San Diego Skyline in 2018. The city's tallest building, the pyramid-topped One America Plaza, is in center-right.

San Diego, a major coastal city in southern California has over 200 high-rises, mainly in the central business district of Downtown San Diego.[1] In the city, there are 42 buildings that stand taller than 300 feet (91 m). In the 1970s, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) began restricting downtown building height to maximum of 500 feet (152 m) within a 2.3-mile (3.7 km) radius of San Diego International Airport's single runway.[2][3][a] The tallest building in the city is the 34-story One America Plaza, completed in 1991, which stands 500 feet (152 m) tall.[4]

History

The history of skyscrapers in San Diego began with the completion of the U.S. Grant Hotel in 1910. The building, at a height of 211 feet (64 m), remained the tallest building in San Diego until 1927, when the El Cortez Hotel at 310 feet (94 m) took its place. The skyscraper's height was surpassed in 1967 by the Union Bank of California Building, which stood as the tallest building for two decades with its height of 388 feet (118 m). In 1989, with a height of 499 feet (152 m), Symphony Towers gained the title, before being passed two years later by One America Plaza. During the 1990s, the city was compared to a "handful of tools in a scarcely stocked toolbox" and a "mouth with a lot of missing teeth".[2] Development in the late 1990s and 2000s led to many new high-rises, mainly residential skyscrapers.[2] Many of these new residential buildings are pairs of twin towers.

I believe that our skyline is a collective composition of many buildings. We don't have to have one landmark like the Empire State Building or Petronas towers. I think the landmark is the entire Downtown.

— Garry Papers, manager of architecture and planning for the Center City Development Corporation[2]

As of October 2019, San Diego is ranked 98th in the world and 3rd in California with its 162 high-rises.[5] However, due to the FAA height restriction, none of San Diego's buildings are within the top 100 tallest buildings in the United States. As of October 2019, there are around 20 buildings that have been proposed, approved, or are currently undergoing construction which will join the tallest buildings in San Diego (over 300 feet).[6][7]

Cityscape

See caption
San Diego skyline from Coronado Island in 2021
See caption
Downtown San Diego skyline in 2009

Tallest buildings

Map all coordinates using OpenStreetMap

Download coordinates as:


This list ranks San Diego skyscrapers that stand at least 300 feet (91 m) tall, based on standard height measurement. This includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts. The "Year" column indicates the year in which a building was completed.

