List of tallest buildings in California facts for kids
This list ranks skyscrapers/high rise buildings and structures in the US State of California by height. Buildings and structures in seven cities are included in this list; Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Long Beach, Sacramento, Burbank and Oakland each have buildings taller than 400 feet (120 m).
The tallest building is the Wilshire Grand Center at 1,100 feet (340 m). All of the buildings and structures taller than 500 feet (150 m) are in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The tallest building in San Diego rises exactly 500 feet due to restrictions imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the 1970s, because of the downtown's proximity to San Diego International Airport.
Contents
Buildings over 500 feet
Rank | Name | Image | Height ft / m |
Floors | Year | City | Rank in its city | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Wilshire Grand Center | 1,100 (340) | 73 | 2017 | Los Angeles | 1 | Topped-out in 2016, and officially opened in June 2017. The tower is the tallest building in Los Angeles and the West Coast of the United States as measured by structural height, which includes a 295-foot spire. When measured by roof height, the tower is 934 ft. tall, which is 84 ft. shorter than the US Bank Tower roof. | |
2 | Salesforce Tower | 1,070 (330) | 61 | 2018 | San Francisco | 1 | 124th-tallest building in the world, 17th-tallest building in the United States, 2nd-tallest building on the West Coast, Tallest building in San Francisco since 2018, Tallest building constructed in San Francisco in the 2010s. | |
3 | U.S. Bank Tower | 1,018 (310) | 73 | 1989 | Los Angeles | 2 | 161st-tallest building in the world, 23th-tallest building in the United States, tallest building on the West Coast of the United States when measured by roof height. Only building in California whose roof height exceeds 1,000 ft. Tallest structure in a major active seismic region from 1989 to 2010; Taipei 101 now holds this title. Tallest building constructed in Los Angeles in the 1980s. Formerly known as Library Tower. | |
N/A | Sutro Tower | 977 (298) | 1973 | San Francisco | N/A | Tallest non-building radio tower in San Francisco since 1973. Because it sits atop a hill, the tower actually reaches a height of 1,814 ft (553 m) above sea level. | ||
N/A | KCBS Tower | 972 (296) | 1986 | Mount Wilson | N/A | 2nd tallest non-building radio tower in California. Because it sits atop a mountain, the tower actually reaches a height of 6,631 ft (2,021 m) above sea level. | ||
4 | Aon Center | 858 (262) | 62 | 1973 | Los Angeles | 3 | 60th-tallest building in the United States. Tallest building constructed in Los Angeles in the 1970s. | |
5 | Transamerica Pyramid | 853 (260) | 48 | 1972 | San Francisco | 2 | Tallest building in San Francisco from 1972-2017; 61st-tallest in the United States, and 473rd-tallest in the world; tallest building on the West Coast from 1972 until 1974; tallest building constructed in San Francisco in the 1970s | |
6 | 181 Fremont | 803 (245) | 56 | 2017 | San Francisco | 3 | San Francisco headquarters of Facebook and Instagram. | |
7 | 555 California Street | 779 (237) | 52 | 1969 | San Francisco | 4 | Tallest building on the West Coast from 1969 to 1972; formerly known as Bank of America Center; tallest building constructed in the city in the 1960s | |
