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List of tallest buildings in San Diego
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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] The city has over 40 buildings that stand taller than 300 feet (91 m), the third-most in California after San Francisco and Los Angeles. 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] As a result, San Diego has no buildings beyond that height, and only three taller than 492 ft (150 m). The tallest building in the city is the 34-story One America Plaza, completed in 1991, which stands 500 ft (152 m) tall.[4]
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The history of skyscrapers in San Diego began with the completion of the U.S. Grant Hotel in 1910. Standing at 211 ft (64 m), it was the tallest building in the city for 17 years, symbolizing early 20th century economic growth and urban development. In 1927, the El Cortez Hotel surpassed it with a height of 310 ft (94 m), becoming a prominent landmark and reflecting the city’s expanding ambitions during the Roaring Twenties.[5] For much of the mid-20th century, high-rise development in San Diego remained modest compared to other major American cities, largely due to the city’s size and geographic constraints. A significant shift occurred in 1969 when 530 B Street was completed, reaching 388 ft (118 m) and holding the title of tallest building for two decades. This period marked the beginning of more modern office towers and a move toward vertical urbanization.
An uptick in construction took place from the 1980s to early 1990s, which saw the emergence of major skyscrapers such as Symphony Towers, completed in 1989 at 499 feet (152 m), and One America Plaza, which overtook it in 1991. All three buildings that surpassed 492 ft (150 m) in height were completed between 1989 and 1992. The late 1990s and 2000s onwards saw a surge in new high-rise construction, particularly residential skyscrapers, which introduced twin tower designs and modern architectural styles to the city.[2] This era coincided with broader urban renewal efforts aimed at revitalizing downtown neighborhoods and accommodating a growing population seeking urban living. In contrast to Los Angeles and San Francisco, over half of the city's 300-foot buildings were completed after 2000.
The FAA's height restrictions created a skyline that is relatively uniform in height, compared to other American cities. As a result, San Diego’s skyline is often noted for its integration with the natural coastal environment, preserving sightlines to the bay and surrounding hills. While most tall buildings are located downtown, there are a number of residential high-rises in the University City neighborhood. South of the Mexico-United States border is the Mexican city of Tijuana, which has a significant skyline of its own. San Diego and Tijuana form the San Diego-Tijuana transborder agglomeration, which together has nearly 50 buildings taller than 100 m (328 ft).
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History
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Number of buildings by height in San Diego by the end of each year. Click on the legend to toggle a specific height on or off. View chart definition.
After the completion of Cortez Hotel in 1927, it remained the tallest building in San Diego for 36 years, until it was surpassed by the Executive Complex in 1963.
The FAA's height restrictions—introduced in the 1970s due to the proximity of San Diego International Airport—limited downtown building heights to a maximum of 500 feet (152 m). This restriction has significantly influenced the architectural character and scale of San Diego's skyline, resulting in a cluster of buildings that generally adhere to the 500-foot limit. This has created a relatively uniform skyline height compared to other major cities, with an emphasis on horizontal spread and mid-rise development in surrounding neighborhoods. As a result, San Diego’s skyline is often noted for its integration with the natural coastal environment, preserving sightlines to the bay and surrounding hills. 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] The late 1990s and 2000s saw a surge in new high-rise construction, particularly residential skyscrapers, which introduced twin tower designs and modern architectural styles to the city.[2] This era coincided with broader urban renewal efforts aimed at revitalizing downtown neighborhoods and accommodating a growing population seeking urban living.
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 2025[update], there are around 9 buildings that have been proposed, approved, undergoing review, or are currently undergoing construction which will join the tallest buildings in San Diego (over 300 feet).[6][7]
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Cityscape
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Map of tallest buildings
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The map below shows the location of buildings taller than 300 feet (61 m) in San Diego. Each marker is numbered by height and colored by the decade of the building's completion.
Buildings taller than 300 ft (91 m) in San Diego
- 1950s and below
- 1960s
- 1970s
- 1980s
- 1990s
- 2000s
- 2010s
- 2020s
1
One America Plaza2
Symphony Towers3
Manchester Grand Hyatt Tower I4
Pinnacle on the Park I5
Pinnacle on the Park II6
Electra7
Pacific Gate8
Pinnacle Marina Tower9
Emerald Plaza10
Manchester Grand Hyatt Tower II11
Diega South Tower12
800 Broadway13
West14
Harbor Club West15
Harbor Club East16
The Grande South at Santa Fe Place17
The Grande North at Santa Fe Place18
Vantage Pointe Condominium19
Savina San Diego Condominiums20
The Lindley21
655 West Broadway22
Simone Little Italy23
Park 1224
Bayside at the Embarcadero25
530 B Street26
San Diego Central Courthouse27
Hilton San Diego Bayfront28
The Mark29
1 Columbia Place30
Sapphire Tower31
Omni San Diego Hotel32
Meridian Condominiums33
Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina Tower I34
Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina Tower II35
The Merian36
Imperial Bank Tower37
Executive Complex38
101 W Broadway39
The San Diego Union-Tribune Building40
James M. Carter and Judith N. Keep United States Courthouse41
Wells Fargo Plaza42
11th and Broadway Tower 243
El Cortez44
11th and Broadway Tower 145
Rise46
225 Broadway47
The Rey48
Marriott Vacation Club PulseTallest buildings
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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
Was the tallest building in San Diego upon completion
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Tallest under construction or proposed
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Under construction
This lists buildings that are under construction in San Diego and are planned to rise at least 300 feet (91 meters). The "year" column indicates the estimated year of completion.
Proposed
This lists ranks proposed buildings in San Diego that are planned to be taller than 300 ft (91 m). A dash “–“ indicates information about the building is unknown or has not been released.
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Timeline of tallest buildings
These are the list of buildings that have held the title of tallest building in San Diego. [109]
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Notes
- 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
External links
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