Phoenix's always-changing skyline

Phoenix's skyline is a work in progress — a reflection of our wild population growth and the city's relatively young age.

Why it matters: Skylines can and do become the iconic image of a city — think New York City or Chicago.

The big picture: We were intrigued by a recent Reddit post that mapped the oldest skylines nationwide showing Phoenix with one of the newest.

• We decided to dig deeper into how our downtown and midtown makeup has evolved over decades.

Zoom in: Per Axios Phoenix research, our oldest high-rise buildings — defined as those that stand among today's 50 tallest — include:

• Guaranty Bank Building (1960): Now called Grand Central Tower, at 20 stories it was the tallest office building in Phoenix until the 26-story Phoenix Corporate Tower opened in 1965.
• 3800 North Central Avenue (1962): Now part of midtown's City Square Phoenix, it's 17 stories.
• Executive Towers Condominiums (1963): This is the oldest high-rise residential building still operating.
• Arizona Title Building (1964): Now called The Monroe, the 18-story tower is still a functioning office building.

Flashback: Phoenix saw its first surge of tall buildings in the 1960s and '70s, and construction took off in the '80s when about 10 of today's tallest buildings were constructed.

• High-rise development slowed a bit after that, but it's come roaring back in the past decade.

Stunning stat: At least eight of the 50 tallest buildings in Phoenix have opened since 2020 and several more are under construction, including:

• Central Station : Slated to open early next year, this project will include a 32-story mixed-use tower and 21-story student housing building.
• SOL Modern : A 29-story residential building across the street from ASU's downtown campus that's expected to open next year.
• Saiya : Near Roosevelt Row, this 23-story apartment tower is nearing completion.

Between the lines: Offices once made up the majority of new high-rises — now they're almost all residential.

The intrigue: The Westward Ho , arguably downtown Phoenix's most recognizable building (for its massive rooftop antenna) is no longer among our top 50 tallest buildings but remains a prominent feature in most photographs of the skyline.

What we're watching: Since 1972, the building formerly known as Chase Tower has been the tallest in Arizona, at 483 feet and 40 stories.

• Phoenix has given initial approval for a 44-floor, 541-foot tower by Scottsdale-based Aspirant Development on Second Avenue between Van Buren and Fillmore streets
• Technically speaking, a building is considered a skyscraper only if it's more than 492 feet, so this would be our first.

The bottom line: Keep your eyes on downtown's changing landscape or you might not recognize it soon.