List of tallest buildings in San Diego

San Diego, a major coastal city in Southern California, has over 200 high-rises mainly in its central business district. The city has over 40 buildings that stand taller than 300 feet, 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 a maximum of within a radius from San Diego International Airport. As a result, Downtown San Diego has no buildings beyond that height, and only three buildings are taller than 492 ft. The tallest building in the city is the 34-story One America Plaza, completed in 1991 which stands at tall.
The history of skyscrapers in San Diego began with the completion of the U.S. Grant Hotel in 1910. Standing at 211 ft, 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, becoming a prominent landmark and reflecting the city’s expanding ambitions during the Roaring Twenties. 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 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 the early 1990s, which saw the emergence of major skyscrapers such as the Symphony Towers, completed in 1989 at 499 feet, and One America Plaza, which overtook it in 1991. All three buildings that surpassed 492 ft 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. 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 sight lines to the bay and surrounding hills. While most tall buildings are located in the downtown area, there are also 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 trans border agglomeration, which together has nearly 50 buildings taller than 100 m.

History

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. 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. 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. This era coincided with broader urban renewal efforts aimed at revitalizing downtown neighborhoods and accommodating a growing population seeking urban living.
, there have been 10 buildings that have been proposed, approved, undergoing review, or are currently undergoing construction which will join the tallest buildings in San Diego.

Map of tallest buildings

The map below shows the location of buildings taller than 300 feet in San Diego. Each marker is numbered by height and colored by the decade of the building's completion.

Tallest buildings

This list ranks San Diego skyscrapers that stand at least tall as of 2026, 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	Location	Height ft	Floors	Year	Purpose	Notes
1	One America Plaza				34	1991	Office	Tallest building in the city since 1991; tallest building in California outside of Los Angeles and San Francisco.
2	Symphony Towers				34	1989	Mixed-use	Tallest building in San Diego from 1989 to 1991. Mixed-use office and hotel building.
3	Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego				40	1992	Hotel	Tallest building on the waterfront on the West Coast of the United States. Tallest hotel building in San Diego.
4	Pinnacle on the Park I				45	2015	Residential	Tallest residential tower in San Diego together with the Pinnacle II tower.
5	Pinnacle on the Park II				45	2019	Residential	Tallest residential tower in San Diego together with the Pinnacle I tower. Also known as Spire San Diego.
6	Electra				43	2008	Residential
7	Pacific Gate by Bosa				41	2017	Residential
8	Pinnacle Marina Tower				36	2005	Residential
9	Emerald Plaza				30	1990	Mixed-use	Mixed-use office and hotel building with retail.
10	Manchester Grand Hyatt Seaport				34	2003	Hotel
11	Diega South Tower	–			41	2020	Residential
12	800 Broadway	–			40	2024	Residential	Contains retail units.
13	West	–			37	2024	Mixed-use	Mixed-use residential and office building with retail. The project also included $80 million tunnel. Also known as Courthouse Commons.
14	Harbor Club West				41	1992	Residential
15	Harbor Club East				41	1992	Residential
16	The Grande South at Santa Fe Place				39	2004	Residential
17	The Grande North at Santa Fe Place				39	2005	Residential
18	Vantage Pointe Condominium				41	2009	Residential
19	Savina San Diego Condominiums				36	2018	Residential
20	The Lindley	–			37	2024	Residential	Contains retail units.
21	655 West Broadway				23	2005	Mixed-use	Formerly known as Advanced Equities Plaza from 2007 to 2012, and First Allied Plaza from 2012 to 2024. Mixed-use residential and office building with retail.
22	Simone Little Italy	–			36	2023	Residential	Also known as Union & Ash.
23	Park 12				36	2018	Residential	Also known as Ballpark Village. Contains retail units.
24	Bayside at the Embarcadero				36	2009	Residential
25	530 B Street				27	1969	Office	Tallest building in San Diego from 1969 to 1989. Formerly known as the Union Bank of California Building until 2022.
26	San Diego Central Courthouse				22	2017	Office
27	Hilton San Diego Bayfront				32	2008	Hotel
28	The Mark				33	2007	Residential
29	1 Columbia Place				27	1982	Office	Also known as First National Bank Center.
30	Sapphire Tower				32	2008	Residential
31	Omni San Diego Hotel				34	2004	Hotel
32	Meridian Condominiums				28	1985	Residential
33	Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina Tower I				25	1984	Hotel	Completed three years earlier than its twin counterpart. Operated as the Inter-Continental San Diego until 1987.
34	Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina Tower II				25	1987	Hotel
35	The Merian	–			34	2020	Residential
36	Imperial Bank Tower				24	1982	Office
37	Tower 180				25	1963	Office	Tallest building in San Diego from 1963 to 1969.
38	101 W Broadway				20	1982	Office	Formerly known as the AT&T Building.
39	600 B Street				23	1974	Office	Formerly known as the San Diego Union Tribune Building until 2023.
40	James M. Carter and Judith N. Keep United States Courthouse				16	2012	Office
41	Wells Fargo Plaza				23	1984	Office
42	525 B Street				22	1969	Office	Also known as the Procopio Tower and formerly known as Golden Eagle Plaza.
43	11th and Broadway Tower 2	–			32	2024	Residential	Part of the Broadway Towers development. Contains retail units.
44	El Cortez				14	1927	Residential	Tallest building in San Diego from 1927 to 1963.
45	11th and Broadway Tower 1	–			31	2024	Residential	Part of the Broadway Towers development. Contains retail units.
46	Rise	–			15	2024	Office	Part of the IQHQ's Research and Development District
47	225 Broadway				22	1975	Office
48	The Rey	–			25	2016	Residential
49	Marriott Vacation Club Pulse				27	1990	Hotel	Formerly the Sheraton Suites. Part of the Symphony Towers complex.

