thing is we do have materials strong enough, because as it turns out the issue with strength is in flaws between indivual molecules in any given material, not so much the type of material, and very small amples with perfect molecular bonds are plenty strong, but getting consistent perfect molecular bonds is the challenge,
and if this can be done, other technologys ,such as vacume ballons
will be possible, such as flying citys to go with the space rlevators