Tallest buildings in San Diego
Rank Name Image Height
ft (m) 		Floors Year Coordinates Notes Ref.
1 One America Plaza One America Plaza 500 (152) 34 1991 32°42′57″N 117°10′7″W / 32.71583°N 117.16861°W / 32.71583; -117.16861 Tallest building in the city; tallest building constructed in the 1990s; tallest building in California outside of Los Angeles and San Francisco [4][8]
2 Symphony Towers Symphony Towers 499 (152) 34 1989 32°43′6″N 117°9′28″W / 32.71833°N 117.15778°W / 32.71833; -117.15778 Tallest building constructed in the 1980s [9][10]
3 Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel 497 (151) 40 1992 32°42′34″N 117°10′4″W / 32.70944°N 117.16778°W / 32.70944; -117.16778 Tallest building on the waterfront on the West Coast [11][12]
4 Pinnacle on the Park I Pinnacle on the Park I 479 (146) 45 2015 32°42′35″N 117°09′03″W / 32.70972°N 117.15083°W / 32.70972; -117.15083 Tallest residential tower in San Diego together with the Pinnacle II tower [13]
Pinnacle on the Park II Pinnacle on the Park II 479 (146) 45 2019 32°42′36.7″N 117°09′02.9″W / 32.710194°N 117.150806°W / 32.710194; -117.150806 Tallest residential tower in San Diego together with the Pinnacle I tower [14]
6 Electra Electra 475 (145) 43 2007 32°42′53″N 117°10′10″W / 32.71472°N 117.16944°W / 32.71472; -117.16944 [15][16]
7 Pacific Gate Pacific Gate 450 (137) 41 2017 32°47′54″N 117°9′44″W / 32.79833°N 117.16222°W / 32.79833; -117.16222 [70]
Emerald Plaza Emerald Plaza 450 (137) 30 1990 32°42′58″N 117°10′1″W / 32.71611°N 117.16694°W / 32.71611; -117.16694 [17][18]
Pinnacle Marina Tower Pinnacle Marina Tower 450 (137) 36 2005 32°42′39″N 117°9′54″W / 32.71083°N 117.16500°W / 32.71083; -117.16500 [19][20]
10 Manchester Grand Hyatt Seaport Manchester Grand Hyatt Seaport 446 (136) 34 2003 32°42′37″N 117°10′6″W / 32.71028°N 117.16833°W / 32.71028; -117.16833 [21][22]
11 Diega South Tower 440 (134) 41 2021 32°42′57.2″N 117°09′28.5″W / 32.715889°N 117.157917°W / 32.715889; -117.157917 [23][24]
12 Harbor Club West Harbor Club West 424 (129) 41 1992 32°42′32″N 117°9′46″W / 32.70889°N 117.16278°W / 32.70889; -117.16278 [25][26]
Harbor Club East Harbor Club East 424 (129) 41 1992 32°42′31″N 117°9′44″W / 32.70861°N 117.16222°W / 32.70861; -117.16222 [27][28]
14 The Grande South at Santa Fe Place The Grande South at Santa Fe Place 420 (128) 39 2004 32°43′2″N 117°10′13″W / 32.71722°N 117.17028°W / 32.71722; -117.17028 [29][30]
The Grande North at Santa Fe Place The Grande North at Santa Fe Place 420 (128) 39 2005 32°43′5″N 117°10′13″W / 32.71806°N 117.17028°W / 32.71806; -117.17028 [31][32]
Vantage Pointe Condominium Vantage Pointe Condominium 420 (128) 41 2009 32°43′6″N 117°9′21″W / 32.71833°N 117.15583°W / 32.71833; -117.15583 [33][34]
17 Savina San Diego condominiums Savina by Bosa 414 (126) 36 2018 32°43′10″N 117°10′10″W / 32.71944°N 117.16944°W / 32.71944; -117.16944 [35][36][37]
18 First Allied Plaza First Allied Plaza 412 (126) 23 2005 32°42′55″N 117°10′7″W / 32.71528°N 117.16861°W / 32.71528; -117.16861 [38][39]
19 Simone Little Italy 408 (123) 36 2023
20 Bayside at the Embarcadero Bayside at the Embarcadero 395 (120) 36 2009 32°43′9″N 117°10′14″W / 32.71917°N 117.17056°W / 32.71917; -117.17056 [40][41]
21 San Diego Central Courthouse San Diego Central Courthouse 389 (119) 23 2017 32°43′2″N 117°9′58″W / 32.71722°N 117.16611°W / 32.71722; -117.16611 [42]
22 Union Bank of California Building Union Bank of California Building 388 (118) 27 1969 32°43′2″N 117°9′35″W / 32.71722°N 117.15972°W / 32.71722; -117.15972 Tallest building constructed in the 1960s [43][44]
23 Park 12 386 (118) 36 2018 32°42′23.3″N 117°9′18.4″W / 32.706472°N 117.155111°W / 32.706472; -117.155111 [45]
24 Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hilton San Diego Bayfront 385 (117) 32 2008 32°42′11″N 117°9′31″W / 32.70306°N 117.15861°W / 32.70306; -117.15861 [46][47]
25 The Mark The Mark 381 (116) 33 2007 32°42′40″N 117°9′25″W / 32.71111°N 117.15694°W / 32.71111; -117.15694 [48][49]
26 Sapphire Tower Sapphire Tower 380 (116) 32 2008 32°43′6″N 117°10′10″W / 32.71833°N 117.16944°W / 32.71833; -117.16944 [50][51]
27 One Columbia Place One Columbia Place 379 (116) 27 1982 32°43′5″N 117°10′1″W / 32.71806°N 117.16694°W / 32.71806; -117.16694 [52][53]
28 Omni San Diego Hotel Omni San Diego Hotel 375 (114) 34 2004 32°42′24″N 117°9′32″W / 32.70667°N 117.15889°W / 32.70667; -117.15889 [54][55][56]
29 Meridian Condominiums Meridian Condominiums 371 (113) 28 1985 32°42′47″N 117°9′54″W / 32.71306°N 117.16500°W / 32.71306; -117.16500 [57][58]
30 Marriott Hotel and Marina Tower I Marriott Hotel and Marina Tower I 361 (110) 24 1987 32°42′28″N 117°9′54″W / 32.70778°N 117.16500°W / 32.70778; -117.16500 [59][60]
Marriott Hotel and Marina Tower II Marriott Hotel and Marina Tower II 361 (110) 24 1987 32°42′30″N 117°9′57″W / 32.70833°N 117.16583°W / 32.70833; -117.16583 [61][62]
31 The Merian 360 (110) 34 2020 32°42′43.7″N 117°9′15.9″W / 32.712139°N 117.154417°W / 32.712139; -117.154417 [63]
32 Imperial Bank Tower Imperial Bank Tower 355 (108) 24 1982 32°43′2″N 117°9′28″W / 32.71722°N 117.15778°W / 32.71722; -117.15778 [64][65]
33 Executive Complex Executive Complex 350 (107) 25 1963 32°42′57″N 117°9′47″W / 32.71583°N 117.16306°W / 32.71583; -117.16306 [66][67]
34 AT&T Building AT&T Building 348 (106) 20 1982 32°42′54″N 117°9′51″W / 32.71500°N 117.16417°W / 32.71500; -117.16417 [68][69]
35 San Diego Union Tribune Building San Diego Union Tribune Building 339 (103) 23 1974 32°43′5″N 117°9′31″W / 32.71806°N 117.15861°W / 32.71806; -117.15861 Tallest building constructed in the 1970s [70][71]
36 James M. Carter and Judith N. Keep United States Courthouse James M. Carter and Judith N. Keep United States Courthouse 333 (101) 16 2012 32°42′54″N 117°9′57″W / 32.71500°N 117.16583°W / 32.71500; -117.16583 [72][73]
37 Wells Fargo Plaza Wells Fargo Plaza 331 (101) 23 1984 32°43′2″N 117°9′38″W / 32.71722°N 117.16056°W / 32.71722; -117.16056 [74][75]
38 Marriott Vacation Club Pulse 326 (99) 27 1990 32°43′07.2″N 117°9′28.6″W / 32.718667°N 117.157944°W / 32.718667; -117.157944 Formerly the Sheraton Suites [76]
40 El Cortez El Cortez 310 (94) 16 1927 32°43′12″N 117°9′29″W / 32.72000°N 117.15806°W / 32.72000; -117.15806 Tallest building in San Diego until 1963 [77][78]
41 225 Broadway 225 Broadway 306 (93) 22 1975 32°42′54″N 117°9′44″W / 32.71500°N 117.16222°W / 32.71500; -117.16222 [79][80]
42 The Rey 305 (93) 25 2016 [81]

