered high-rises. A number of non-building structures are also prominent, such as the 620-foot (190 m) stacks of the Northport Power Station.
This article covers buildings in Nassau County and Suffolk County. Buildings in Queens and in Brooklyn are listed in their own articles, as the New York City boroughs are conventionally excluded from cultural definitions of Long Island.[1][2][3]
Long Island has few tall buildings, in contrast to neighboring New York City. Long Island's identity as the birthplace of suburbia involves a desire to maintain the opposite of an urban landscape, with a flat landscape where high-rises are seen to be eyesores that clash with their surroundings, and even three-story buildings can provoke opposition.[1][2] This has been characterized as a desire to prevent Long Island from being "Queensified", referring to the neighboring New York City borough.[2] The North Shore Towers complex of three 32-story apartment buildings, immediately over the border from Nassau County in Queens, has been often cited as the kind of development Long Islanders seek to avoid.[1][3][4]
It has been noted that since most buildings are lower than the trees, views from the few tall buildings consists almost of treetops punctuated by water towers.[1][4] The buildings themselves are generally regarded as being architecturally undistinguished.[1]
As of 1974, there were 107 municipal zoning codes on Long Island, most of which limited buildings to four stories;[4] in 2016 there were 175 zoning and building districts, stymieing the construction of tall buildings.[2] Most tall buildings on Long Island have been built by the state or county rather than private developers, as they are exempt from these local codes.[4] The opposition to high-rises also had a racial element, being stereotypically associated with minority residents.[1][2]
While Long Island has no cluster of high-rises dense enough to create an urban landscape, there are regions with a larger number of scattered high-rises. One is the region in and around northern Uniondale in central Nassau County, including Hofstra University's library and six dormitory buildings, Nassau University Medical Center, Nassau Community College, four office buildings, and a hotel.[1][5] Another cluster of mid-rise apartment buildings is along the waterfront in Long Beach.[1]
A handful of tall buildings are part of former state psychiatric institutions scattered around Suffolk County, including Edgewood State Hospital (now demolished), Kings Park Psychiatric Center, and Pilgrim Psychiatric Center.[4]
Long Island also has several non-building structures, including broadcast antennas, smokestacks, and water towers. The most prominent of these are the four 620-foot stacks of the Northport Power Station, and other power plants constructed by the Long Island Lighting Company.[1][4]
In the mid 20th century, Democrats generally favored more high-rises, while Republicans opposed them.[1][5] In the late 2000s, the Lighthouse Project proposal to construct a 60-story tower, later changed to two 30-story towers, near Nassau Coliseum was vigorously opposed.[6]
The 21st century saw the beginning of a movement in certain regions towards transit-oriented development around Long Island Rail Road stations, with 11,000 housing units approved in the nine years preceding 2016. The villages of Hempstead and Mineola were seen as being particularly receptive to taller residential buildings, along with Great Neck Plaza, Glen Cove, Long Beach, Farmingdale, Ronkonkoma, Riverhead, and Riverside.[2] On the other hand, the proposed Nassau Hub development surrounding Nassau Coliseum is envisioned as a "walkable, engaging suburban downtown" with no buildings over 100 feet.[7] Increasing the number of rental units, which are rare in the region, was seen as important to attracting young adults and thus employers, as well as retaining older residents who might otherwise relocate to Florida.[2]
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This table lists buildings higher than 100 feet (30 m). A building is defined as a structure with walls and a roof.
