List of tallest buildings in San Diego facts for kids
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
San Diego has over 150 high-rises, mainly in the downtown district. In the city, there are 37 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 1.5-mile (2.4 km) radius of San Diego International Airport's single runway. The tallest building in the city is the 34-story One America Plaza, completed in 1991, which stands 500 feet (152 m) tall.
Contents
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". Development in the late 1990s and 2000s led to many new high-rises, mainly residential skyscrapers. Many of these new residential buildings are pairs of twin towers.
As of October 2019[update], San Diego is ranked 92nd in the world and 3rd in California with its 162 high-rises. 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[update], 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).
Tallest buildings
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.
| Rank | Name | Image | Height ft (m) |
Floors | Year | Coordinates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | One America Plaza |  |
500 (152) | 34 | 1991 | 32°42′57″N 117°10′7″W / 32.71583°N 117.16861°W | Tallest building in the city; tallest building constructed in the 1990s; tallest building in California outside of Los Angeles and San Francisco |
| 2 | Symphony Towers |  |
499 (152) | 34 | 1989 | 32°43′6″N 117°9′28″W / 32.71833°N 117.15778°W | Tallest building constructed in the 1980s |
| 3 | Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel |  |
497 (151) | 40 | 1992 | 32°42′34″N 117°10′4″W / 32.70944°N 117.16778°W | Tallest building on the waterfront on the West Coast |
| 4 | Pinnacle on the Park I |  |
479 (146) | 45 | 2015 | 32°42′35″N 117°09′03″W / 32.70972°N 117.15083°W | Tallest residential tower in San Diego together with the Pinnacle II tower |
| 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 | Tallest residential tower in San Diego together with the Pinnacle I tower | |
| 6 | Electra |  |
475 (145) | 43 | 2007 | 32°42′53″N 117°10′10″W / 32.71472°N 117.16944°W | |
| 7 | Pacific Gate |  |
450 (137) | 41 | 2017 | 32°47′54″N 117°9′44″W / 32.79833°N 117.16222°W | [70] |
| Emerald Plaza |  |
450 (137) | 30 | 1990 | 32°42′58″N 117°10′1″W / 32.71611°N 117.16694°W | ||
| Pinnacle Marina Tower |  |
450 (137) | 36 | 2005 | 32°42′39″N 117°9′54″W / 32.71083°N 117.16500°W | ||
| 10 | Manchester Grand Hyatt Seaport |  |
446 (136) | 34 | 2003 | 32°42′37″N 117°10′6″W / 32.71028°N 117.16833°W | |
| 11 | Harbor Club West |  |
424 (129) | 41 | 1992 | 32°42′32″N 117°9′46″W / 32.70889°N 117.16278°W | |
| Harbor Club East |  |
424 (129) | 41 | 1992 | 32°42′31″N 117°9′44″W / 32.70861°N 117.16222°W | ||
| 13 | 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 | |
| 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 | ||
| Vantage Pointe Condominium |  |
420 (128) | 41 | 2009 | 32°43′6″N 117°9′21″W / 32.71833°N 117.15583°W | ||
| 16 | Savina by Bosa |  |
414 (126) | 36 | 2018 | 32°43′10″N 117°10′10″W / 32.71944°N 117.16944°W | |
| 17 | First Allied Plaza |  |
412 (126) | 23 | 2005 | 32°42′55″N 117°10′7″W / 32.71528°N 117.16861°W | |
| 18 | San Diego Central Courthouse |  |
403 (123) | 22 | 2017 | 32°43′2″N 117°9′58″W / 32.71722°N 117.16611°W | |
| 19 | Bayside at the Embarcadero |  |
395 (120) | 36 | 2009 | 32°43′9″N 117°10′14″W / 32.71917°N 117.17056°W | |
| 20 | Union Bank of California Building |  |
388 (118) | 27 | 1969 | 32°43′2″N 117°9′35″W / 32.71722°N 117.15972°W | Tallest building constructed in the 1960s |