8 | Two California Plaza | 750 (230) | 54 | 1992 | Los Angeles | 4 | 121st-tallest building in the United States (tied). Tallest building constructed in Los Angeles in the 1990s. | |
9 | Gas Company Tower | 749 (228) | 52 | 1991 | Los Angeles | 5 | 127th-tallest building in the United States. | |
10 | Bank of America Center | 735 (224) | 55 | 1974 | Los Angeles | 6 | 144th-tallest building in the United States (tied). Originally known as Security Pacific Bank Plaza, then as ARCO Plaza, then BP Plaza. | |
11 | 777 Tower | 725 (221) | 52 | 1991 | Los Angeles | 7 | ||
12 | Wells Fargo North Tower | 723 (220) | 54 | 1983 | Los Angeles | 8 | ||
13 | Figueroa at Wilshire | 717 (219) | 53 | 1990 | Los Angeles | 9 | Formerly known as the Sanwa Bank Building. | |
14= | City National Tower | 699 (213) | 52 | 1972 | Los Angeles | 10 = | This building and Paul Hastings Tower stand as the tallest twin towers in Los Angeles. Formerly known as the Bank of America Tower. | |
Paul Hastings Tower | 699 (213) | 52 | 1972 | Los Angeles | This building and City National Tower stand as the tallest twin towers in Los Angeles. Formerly known as ARCO Tower. | |||
16 = | The Beaudry | 695 (212) | 52 | 2023 | Los Angeles | 12 | Tallest all residential building in California. | |
345 California Center | 695 (212) | 48 | 1986 | San Francisco | 5 | Tallest mid-block skyscraper in San Francisco; tallest building constructed in the city in the 1980s | ||
18 | Oceanwide Plaza Tower 1 | 677 (206) | 49 | 2020 | Los Angeles | 13 | Topped Off, interior unfinished. | |
19 | LA Live Hotels & Condominiums | 667 (203) | 54 | 2010 | Los Angeles | 14 | ||
20 | Metropolis Tower D | 647 (197) | 58 | 2019 | Los Angeles | 15 | ||
21 | Millennium Tower | 645 (197) | 58 | 2009 | San Francisco | 6 | Tallest building constructed in the city in the 2000s | |
22 | One Rincon Hill South Tower | 641 (195) | 60 | 2008 | San Francisco | 7 | Tallest all-residential building in the city | |
23 | 820 Olive | 636 (194) | 49 | 2019 | Los Angeles | 16 | Alternatively called 825 Hill. Construction started in 2016 and completed in 2019. | |
24 | Citigroup Center | 625 (191) | 48 | 1979 | Los Angeles | 17 | Formerly known as the 444 Flower Building. | |
25 | 611 Place | 620 (190) | 42 | 1967 | Los Angeles | 18 | Tallest building constructed in Los Angeles in the 1960s. | |
26 | The Avery | 618 (188) | 66 | 2019 | San Francisco | 8 | ||
27 | Wells Fargo South Tower | 606 (185) | 42 | 1984 | Los Angeles | 19 | ||
28 | Park Tower at Transbay | 605 (184) | 43 | 2018 | San Francisco | 9 | ||
29 = | Century Plaza Hotel Residential Tower North | 600 (180) | 46 | 2021 | Los Angeles | 20 = | This building and the identical south tower stand as the tallest buildings in California outside the CBDs of Los Angeles and San Francisco. | |
Century Plaza Hotel Residential Tower South | 600 (180) | 46 | 2021 | Los Angeles | 20 = | |||
Salesforce West | 600 (180) | 43 | 1985 | San Francisco | 10= | |||
101 California Street | 600 (180) | 48 | 1982 | San Francisco | 10= | |||
33 | One California Plaza | 578 (176) | 42 | 1985 | Los Angeles | 22 | ||
34 | Market Center | 573 (175) | 40 | 1975 | San Francisco | 12 | ||