Name (Former names) |
Image | Height | Floors | Opened | Location | Notes | Coordinates | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stony Brook University Hospital | ![]() |
360 ft 110 m |
16 | 1976 | Stony Brook | Tallest building in suburban Long Island, Suffolk County, and Town of Brookhaven | 40.9097°N 73.1158°W | [1][4][8][9] |
Nassau University Medical Center | ![]() |
299 ft 91 m |
19 | 1974 | East Meadow | Tallest building in Nassau County and Town of Hempstead | 40.7261°N 73.5549°W | [1][4][5][10] |
Alfonse M. D'Amato United States Courthouse | ![]() |
240 ft 73 m |
12 | 2000 | Central Islip | Tallest building in Town of Islip | 40.7596°N 73.1906°W | [1][11] |
Jones Beach Water Tower | ![]() |
231 ft 70 m |
N/A | 1929 | Jones Beach State Park | [4][12] | ||
Edgewood State Hospital Building 102 | 229 ft 70 m |
13 | 1942 | Deer Park | Demolished; former tallest building in Town of Babylon | [4][13][14] | ||
Robert Moses State Park Water Tower | ![]() |
208 ft 63 m |
N/A | 1968 | Robert Moses State Park | [4][15] | ||
Kings Park Psychiatric Center Building 93 | ![]() |
193 ft 59 m |
13 | 1939 | Kings Park | Tallest building in Town of Smithtown | [4][16][17] | |
Hofstra University Constitution Hall |
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184 ft 56 m |
15 | 1967 | Uniondale | Second tallest building in the town of Hempstead | [4][7] | |
Hofstra University Estabrook Hall |
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184 ft 56 m |
15 | 1967 | Uniondale | [4][7] | ||
Hofstra University Enterprise Hall |
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184 ft 56 m |
15 | 1968 | Uniondale | [4][7] | ||
Hofstra University Vander Poel Hall |
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184 ft 56 m |
15 | 1968 | Uniondale | [4][7] | ||
AT&T Site Tower | 176 ft 54 m |
11 | 1970 | Dix Hills | Tallest building in Town of Huntington | [4][18] | ||
RXR Plaza (EAB Plaza) |
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175 ft 53 m |
15 | 1983 | Uniondale | Two towers of equal height | [1][8][7][19] | |
H. Lee Dennison Administration Building | ![]() |
175 ft 53 m |
12 | 1969 | Hauppauge | [4][20][21] | ||
Hofstra University Alliance Hall |
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171 ft 52 m |
13 | 1966 | Uniondale | [4][7] | ||
Hofstra University Bill of Rights Hall |
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171 ft 52 m |
13 | 1966 | Uniondale | [4][7] | ||
St. Agnes Cathedral | ![]() |
168 ft 51 m |
N/A | 1935 | Rockville Centre | 40.6598°N 73.6463°W | [4][22] | |
Cathedral of the Incarnation | ![]() |
165 ft 50 m |
N/A | 1885 | Garden City | 40.7122°N 73.7222°W | [4][23] | |
Fire Island Lighthouse | ![]() |
164 ft 50 m |
N/A | 1858 | Fire Island National Seashore | 40.6324°N 73.2186°W | [1][4][24] | |
Kings Park Psychiatric Center Building 7 | ![]() |
160 ft 49 m |
13 | 1966 | Kings Park | [4][25][26] | ||
Long Island MacArthur Airport control tower | ![]() |
159 ft 48 m |
2011 | Ronkonkoma | At left in photo | [27] | ||
Nassau Community College Administrative Tower | ![]() |
146 ft 45 m |
12 | 1978 | Uniondale | [7][28] | ||
Hofstra University Axinn Library |
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140 ft 43 m |
11 | 1967 | Hempstead | [29] | ||
Long Island Marriott | ![]() |
135 ft 41 m |
11 | 1982 | Uniondale | [7][19] | ||
North Shore University Hospital | ![]() |
132 ft 40 m |
10 | 1976 | Manhasset | 40.7775°N 73.7017°W | [30][31] | |
10 West Apartments (Avalon Towers) |