| 21 | Park 12 | 386 (118) | 36 | 2018 | |||
| 22 | Hilton San Diego Bayfront |  |
385 (117) | 32 | 2008 | 32°42′11″N 117°9′31″W / 32.70306°N 117.15861°W | |
| 23 | The Mark |  |
381 (116) | 33 | 2007 | 32°42′40″N 117°9′25″W / 32.71111°N 117.15694°W | |
| 24 | Sapphire Tower |  |
380 (116) | 32 | 2008 | 32°43′6″N 117°10′10″W / 32.71833°N 117.16944°W | |
| 25 | One Columbia Place |  |
379 (116) | 27 | 1982 | 32°43′5″N 117°10′1″W / 32.71806°N 117.16694°W | |
| 26 | Omni San Diego Hotel |  |
375 (114) | 34 | 2004 | 32°42′24″N 117°9′32″W / 32.70667°N 117.15889°W | |
| 27 | Meridian Condominiums |  |
371 (113) | 28 | 1985 | 32°42′47″N 117°9′54″W / 32.71306°N 117.16500°W | |
| 28 | Marriott Hotel and Marina Tower I |  |
361 (110) | 24 | 1987 | 32°42′28″N 117°9′54″W / 32.70778°N 117.16500°W | |
| Marriott Hotel and Marina Tower II |  |
361 (110) | 24 | 1987 | 32°42′30″N 117°9′57″W / 32.70833°N 117.16583°W | ||
| 30 | Imperial Bank Tower |  |
355 (108) | 24 | 1982 | 32°43′2″N 117°9′28″W / 32.71722°N 117.15778°W | |
| 31 | Executive Complex |  |
350 (107) | 25 | 1963 | 32°42′57″N 117°9′47″W / 32.71583°N 117.16306°W | |
| 32 | AT&T Building |  |
348 (106) | 20 | 1982 | 32°42′54″N 117°9′51″W / 32.71500°N 117.16417°W | |
| 33 | San Diego Union Tribune Building |  |
339 (103) | 23 | 1974 | 32°43′5″N 117°9′31″W / 32.71806°N 117.15861°W | Tallest building constructed in the 1970s |
| 34 | James M. Carter and Judith N. Keep United States Courthouse | .JPG) |
333 (101) | 16 | 2012 | 32°42′54″N 117°9′57″W / 32.71500°N 117.16583°W | |
| 35 | Wells Fargo Plaza |  |
331 (101) | 23 | 1984 | 32°43′2″N 117°9′38″W / 32.71722°N 117.16056°W | |
| 36 | El Cortez |  |
310 (94) | 16 | 1927 | 32°43′12″N 117°9′29″W / 32.72000°N 117.15806°W | Tallest building in San Diego until 1963 |
| 37 | 225 Broadway |  |
306 (93) | 22 | 1975 | 32°42′54″N 117°9′44″W / 32.71500°N 117.16222°W |
Tallest under construction
This lists buildings that are under construction in San Diego and are planned to rise at least 300 feet (91 m). Under construction buildings that have already been topped out are also included.
| Name | Image | Height feet (m) |
Floors | Year | Coordinates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diega South Tower | 500 (152) | 41 | 2021 | Topped out. Developed by Bosa. | ||
| Manchester Pacific Gateway Tower 1 | 400 (122) | 27 | ||||
| Manchester Pacific Gateway Tower 2 | 350 (107) | 29 | ||||
| Manchester Pacific Gateway Tower 3 | 350 (107) | 29 |
Timeline of tallest buildings
This lists buildings that once held the title of tallest building in San Diego (at least 300 feet (91 m) tall) as well as the current tallest building, One America Plaza.
| Name | Image | Height ft (m) |
Floors | Years as tallest | Coordinates | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Cortez Hotel |  |
310 (94) | 16 | 1927–1963 | 32°43′12″N 117°9′29″W / 32.72000°N 117.15806°W | |
| Executive Complex | |
350 (107) | 25 | 1963–1969 | 32°42′57″N 117°9′47″W / 32.71583°N 117.16306°W | |
| Union Bank of California Building | |
388 (118) | 27 | 1969–1989 | 32°43′2″N 117°9′35″W / 32.71722°N 117.15972°W | |
| Symphony Towers | |
499 (152) | 34 | 1989–1991 | 32°43′6″N 117°9′28″W / 32.71833°N 117.15778°W | |
| One America Plaza |  |
500 (152) | 34 | 1991–present | 32°42′57″N 117°10′7″W / 32.71583°N 117.16861°W |
Images for kids
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San Diego Skyline 2018
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See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Edificios más altos de San Diego para niños
