In the future buildings diagrams there are categories for "fantasy" and "vision" where architects have designed some awesome, distinct, whimsical (most likely never to be built) skyscrapers. San Diego has no buildings listed for either category.
You look at Denver, Las Vegas, LA, SF, they all have visionary artists and architects who are creatively exploring the "what-ifs" - what if we had unlimited resources to build anything we want, what would it look like.
San Diego has none of this creativeness even if much of it is just "fantasy" because architects and creative planners know that with the restrictions and conservative nature being so stifling here it isn’t even worth putting such dramatic thoughts on paper, much less build them here
Even though these buildings will most likely never be built (at least in the “fantasy”; some in the “vision” section might), it is this creative spirit and the pushing-of-the-envelope mentality that fosters original and unique projects that do eventually get built and stand out on the world stage. Unfortunately, SD just doesn’t have this creative spirit yet. I bet that when buildings like SFs transamerica tower, Seattle's space needle and Sydney's opera house were in conception, conservative thinkers thought they were complete rubbish. Now they are icons of their cities.
As others have mentioned, the military control and hideous city/county officials in San Diego who are dinosaurs in their draconian and restictive thought, prefer to keep SD low-profile and the “drab, boring step-child living in the shadows of her glamorous sisters LA and SF”. It wouldn't bother me so much if I didn't think SD has the potential to be so much better because it has one of the best geographic locals in the nation/world!!
Anyway, here are some examples of the other cities visionary creativity, how would one of these buildings look in SD? :0)
LA:
http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=37546
Chicago:
http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=5138
Las Vegas (this one is actually proposed so may be built)
http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=57652
SF:
http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=48855
http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=8848
http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=49351
http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=25602 (very cool
http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=41341 This one is proposed
It is amazing that SF's city population is declining (while metro cities cuch as SJ and Oak are growing), yet the city still has all these awesome plans for skyscrapers (not the fantasy ones listed above, but actual proposed/under construction). Not to mention, their airport has one of the nicest international terminals I've seen in the world, (while LA's bradley intl terminal reminds me of the airports in the 3rd world it's so low-tech and in need of repair).
I know some people will hate me for saying this, but I think SD could learn alot in city planning from SF, both have bayfront downtowns and both have some of the same geographic concerns (fault lines, etc) - I think SF has done a great job bringing diversity together in an urban environment that flourishes despite a relatively city small population (smaller than SD). I mean look at the Asian communities - SD has tons of wonderful Asian culture, but much of it is up in the Miramar area off convoy road in nasty strip-malls and non descript buildings between car dealerships. How fantastic would it be if these cultural areas were more centralized in the center city like the Chinese and Japanese communities of LA and SD