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11 | 1990 | Long Beach | [32][33] | |||
One Third Avenue | ![]() |
11 | 2016 | Mineola | Tallest building in Town of North Hempstead | [34] | ||
Glenwood Generating Station | ![]() |
125 ft 38 m |
6 | 1931 | Glenwood Landing | Demolished; height excludes stacks on roof of building | 40.8277°N 73.648°W | [4][35] |
The Omni | ![]() |
122 ft 37 m |
10 | 1990 | Uniondale | [7][19][36] | ||
Long Beach Terrace | ![]() |
10 | 1965 | Long Beach | Two towers | [32][37] | ||
Renaissance Condominiums | ![]() |
10 | 1985 | Long Beach | [32][38] | |||
Hyatt Regency Long Island | 10 | 1986 | Happauge | [20][39] | ||||
Seapointe Towers | ![]() |
10 | 1988 | Long Beach | [32][40] | |||
Islandia Marriott Long Island | 10 | 1988 | Islandia | Now Jake's 58 Casino Hotel | [41][42] | |||
White Sands of Long Beach | ![]() |
10 | 2004 | Long Beach | [32][43] | |||
Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center | 120 ft 37 m |
1959 | West Islip | 40.6962°N 73.2946°W | [4][44] | |||
Montauk Point Lighthouse | ![]() |
110 ft 34 m |
N/A | 1796 | Montauk | Tallest building in Town of East Hampton | 41.0710°N 71.8571°W | [1] |
Pilgrim Psychiatric Center Building 25 | ![]() |
110 ft 34 m |
10 | Brentwood | [4][45] | |||
Pilgrim Psychiatric Center Buildings 81 and 82 | 110 ft 34 m |
9 | Brentwood | Two towers | [4][45] | |||
John P. Cohalan, Jr. Courthouse | 9 | 1992 | Central Islip | [11] | ||||
Courthouse Corporate Center | 9 | 2003 | Central Islip | [11][46] | ||||
The Financial Center | ![]() |
9 | 1986 | East Meadow | [10] | |||
Garden City Hotel | ![]() |
9 | 1983 | Garden City | 40.7244°N 73.6406°W | [47][48] | ||
Wyndham Condominiums | 9 | 1989 | Garden City | Two buildings | [48] | |||
Morgan Parc Apartments | ![]() |
9 | 2020 | Mineola | [34] | |||
Long Island MacArthur Airport old control tower | ![]() |
107 ft 33 m |
7 | 1963 | Ronkonkoma | At right in photo; demolished in 2015 | [27][49][50] | |
St. Patrick Catholic Church | ![]() |
106 ft 32 m |
N/A | 1900 | Glen Cove | [51] | ||
Neptune Towers | ![]() |
106 ft 32 m |
10 | 1968 | Long Beach | [4][32][52] | ||
Belmont Park Grandstand | ![]() |
105 ft 32 m |
N/A | 1968 | Elmont | 40.7150°N 73.7228°W | [53][54] | |
Republic Airport control tower | 100 ft 30 m |
N/A | ca. 1970 | East Farmingdale | [55] | |||
666 Old Country Road | ![]() |
100 ft 30 m |
8 | 1980 | Uniondale | [5][48][56][57] | ||
UBS Arena | ![]() |
100 ft 30 m |
N/A | 2021 | Elmont | 40.7121°N 73.7272°W | [58] |
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Name | Image | Height | Opened | Location | Notes | Coordinates | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WFTY-DT tower | ![]() |
681 ft 208 m |
1984 | Middle Island | Tallest structure on Long Island, Suffolk County, and Town of Brookhaven | 40.8897°N 72.9531°W | [59] |
WLNY-TV tower | 642 ft 196 m |
1985 | Middle Island | 40.8973°N 72.9151°W | [59] | ||
Northport Power Station | 620 ft 190 m |
1967 | Fort Salonga | Tallest structure in Town of Huntington | 40.9231°N 73.3433°W | [1][4][59] | |
WEHM tower | 510 ft 160 m |
1998 | Manorville | 40.8551°N 72.7691°W | [59] | ||
American Tower tower | 500 | 2000 | Islip | Tallest structure in Town of Islip | 40.7518°N 73.2134°W | [59] | |
RCA Radio Central antennas | 450 ft 140 m |
1921 | Rocky Point | Demolished | [4][60] | ||
Port Jefferson Power Station | 434 ft 132 m |
1948 | Port Jefferson | [4][61] | |||
KeySpan weather tower | 420 ft 130 m |
