Downtown San Diego

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Centre City San Diego at night, as seen from the north. San Diego Bay is in the foreground, and to the far right is the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge.

Downtown San Diego is the city center of San Diego, California and the central business district of the surrounding metropolitan area. Downtown San Diego is literally the city center as the name "Centre City" implies, as it is located in the heart of San Diego County. Many of the city's tallest, most important, and historic buildings are in this area. Downtown San Diego is delimited by San Diego Bay to the west, Hillcrest to the north, San Diego Freeway to the west, and National City to the south. San Diego International Airport is just northwest of downtown.

1 History of Downtown San Diego
2 Architecture
- 2.1 List of the 20 tallest buildings in San Diego
3 Districts and neighborhoods in Centre City San Diego
4 External Links

[edit] History of Downtown San Diego

In the 1960's, Centre City began to fall into a state of disrepair. Due to the struggling economy, most of the area was abandoned. Trash littered the Gaslamp Quarter, many 19th Century Victorian houses were rundown, and there were few buildings of significant size (the tallest building at the time was twelve stories). Despite this, low- and mid-rise buildings were beginning construction.

By the 1970s, Centre City San Diego was experiencing urban renewal. The San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge (known locally as "Coronado Bridge") was built in 1969 to relieve commuter stress on the San Diego-Coronado Ferry Service, but the skyscraper boom didn't start until the completion of Horton Plaza in 1985, the Gaslamp Quarter revival, and the completion of the San Diego Convention Center.

The completion of PETCO Park in 2004 fueled increased growth and investment, and consequently accelerated gentrification especially in East Village. Downtown along with the beach communities of Mission Beach and Pacific Beach are now considered as the three centers of nightlife in San Diego County; numerous bars, restaurants, and cafes dot 5th and 6th Avenues in the Gaslamp Quarter in downtown.

Little Italy

Horton Plaza

San Diego Convention Center

PETCO Park

Downtown San Diego at Night as seen from Coronado. Buildings in order from right to left: Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, Emerald Plaza, Manchester Grand Hyatt Seaport Village, One America Plaza, Park Place, Embassy Suites San Diego Bay

[edit] Architecture

Because of San Diego's Mediterranean climate, the theme of many of San Diego's newer skyscrapers and urban developments are reminiscent of a Mediterranean coastal town and painted to reflect the surrounding environment of the area: tan for the sandy beaches, white for the sails of boats on the bay, and blue for the Pacific Ocean and skies. In addition, there are many modern, postmodern, and contemporary styled buildings in the city. Because of its postmodern look, the skyline is occcasionally compared to those of Vancouver and Seattle.

Due to San Diego International Airport's (Lindbergh Field) proximity to Centre City San Diego, there is a 500 ft. height restriction on all buildings in the airport's vicinity; the tallest building now in San Diego is One America Plaza, which is exactly five hundred feet tall. The height regulation exists because when planes approach and leave the airport, any structure taller than 500 ft. will interfere with flight operations and potentially cause a collision. Unless the airport is moved to another location, the height restriction will remain in place. See San Diego International Airport for more information on the airport's relocation status.

The Centre City Development Corporation, San Diego's urban development agency, has proposed and built many of Centre City's residential high-rises and office buildings.

[edit] List of the 20 tallest buildings in San Diego

Rank	Building Name	Height (in metres)	Stories	Year of Completion
1	One America Plaza	152.4	34	1991
2	Symphony Towers	152.1	34	1989
3	Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego	151.4	40	1992
4	Electra	144.8	43	2007
5	Emerald Plaza	137.2	30	1990
6	Pinnacle Museum Tower	137.2	36	2005
7	Manchester Grand Hyatt Seaport Village	135.9	32	2003
8	Harbor Club East	129.2	41	1992
9	Harbor Club West	129.2	41	1992
10	Vantage Pointe Condominiums	128	41	2007
11	The Grande South at Santa Fe Place	128	39	2004
12	The Grand North at Santa Fe Place	128	39	2005
13	Broadway 655	126	23	2005
14	Union Bank of California Building	118.3	27	1969
15	Hilton San Diego Convention Center	117.3	32	2008
16	The Mark	116.1	31	2007
17	First National Bank Center	115.5	27	1982
18	Meridian Condominiums	113.1	28	1985
19	San Diego Marriot Hotel and Marina Tower 1	110	25	1987
20	San Diego Marriot Hotel and Marina Tower 2	110	25	1987