BOSTON (AP) – Mayor Thomas Menino called Friday for the construction of a new skyscraper in downtown Boston, one that might be the tallest in the city yet.

In his address to the members of the Boston Municipal Business Bureau, Menino stood between two identical graphics of the Boston skyline peppered with additions he envisioned. The most striking change was a building that shot above the 62-story John Hancock Tower in the Back Bay which, for 30 years has stood as the tallest building in Boston.

Calling it “one vision of what we can build” in a city-owned site in Winthrop Square in Boston’s downtown financial district, Menino told the audience that his office was seeking proposals for a building.

“With this asset,” he said, “we will insist on bold vision and world-class architecture. In short, a stunning statement of our belief in Boston’s bright future.”

Making several references to the Institute of Contemporary Art under construction along the South Boston waterfront, Menino said he wanted the new building to capture the concepts of Boston in the 21st Century: “convergence of intellect and imagination, and the exchange of new ideas.”

Menino’s office would not get into specifics about how far along the bidding process was, but spokesman Seth Gitell said there had been “significant interest” from developers in the site.

In his speech, the mayor also emphasized the need for further development downtown and announced Harvard’s plans to build an institute for stem cell research across the river from its main campus in Cambridge.