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 (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 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 (150 m). 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 (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 cityâÂÂs 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 cityâÂÂs 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 the early 1990s, which saw the emergence of major skyscrapers such as the 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. 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 DiegoâÂÂs 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 MexicoâÂÂUnited States border is the Mexican city of Tijuana, which has a significant skyline of its own. San Diego and Tijuana form the San DiegoâÂÂTijuana trans border agglomeration, which together has nearly 50 buildings taller than 100 m (328 ft).
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 restrictionsâÂÂintroduced in the 1970s due to the proximity of San Diego International AirportâÂÂlimited 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. 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 (over 300 feet).
<imagemap> Image:Skyline of San Diego (cropped) (cropped).jpg|thumb|center|1100px|San Diego skyline from Coronado Island in 2021, looking northeast <small>(Click or hover over image to identify buildings)</small>
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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.
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
This lists buildings that are under construction in San Diego and are planned to rise at least 300 feet (91 meters) as of 2026. The "year" column indicates the estimated year of completion.
This lists ranks proposed buildings in San Diego that are planned to be taller than 300 ft (91 m). A dash âÂÂâÂÂâ indicates information about the building is unknown or has not been released.
These are the list of buildings that have held the title of tallest building in San Diego.