Clarke's Space Elevator from "The Fountains of Paradise" is an elegant solution to the problem of getting into orbit. The advent of nanomaterials has made Clarke's vision seem far less preposterous.Carbon nanotube sheets that can be used for a space elevator ribbon can also be used to make inflatable pressure-fed SSTO rocket stages that are reusable. A much more cheaper alternative that can be utilized by private entrepreneurs instead of a huge centralized project that a space elevator would be.
SSTO is a great idea that logically comes first before any "mega-lift" system. But there are size limits to consider. Eventually there will be a need for payloads massing thousands of tons (and potentially much, much more.) The expense of launching thousands (hundreds of thousands, millions) of light components and assembling them in orbit eventually outpaces the expense of an "elevator".
Eventually we will need to move the means of production off-world to rid ourselves of the entire issue of gravity.