Tallest under construction or proposed

Under construction

This lists buildings that are under construction in San Diego and are planned to rise at least 300 feet as of 2026. The "year" column indicates the estimated year of completion.

Name	Coordinates	Height ft	Floors	Year	Purpose	Notes
Columbia & A			39	2026	Mixed-use	Columbia & A will be a 39-story condo and hotel tower.
The Torrey			34	2026	Residential	The Torrey will be a 34‑story residential tower featuring 450 apartments and a Whole Foods Market at its base.
Andia			40	2027	Residential	Andia will be a 40-story luxury condominium tower with 393 units and ground-floor retail.

Proposed

This lists ranks proposed buildings in San Diego that are planned to be taller than 300 ft. A dash “–“ indicates information about the building is unknown or has not been released.

Name	Coordinates	Height ft	Floors	Year	Purpose	Status	Notes
1st and Island			35	–	Residential	Under Review	Planned 35-story residential tower, replacing a parking lot in the Gaslamp Quarter. Will be situated next to the Harbor Club towers.
4th and B			30	–	Mixed-use	Under Review	A planned 30-story mixed-use tower that will replace an empty lot that was the former spot of the 4th and B venue. Will contain office and hotel space.
Pinnacle Pacific Heights			32	–	Residential	Under Review	Planned mixed-use tower with 492 residential units and 2,250 sq. ft. of retail space. Currently a parking lot.
444 West Beech		–	39	–	Mixed-use	Under Review	444 West Beech is a proposed 39-story mixed-use tower by Endeavor Real Estate Group, planned for the north side of Beech Street between Columbia and State in downtown San Diego. The project would include 491 apartments and about 6,938 sq. ft. of ground-floor retail.
Kettner Crossing Phase 2		–	33	–	Residential	Under Review	Phase 2 of Kettner Crossing is the next development stage of a mixed-use project in San Diego's Little Italy neighborhood. This phase includes additional residential units and retail spaces.
1950 India Street		–	26	–	Residential	Under Review	A planned mixed-use tower in Little Italy, expected to bring 444 units of residential space and 33,752 sq. ft. of retail space. The spot is currently a vacant building.
Après Little Italy		–	25	–	Residential	Under Review	Another planned mixed-use tower coming to the Little Italy area. It will feature over 150 apartments and 9,289 sq. ft. of retail space.

Timeline of tallest buildings

These are the list of buildings that have held the title of tallest building in San Diego.

Name	Image	Height ft	Floors	Years as tallest	Notes
U.S. Grant Hotel			11	17 years
El Cortez Hotel			16	36 years
Tower 180			25	6 years
530 B Street			27	20 years
Symphony Towers			34	2 years
One America Plaza			34	years