Tallest under construction

There is one building under construction in San Diego that is planned to rise at least 300 feet (91 m) (as of July 2023).[82][83] Under construction buildings that have already been topped out are also included.

Name Image Height
feet (ft) 		Floors Year Coordinates Notes
8th & B 503 40 [84]
800 Broadway 434 40 [85]
Columbia & A 448 39 [86]
Front & A 445 34 [87]
The Lindley 415 37 [88]
RaDD - Block 2B I 307 17 [89]
West 445 37 [90]

Timeline of tallest buildings

There have been five buildings that have held the title of tallest building in San Diego including the current tallest building, the One America Plaza.

Name Image Height
ft (m) 		Floors Years as tallest Coordinates Ref.
El Cortez Hotel El Cortez Hotel 310 feet (94 m) 16 36 years
(1927–1963)		 32°43′12″N 117°9′29″W / 32.72000°N 117.15806°W / 32.72000; -117.15806 [77][78]
Executive Complex Executive Complex 350 feet (110 m) 25 6 years
(1963–1969)		 32°42′57″N 117°9′47″W / 32.71583°N 117.16306°W / 32.71583; -117.16306 [66][67]
Union Bank of California Building Union Bank of California Building 388 feet (118 m) 27 20 years
(1969–1989)		 32°43′2″N 117°9′35″W / 32.71722°N 117.15972°W / 32.71722; -117.15972 [43][44]
Symphony Towers Symphony Towers 499 feet (152 m) 34 2 years
(1989–1991)		 32°43′6″N 117°9′28″W / 32.71833°N 117.15778°W / 32.71833; -117.15778 [9][10]
One America Plaza One America Plaza 500 feet (150 m) 34 33 years
(1991–present)		 32°42′57″N 117°10′7″W / 32.71583°N 117.16861°W / 32.71583; -117.16861 [4][8]

Notes

  1. ^ Information on the Federal Aviation Administration's reasoning behind building height limitations can be read in their Advisory Circular, AC 150/5190-4A - A Model Zoning Ordinance to Limit Height of Objects Around Airports

See also

References

General
Specific
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External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Skyscrapers in San Diego, California and San Diego skylines.

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