San Antonio approves $20 million in renovations for Tower of the Americas

One of San Antonio’s most iconic landmarks is about to get a pricey makeover.

City Council on Thursday morning unanimously approved nearly $20 million in renovations for the Tower of the Americas.

Upkeep on the tower was initially proposed in 2022, but multiple delays prevented the project from moving forward. Now, after Thursday’s vote, repairs will commence early next year and conclude in 2025, the Express-News reports.

Built for the 1968 World’s Fair, the Tower of the Americas has shown signs of aging, and advocates maintain it needs extensive renovations to remain a viable tourist destination.

The push for upgrades became a joint effort between the city and Landry’s Restaurants, which has operated the tower’s revolving Chart House restaurant since 2004. The seafood eatery with panoramic views of the city will see a five-year extension of its lease due to council’s vote, according to a report by KSAT.

Though Chart House’s original 15-year lease expired during the pandemic, both the city and Landry’s agreed to a holdover while negotiating for an extension.
According to local media reports, renovations to the Tower of the Americas will include:

• Repairs to the structure’s concrete shaft
• Upgrades to its electrical, mechanical, plumbing and HVAC systems
• Safety and fire prevention improvements
• Updates to the observation deck, restaurant, theater and retail spaces
• Improvements to the tophouse and plumbing
  

Charter House is expected to remain open during renovations except for a two-month shutdown in April.

The city has allocated $15.4 million for the project with Landry’s contributing another $4 million, according to news reports. Sabinal Construction will handle the upgrades.

Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.

Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter| Or sign up for our RSS Feed

This article appears in Dec 11-17, 2024.