1973 | Jamesport | Tallest structure in Town of Riverhead | 40.9864°N 72.585°W | [59] | |
KeySpan weather tower | 420 ft 130 m |
1973 | Wading River | 40.9572°N 72.8825°W | [59] | ||
Univision tower | 414 ft 126 m |
2014 | Central Islip | 40.8072°N 73.1794°W | [59] | ||
Grandview Development tower | 393 ft 120 m |
2006 | Hauppauge | 40.8153°N 73.1783°W | [59] | ||
Covanta Hempstead (American Ref-Fuel) |
![]() |
382 ft 116 m |
1989 | Uniondale | Tallest structure in Nassau County and Town of Hempstead | [1][62][63] | |
Suffolk County Police Department tower | 380 ft 120 m |
1998 | Hauppauge | 40.8093°N 73.2207°W | [59] | ||
Village of Greenport tower | 377 ft 115 m |
1997 | Greenport | Tallest structure in Town of Southold | 41.1094°N 72.3683°W | [59] | |
WHLI towers | 361 ft 110 m |
1985, 2006 | Hempstead | Two towers | 40.6856°N 73.6098°W | [64] | |
Altice USA tower | 360 ft 110 m |
1969 | Greenport | 41.1097°N 72.3675°W | [4][59] | ||
Altice USA tower | 353 ft 108 m |
1969 | East Hampton | Tallest structure in Town of East Hampton | 40.9936°N 72.1714°W | [4][59] | |
High-Tower Communications tower | 350 ft 110 m |
1993 | Farmingville | 40.8422°N 73.0397°W | [59] | ||
E. F. Barrett Power Station | ![]() |
350 ft 110 m |
1963 | Barnum Island | [4][61] | ||
Suffolk County Water Authority tank | 341 ft 104 m |
2006 | Stony Brook | 40.905°N 73.1131°W | [59] | ||
Pinnacle Towers tower | 329 ft 100 m |
1965 | Dix Hills | 40.7832°N 73.3671°W | [59] | ||
WWSK tower | 327 ft 100 m |
1998 | Brentwood | 40.8023°N 73.2862°W | [59] | ||
Altice USA tower | 327 ft 100 m |
1966 | Riverhead | 40.9361°N 72.6528°W | [59] | ||
Altice USA tower | 327 ft 100 m |
1969 | Southampton | Tallest structure in Town of Southampton | 40.8994°N 72.3844°W | [59] | |
WALK-FM tower | 327 ft 100 m |
2002 | Farmingville | 40.8447°N 73.0331°W | [59] | ||
Communications Leasing tower | 325 ft 99 m |
1982 | Plainview | Tallest structure in Town of Oyster Bay | 40.7967°N 73.4631°W | [64] | |
WNET tower | ![]() |
325 ft 99 m |
2004 | Plainview | 40.7887°N 73.4521°W | [64] | |
WBWD tower | 324 ft 99 m |
1969 | Islip | 40.7523°N 73.2134°W | [59] | ||
Communications Leasing tower | 320 ft 98 m |
1975 | Plainview | 40.7956°N 73.4611°W | [64] | ||
Mackay Radio Tower | ![]() |
319 ft 97 m |
1995 | Napeague | [59] | ||
American Towers tower | 310 ft 94 m |
1957 | Sag Harbor | 40.9697°N 72.3463°W | [59] | ||
WRCN-FM tower | 308 ft 94 m |
1982 | Manorville | 40.8522°N 72.7647°W | [59] | ||
AT&T tower | 308 ft 94 m |
1996 | Noyack | 40.9697°N 72.3464°W | [59] | ||
Communications Leasing tower | 305 ft 93 m |
1985 | Selden | 40.8422°N 73.0258°W | [59] | ||
Catholic Faith Network tower (Telicare tower) |
304 ft 93 m |
2004 | Central Islip | 40.8032°N 73.2068°W | [59] |
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Name | Image | Height | Opened | Location | Notes | Coordinates | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Glenwood Generating Station | ![]() |
265 ft 81 m |
1931 | Glenwood Landing | Demolished | 40.8277°N 73.648°W | [4][35] |
Wardenclyffe Tower | ![]() |
187 ft 57 m |
1901 | Shoreham | Demolished; built by Nikola Tesla | 40.9476°N 72.8982°W | [65] |
AN/FPS-35 radar tower | ![]() |
>118 ft 36 m |
1960 | Montauk | Concrete base is 80 feet (24 m) high Dish height is 38 feet (12 m) |
41.0624°N 71.8745°W | [66][67] |
Great South Bay Bridge | ![]() |
1954 | Great South Bay | 40.6761°N 73.2742°W | |||
Fire Island Inlet Bridge | ![]() |
1964 | Fire Island Inlet | 40.6322°N 73.2628°W |
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