The city of Spokane, located in the east of the U.S. state of Washington, is the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region of the United States, where it serves as a hub for retail trade and services. As of January 2022, Spokane has 40 high-rise buildings. High-rise development began in 1891, shortly after the Great Spokane Fire of 1889, with the completion of the 146-foot (45 m) Review Building featuring a traditional brick-and-stone construction. In the late 19th century, the term skyscraper was typically used to describe buildings of a relatively modest 10 to 20 stories in height that were built on a ground level of thick masonry walls, as opposed to the contemporary usage of the term which is often used to describe more modern high-rise buildings in excess of 40 or 50 stories that were made possible with the incorporation of a metal framework. After the advent of steel-frame construction, allowing for increased strength to support more floors, the construction of skyscrapers locally began increasing in the early 20th century. The U.S. Bank Building (built 1910) and the Paulsen Medical and Dental Building (built 1929) were among the earliest skyscrapers in Spokane and both held the title of tallest building in the city, respectively. The U.S. Bank Building was also the tallest building in the state of Washington upon its completion. The current tallest building in Spokane, surpassing the Paulsen Medical and Dental Building, is the 288-foot-tall (88 m) Bank of America Financial Center, which was completed in 1981 and has held the distinction for 43 years. Taller buildings have since been proposed but not constructed.