35= | Century Plaza Tower I | 571 (174) | 44 | 1975 | Los Angeles | 23 = | Designed by Minoru Yamasaki. The towers resemble Yamasaki's iconic work, the original World Trade Center in New York City, with their twin configuration, vertical black and gray lines, and aluminum exteriors. | |
Century Plaza Tower II | 571 (174) | 44 | 1975 | Los Angeles | ||||
37 | Four Embarcadero Center | 570 (170) | 45 | 1982 | San Francisco | 13 | ||
38 | One Embarcadero Center | 569 (173) | 45 | 1971 | San Francisco | 14 | ||
39 | 44 Montgomery Street | 565 (172) | 43 | 1967 | San Francisco | 15 | ||
40 | Spear Tower | 564 (172) | 43 | 1976 | San Francisco | 16 | ||
41 | KPMG Tower | 560 (170) | 45 | 1983 | Los Angeles | 25 | ||
42 | One Sansome Street | 550 (170) | 39 | 1984 | San Francisco | 17 | ||
43 | One Rincon Hill North Tower | 541 (165) | 49 | 2014 | San Francisco | 18 | ||
44 | One Front Street | 538 (164) | 38 | 1979 | San Francisco | 19 | ||
45 | Ernst & Young Plaza | 534 (163) | 41 | 1985 | Los Angeles | 26 | ||
46 | SunAmerica Center | 533 (162) | 39 | 1990 | Los Angeles | 27 | ||
47 = | Oceanwide Plaza Tower II | 530 (160) | 40 | 2020 | Los Angeles | 28 = | Topped off, interior left unfinished. | |
Oceanwide Plaza Tower III | 530 (160) | 40 | 2020 | Los Angeles | 28 = | Topped off, interior left unfinished. | ||
49 = | First Market Tower | 529 (161) | 39 | 1973 | San Francisco | 20= | ||
McKesson Plaza | 529 (161) | 38 | 1969 | San Francisco | ||||
Hope+Flower Tower 1 | 529 (161) | 40 | 2019 | Los Angeles | 30 = | |||
Fig+Pico Tower 1 | 529 (161) | 42 | 2023 | Los Angeles | 30= | |||
53 | 425 Market Street | 525 (160) | 38 | 1973 | San Francisco | 22 | ||
54 | The Grand By Gehry | 522 (159) | 39 | 2022 | Los Angeles | 32 | Designed by Frank Gehry. | |
55 | TCW Tower | 517 (158) | 39 | 1990 | Los Angeles | 33 | ||
56 | Union Bank Plaza | 516 (157) | 40 | 1968 | Los Angeles | 34 | ||
57 | Four Seasons Private Residences at 706 Mission Street | 510 (160) | 43 | 2020 | San Francisco | 23 | ||
58 | 10 Universal City Plaza | 506 (154) | 36 | 1984 | Los Angeles | 35 | Tallest building in the San Fernando Valley. |
Buildings from 400 to 500 feet
Rank | Name | Image | Height ft (m) |
Floors | Year | City | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
59= | One America Plaza | 500 (152) | 34 | 1991 | San Diego | Tallest building in San Diego; tallest building in California outside of Los Angeles and San Francisco; tallest building constructed in the 1990s | |
Telesis Tower | 500 (152) | 38 | 1982 | San Francisco | |||
61 | Symphony Towers | 499 (152) | 34 | 1989 | San Diego | ||
62 | Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel | 497 (151) | 40 | 1992 | San Diego | Tallest building on the waterfront on the West Coast | |
63 | 1100 Wilshire | 496 (151) | 35 | 1987 | Los Angeles | Known for its large above ground parking garage. | |
64 | 333 Bush Street | 495 (151) | 43 | 1986 | San Francisco | ||
65= | Hilton San Francisco Tower I | 493 (150) | 46 | 1971 | San Francisco | Tallest building used exclusively as a hotel in the city | |
Fox Plaza | 493 (150) | 34 | 1987 | Los Angeles | Known as Nakatomi Plaza from the 1988 Die Hard film. | ||
67 | Pacific Gas & Electric Building | 492 (150) | 34 | 1971 | San Francisco | ||
68 | MGM Tower/Constellation Place | 491 (150) | 35 | 2003 | Los Angeles | The first high rise to be completed in the 21st century in Century City. | |
