Fact Brief: Why is Downtown San Jose’s skyline so low?

Yes.

The proximity of San José Mineta International has a direct impact on the maximum height of the surrounding buildings in Downtown San Jose. 

Due to FAA regulations, the height of the San Jose’s skyline has been kept stout in comparison to other cities so it doesn’t interfere with the airport’s flight path during arrivals and departures.

In 2019, raising the height of San Jose’s downtown was a hotly debated, with the ultimate outcome of the issue being to raise the height of buildings in downtown by 55 feet and raising the ceiling for buildings in the Diridon Station Area by up to 150 feet.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

San José Spotlight partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. Read our methodology to learn how we check claims.

Sources

• City Of San Jose Airport Vicinity Height Limitations & Map
• Get ready for taller buildings in downtown San Jose Silicon Valley Business Journal
• City of San Jose Downtown Airspace Development Capacity Study