List of tallest buildings in San Diego facts for kids
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San Diego, a big city on the coast in southern California, has more than 200 tall buildings, mostly in its main downtown area. Forty-two of these buildings are taller than 300 feet (91 meters). In the 1970s, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) set a rule. They said buildings downtown could not be taller than 500 feet (152 meters). This rule applies to buildings within 2.3 miles (3.7 kilometers) of the San Diego International Airport's runway. The tallest building in San Diego is One America Plaza. It was finished in 1991 and stands 500 feet (152 meters) tall with 34 floors.
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History of San Diego's Tall Buildings
San Diego's journey with skyscrapers began in 1910. That's when the U.S. Grant Hotel was built. It was 211 feet (64 meters) tall and was the city's tallest building for many years.
In 1927, the El Cortez Hotel took its place. It was 310 feet (94 meters) tall. Then, in 1967, the Union Bank of California Building became the tallest. It stood 388 feet (118 meters) high. This building held the record for two decades.
In 1989, Symphony Towers became the tallest at 499 feet (152 meters). But just two years later, One America Plaza surpassed it. During the 1990s, some people thought San Diego's skyline looked a bit empty. But in the late 1990s and 2000s, many new tall buildings were constructed. Most of these were homes, like apartments or condos. Many were even twin towers, meaning two identical tall buildings next to each other.
Garry Papers, an expert in city planning, once said: "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."
As of October 2019, San Diego ranks 98th in the world for its number of high-rises. It's also 3rd in California. However, because of the FAA height limit, none of San Diego's buildings are among the 100 tallest buildings in the United States. As of October 2019, about 20 more buildings are planned or being built. They will also be taller than 300 feet (91 meters).
San Diego's Skyline
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Tallest Buildings in San Diego
This list shows San Diego's skyscrapers that are at least 300 feet (91 meters) tall. The height includes spires and decorative parts, but not antennas. The "Year" column tells you when the building was finished.
| 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 | Diega South Tower | 440 (134) | 41 | 2021 | 32°42′57.2″N 117°09′28.5″W / 32.715889°N 117.157917°W | |||
| 12 | 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 | |||
| 14 | 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 | |||
| 17 | Savina San Diego condominiums |  |
414 (126) | 36 | 2018 | 32°43′10″N 117°10′10″W / 32.71944°N 117.16944°W | ||
| 18 | First Allied Plaza |  |
412 (126) | 23 | 2005 | 32°42′55″N 117°10′7″W / 32.71528°N 117.16861°W | ||
| 19 | Simone Little Italy | 408 (123) | 36 | 2023 | ||||
| 20 | Bayside at the Embarcadero |  |
395 (120) | 36 | 2009 | 32°43′9″N 117°10′14″W / 32.71917°N 117.17056°W | ||
| 21 | San Diego Central Courthouse |  |
389 (119) | 23 | 2017 | 32°43′2″N 117°9′58″W / 32.71722°N 117.16611°W | ||
| 22 | 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 | |
| 23 | Park 12 | 386 (118) | 36 | 2018 | 32°42′23.3″N 117°9′18.4″W / 32.706472°N 117.155111°W | |||
| 24 | Hilton San Diego Bayfront |  |
385 (117) | 32 | 2008 | 32°42′11″N 117°9′31″W / 32.70306°N 117.15861°W | ||
| 25 | The Mark |  |
381 (116) | 33 | 2007 | 32°42′40″N 117°9′25″W / 32.71111°N 117.15694°W | ||
| 26 | Sapphire Tower |  |
380 (116) | 32 | 2008 | 32°43′6″N 117°10′10″W / 32.71833°N 117.16944°W | ||
| 27 | One Columbia Place |  |
379 (116) | 27 | 1982 | 32°43′5″N 117°10′1″W / 32.71806°N 117.16694°W | ||
| 28 | Omni San Diego Hotel |  |
375 (114) | 34 | 2004 | 32°42′24″N 117°9′32″W / 32.70667°N 117.15889°W | ||
| 29 | Meridian Condominiums |  |
371 (113) | 28 | 1985 | 32°42′47″N 117°9′54″W / 32.71306°N 117.16500°W | ||
| 30 | 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 | |||
| 31 | The Merian | 360 (110) | 34 | 2020 | 32°42′43.7″N 117°9′15.9″W / 32.712139°N 117.154417°W | |||
| 32 | Imperial Bank Tower |  |
355 (108) | 24 | 1982 | 32°43′2″N 117°9′28″W / 32.71722°N 117.15778°W | ||
| 33 | Executive Complex |  |
350 (107) | 25 | 1963 | 32°42′57″N 117°9′47″W / 32.71583°N 117.16306°W | ||
| 34 | AT&T Building |  |
348 (106) | 20 | 1982 | 32°42′54″N 117°9′51″W / 32.71500°N 117.16417°W | ||
| 35 | 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 | |
| 36 | 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 | ||
| 37 | Wells Fargo Plaza |  |
331 (101) | 23 | 1984 | 32°43′2″N 117°9′38″W / 32.71722°N 117.16056°W | ||
| 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 | Formerly the Sheraton Suites | |
| 40 | 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 | |
| 41 | 225 Broadway |  |
306 (93) | 22 | 1975 | 32°42′54″N 117°9′44″W / 32.71500°N 117.16222°W | ||
| 42 | The Rey | 305 (93) | 25 | 2016 |
Tallest Buildings Being Built
As of July 2023, there are several buildings being constructed in San Diego that will be at least 300 feet (91 meters) tall. This list includes buildings that have already reached their full height.
| Name | Image | Height feet (ft) |
Floors | Year | Coordinates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8th & B | 503 | 40 | ||||
| 800 Broadway | 434 | 40 | ||||
| Columbia & A | 448 | 39 | ||||
| Front & A | 445 | 34 | ||||
| The Lindley | 415 | 37 | ||||
| RaDD - Block 2B I | 307 | 17 | ||||
| West | 445 | 37 |
Timeline of San Diego's Tallest Buildings
Five different buildings have held the title of San Diego's tallest building over the years. One America Plaza is the current tallest.
| Name | Image | Height ft (m) |
Floors | Years as tallest | Coordinates | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Cortez Hotel |  |
310 (94) | 16 | 36 years (1927–1963) |
32°43′12″N 117°9′29″W / 32.72000°N 117.15806°W | |
| Executive Complex | |
350 (107) | 25 | 6 years (1963–1969) |
32°42′57″N 117°9′47″W / 32.71583°N 117.16306°W | |
| Union Bank of California Building | |
388 (118) | 27 | 20 years (1969–1989) |
32°43′2″N 117°9′35″W / 32.71722°N 117.15972°W | |
| Symphony Towers | |
499 (152) | 34 | 2 years (1989–1991) |
32°43′6″N 117°9′28″W / 32.71833°N 117.15778°W | |
| One America Plaza |  |
500 (152) | 34 | 34 years (1991–present) |
32°42′57″N 117°10′7″W / 32.71583°N 117.16861°W |
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Edificios más altos de San Diego para niños