69= | 555 Mission Street | 487 (148) | 33 | 2008 | San Francisco | ||
50 California Street | 487 (148) | 37 | 1972 | San Francisco | |||
71 | St. Regis San Francisco | 484 (148) | 42 | 2005 | San Francisco | ||
72 | Ten Thousand | 483 (147) | 40 | 2017 | Los Angeles | Designed by Handel Architects. | |
73 | The Century | 478 (146) | 42 | 2009 | Los Angeles | ||
74= | 100 Pine Center | 476 (145) | 33 | 1972 | San Francisco | ||
45 Fremont Street | 476 (145) | 34 | 1978 | San Francisco | |||
76 | Electra | 475 (145) | 43 | 2007 | San Diego | Tallest residential tower in San Diego | |
77 | 333 Market Street | 472 (144) | 33 | 1979 | San Francisco | ||
78 | 650 California Street | 466 (142) | 34 | 1964 | San Francisco | Also known as the Hartford Building. | |
79 | ARCO Tower/1055 West Seventh | 462 (141) | 33 | 1989 | Los Angeles | ||
80 | The Tower Burbank | 460 (140) | 32 | 1988 | Burbank | Tallest building in Burbank, CA. | |
81 | 555 Mission Street | 458 (140) | 33 | 2008 | San Francisco | ||
82= | Los Angeles City Hall | 454 (138) | 32 | 1928 | Los Angeles | Tallest building constructed in Los Angeles in the 1920s. Tallest base-isolated structure in the world. | |
Equitable Life Building | 454 (138) | 34 | 1969 | Los Angeles | |||
84 | South Park Center | 452 (138) | 32 | 1965 | Los Angeles | ||
85 | Metropolis Tower C | 451 (137) | 40 | 2018 | Los Angeles | ||
86 | LUMINA I | 450 (137) | 43 | 2015 | San Francisco | ||
87 | The Pinnacle Museum Tower | 450 (137) | 36 | 2005 | San Diego | ||
88 | The Infinity I | 450 (137) | 41 | 2008 | San Francisco | ||
89 | AT&T Switching Center | 448 (137) | 17 | 1961 | Los Angeles | ||
90 | 100 First Plaza | 447 (136) | 27 | 1988 | San Francisco | ||
91 | Manchester Grand Hyatt Seaport | 446 (136) | 34 | 2003 | San Diego | ||
92 | 5900 Wilshire | 443 (135) | 32 | 1971 | Los Angeles | ||
93 | Metropolis Tower B | 442 (135) | 38 | 2017 | Los Angeles | Indigo Hotel | |
94= | 399 Fremont Street | 440 (134) | 42 | 2016 | San Francisco | ||
340 Fremont Street | 440 (134) | 43 | 2019 | San Francisco | |||
500 Folsom | 440 (134) | 40 | 2016 | San Francisco | |||
97 | Hallasan Tower | 439 (134) | 38 | 2023 | Los Angeles | ||
98 | One California | 438 (134) | 32 | 1969 | San Francisco | ||
99 | San Francisco Marriott | 436 (133) | 39 | 1989 | San Francisco | ||
100= | Russ Building | 435 (133) | 32 | 1927 | San Francisco | Tied as the tallest building constructed in the city in the 1920s | |
140 New Montgomery | 435 (133) | 26 | 1925 | San Francisco | Tied as the tallest building constructed in the city in the 1920s | ||
102 | Jasper | 430 (131) | 39 | 2015 | San Francisco | ||
103= | Harbor Club West | 424 (129) | 41 | 1992 | San Diego | ||
Harbor Club East | 424 (129) | 41 | 1992 | San Diego | |||
105 | Wells Fargo Center | 423 (129) | 30 | 1992 | Sacramento | Tallest building in Sacramento. | |
106 | MIRA | 422 (129) | 39 | 2020 | San Francisco | ||
107 | Hope+Flower Tower II | 421 (128) | 31 | 2019 | Los Angeles | ||
108= | The Grande South at Santa Fe Place | 420 (128) | 39 | 2004 | San Diego | ||
The Grande North at Santa Fe Place | 420 (128) | 39 | 2005 | San Diego | |||
Vantage Pointe Condominium | 420 (128) | 41 | 2009 | San Diego | |||
