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The 24 tallest buildings in San Diego

If you leave a comment, Jim will visit your blog and leave a comment. It's always fun to go to downtown San Diego because there is so much to do regardless of the time of day. Nightlife is over at the Gaslamp Quarter, a stroll along the Harbor, or even a daytime or dinner cruise around the Bay.

I also enjoy watching how the San Diego skyline changes, remembering how it was when I first came here in 1988, and imagining what it might be in the future. Since Petco Park was completed in 2003, construction projects in downtown San Diego has been booming, especially for residential towers.

It's interesting that San Diego's tallest building is a mere 500 feet, interesting because San Diego is not a hotbed of earthquake activity like Los Angeles and San Francisco, both of which have much taller buildings.

San Diego, California Here is a list of San Diego's tallest buildings:

One America Plaza (1991) - 500 feet - We call it the Screwdriver building because it looks like a Phillips screwdriver
Symphony Towers (1989) - 499 feet - Home of the San Diego Symphony. Built in 1989. One America Plaza was built in 1991, which could explain the one foot difference in height.
Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel (1992) - 497 feet - Tallest waterfront building on the West Coast. Would it have cost that much more to add four feet and take the #1 position?
Electra (2007) - 475 feet - Tallest residential tower in San Diego
The Pinnacle Museum Tower (2005) - 450 feet, 36 floors
Emerald Plaza (1990) - 450 feet, 30 floors
Manchester Grand Hyatt Seaport (2003) - 446 feet - Built right next door to the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel (#3), it looks taller.
Harbor Club West and Harbor Club East - both built in 1992, 424 feet, 41 floors - Bruce Willis and Demi Moore once owned one of the 5,000-SF penthouses
The Grande at Santa Fe Place, North (2005) and South (2004) towers - both at 420 feet, 39 floors
Advanced Equities Plaza (2005) - 412 feet
Union Bank of California (1969) - 388 feet
Hilton San Diego Convention Center (2008) - 385 feet
The Mark (2007) - 381 feet
Sapphire Tower (2008) - 380 feet
First National Bank Center (1982) - 379 feet
Meridian Condominiums (1985) - 371 feet
San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina, Tower I and Tower II - both built in 1987, 361 feet
Imperial Bank Tower (1982) - 355 feet
Executive Complex (1963) - 350 feet
AT&T Building (1982) - 348 feet
Comerica Bank Building (1974) - 339 feet
Wells Fargo Plaza (1984) - 331 feet
El Cortez Hotel (1927) - 310 feet
NBC Building (1975) - 306 feet

One America Plaza (left), tallest building in San Diego The Grande North and South towers at Santa Fe Place, San Diego

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My most recent 20 posts (they'll open in a new window):

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Posted by Jim Frimmer, San Diego Mission Valley Realtor on 04/23/2009 02:26 PM

Comments (15)

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15 Comments on The 24 tallest buildings in San Diego

APR

Jim, What a great post, most of us do not think San Diego has such tall buildings. If we do we forget. I love to go to Coronado Island and look at the San Diego Skyline at night. There is one building in particular that is so eye catching at night with the rings of colors. Do you know which one I am referring to?

Lovely skyscrapers and downtown views. Nice information about San Diego and the buildings.

Hey, Endre.

You're probably thinking about Emerald Plaza, #6 on the list. If you look at the last two pictures, the left multi-level skyscraper in the left picture is Emerald Plaza.

Hey, Connie.

Are you doing to do a similar post on McKinney? Kidding. You could certainly do Dallas, though. It's the only Top 10 metroplex by population that I haven't been to.

I never thought of San Diego as having high buildings. I like the photos... very nice and very inviting.

Jim, architecture is a passion of mine. That is an impressive skyline. Thanks for the tour.

Jim - Great post and great photographs, thanks for sharing!

APR

Hey, Joan.

We used to be a sleepy, seaside beach town, but we are growing up.

Hey, Jack.

Since I moved here in 1988, we've become more Vancouverized with unique buildings instead of boxy skyscrapers. If you've never been to Vancouver, you should go.

Hey, Robert.

Hopefully you can get down this way and we can go on a tour.

APR

Jim - I remember that if you look over at the skyline from Coronado, or are on a bay cruise, or like I did go to sea on a Navy ship you can see a whole tool box worth of buildings. There is the philips screw driver, a socket, a chisel or regular screw driver, and if you really use your imagination you can see a couple of hammers. I have always loved San Diego and miss it dearly.

Jim - I see in one of your pictures that the old power building is still there at Broadway and Harbor Drive. When I left San Diego there was a lot of talk of making that the new public library. Did that ever happen?

Hey, Dan.

There are now two regular screw drivers. I'll have to look for the other tools.

They are trying to save the old power building. It's on the National Register of Historic Places, but they don't know what to do with it.

They are still studying the new public library. They've been studying it for at least 20 years now. They could have taken all that study money and simply built the darn thing.

Here's the latest.

APR

Jim; terrificaly creative idea for a post and such interesting information. I don't think there are really good resources for city infromation like this. Am enjoying learning about San Diego - have never been.

Hey, Janice.

Perhaps it's time for a vacation. Ooops. Nevermind. Realtors don't take vacations, do we? LOL

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