JPMorgan Chase Building | 420 (128) | 31 | 2002 | San Francisco | |||
The Paramount | 420 (128) | 40 | 2002 | San Francisco | |||
The Infinity II | 420 (128) | 41 | 2009 | San Francisco | |||
114= | Shoreline Gateway East Tower | 417 (127) | 35 | 2021 | Long Beach | Tallest building in Long Beach. | |
Providian Financial Building | 417 (127) | 30 | 1981 | San Francisco | |||
116 | Warner Center Plaza II | 415 (126) | 25 | 1991 | Los Angeles | ||
117 | MCI Center | 414 (126) | 33 | 1973 | Los Angeles | ||
118= | Three Embarcadero Center | 413 (126) | 31 | 1977 | San Francisco | ||
Two Embarcadero Center | 413 (126) | 30 | 1974 | San Francisco | |||
120 | Advanced Equities Plaza | 412 (126) | 23 | 2005 | San Diego | ||
121 | 595 Market Street | 410 (125) | 30 | 1979 | San Francisco | ||
122 | 123 Mission Street | 407 (124) | 29 | 1986 | San Francisco | ||
123= | 101 Montgomery | 404 (123) | 28 | 1984 | San Francisco | ||
Embarcadero West | 404 (123) | 34 | 1989 | San Francisco | |||
Ordway Building | 404 (123) | 28 | 1970 | Oakland | Tallest building in Oakland and in the Bay Area outside of San Francisco. | ||
126 | US Bank Tower | 402 (123) | 25 | 2008 | Sacramento | This building topped out in 2007 to become the city's second tallest building. | |
127= | 100 Van Ness Avenue | 400 (122) | 29 | 1974 | San Francisco | ||
LUMINA II | 400 (122) | 38 | 2015 | San Francisco | |||
Atlas | 400 (122) | 40 | 2020 | Oakland | |||
Fifteen Fifty | 400 (122) | 40 | 2020 | San Francisco | |||
Circa Tower I | 400 (122) | 35 | 2018 | Los Angeles | Moxy Hotel | ||
Circa Tower II | 400 (122) | 35 | 2018 | Los Angeles |
Timeline of tallest buildings in California
Name | Years as tallest | Height | Floors | City | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Montgomery Block | 1853–1854 | 15 m (49 ft) | 4 | San Francisco | |
Old Saint Mary's Cathedral | 1854–1874 | 27 m (89 ft) | |||
California State Capitol | 1874–1890 | 64 m (210 ft) | 6 | Sacramento | |
Chronicle Building | 1890–1898 | 66 m (217 ft) | San Francisco | ||
Call Building | 1898–1914 | 96 m (315 ft) | |||
Oakland City Hall | 1914–1922 | 98 m (322 ft) | 18 | Oakland | |
Standard Oil Building | 1922–1925 | 100 m (330 ft) | San Francisco | ||
Pacific Telephone Building | 1925–1928 | 133 m (436 ft) | |||
Russ Building | 1927–1928 | 133 m (436 ft) | 32 | ||
Los Angeles City Hall | 1928–1965 | 138 m (453 ft) | Los Angeles | ||
Hartford Building | 1965–1967 | 142 m (466 ft) | 34 | San Francisco | |
44 Montgomery Street | 1967–1969 | 172 m (564 ft) | 43 | ||
555 California Street | 1969–1972 | 237 m (778 ft) | 52 | Then known as Bank of America Center | |
Transamerica Pyramid | 1972–1973 | 260 m (850 ft) | 48 | ||
Aon Center | 1973–1990 | 262 m (860 ft) | 62 | Los Angeles | |
US Bank Tower | 1990–2017 | 310 m (1,020 ft) | 73 | Formerly Library Tower | |
Wilshire Grand Center | 2017–present | 335 m (1,099 ft) |
See also
- List of tallest buildings in Los Angeles
- List of tallest buildings in San Francisco
- List of tallest buildings in Sacramento
- List of tallest buildings in Oakland
- List of tallest buildings in Long Beach
- List of tallest buildings in San Diego
- List of tallest buildings in San Jose
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List of tallest buildings in California Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.