|
Coooooool! I never pictured the tower of life having anything other than the antenna. If you get some dates please share! : )
My grandfather once worked on the roof of this building, though I haven't been able to gather any further information due to his Alzheimer's disease.
Originally posted 29 months ago.
(permalink)
guitar_guy599 (a group admin) edited this topic 29 months ago.
|
|
woah! wow! thanks for the heads up!!!
Dan
Posted 29 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Posted 29 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
Are you telling us that people in charge of something are capable of making smart decisions that don't piss us off?
This is a really cool project--thanks for the info!
Posted 29 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
Yes, Keith, believe it or not.
Say goodbye to this.
Posted 29 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Wasn't there a fire up there not too long ago?
Posted 29 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Yes there was and the tenants had to evacuate down the interior stairwell while the firemen were coming up the stairs (sound familiar?). Every so often the SA Fire Department will use the building to practice their high rise drill. Imagine climbing up 30 stories with all that heavy equipment on your back.
Posted 29 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Thats really interesting.
Posted 29 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
Man, it's going to take some time to adjust to not seeing that antenna mast up there....But we will adapt. Here's what the building looked like with the flag pole up there when it opened back in the summer of 1929:
Originally posted 29 months ago.
(permalink)
sarider1 (a group admin) edited this topic 29 months ago.
|
|
|
I look forward to it actually. : P
Posted 29 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
It'll take one really strong flag to withstand the winds way up there.
Posted 29 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
And so it begins. The staging area is being prepared. The street will be blocked off for approximately 3 months.
So who knows which TV station broadcasted from the Tower? If you watch its noon broadcasts today the building is prominently featured during its weather forecasts.
Originally posted 29 months ago.
(permalink)
Silent Butler edited this topic 29 months ago.
|
|
|
KENS-TV has used a shot of the building from the river during its weather segment for some time.
Posted 29 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Bingo!
By the way, there's talk of a webcam or time lapse during this project. If I get any more information on this I'll pass it along.
Posted 29 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
Demo work has begun - noticed some workers up on the antenna today:
Posted 29 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
the more i look at these photos the more i think that we need an over-sized chupa cabra to climb up there, it could be our own version of king kong!
Posted 29 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
I think King Kong has already made an appearance:
Posted 29 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Not many people know that the building was struck by a large meteor before it was 10 years old. Here's a shot of the result as it appeared in the 4/1/1938 edition of the San Antonio Light:
Posted 29 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
April Fools! Good one!
Stu Jo and I must have just missed each other:
I took this about a block away. If you're close to the building you can't see the roof. I walked over to the staging area and struck up a conversation with a woman standing by the fence. Turns out the man in the picture is her boyfriend and she gave me all sorts of information. The tower removal is being filmed by the National Geographic Channel as part of their "World's Toughest Fixes" programs. The company doing the removal, Tower King II, has already been featured in one episode called "2,000 Foot Tower."
Originally posted 29 months ago.
(permalink)
Silent Butler edited this topic 29 months ago.
|
|
|
sarider, My grandfather always tells me about that day. : P
Cool stuff SB! I can't wait to see the show.
Posted 29 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
This morning, Jan 25, the top portion of the mast was cut away and safely lowered to the staging area. I'm not very good at estimating size but I'd say the red beacon on the top was about 2 1/2 feet tall and a foot or more around. The beacon was removed and the rusty mast portion is currently lying in the staging area.
The mast was cut about where the worker is standing in this picture.
Originally posted 29 months ago.
(permalink)
Silent Butler edited this topic 29 months ago.
|
|
|
February 5, 2010
A fire was reported Friday morning at the Tower Life Building in downtown San Antonio. Construction workers atop the building reportedly started the blaze at about 9:50 a.m. Damage was minimal.
"Fortunately it was a minor incident," said San Antonio Fire Department spokeswoman Melissa Sparks. "Our firefighters use this building as a training ground for high-rise incidents and they were very familiar with the building before they arrived." Reports from the scene are that the fire was extinguished as firefighters arrived and that there were no injuries.
Posted 28 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
Thanks for keeping us posted!
Posted 28 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
the fire department has a spokeswoman named "Sparks"?
Posted 28 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
I bet she gets funny looks when they report "sparks" started the fire. Let me guess,....is she a red-head too?
Posted 28 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Flagpole meeting.
And we have liftoff!
Originally posted 28 months ago.
(permalink)
Silent Butler edited this topic 28 months ago.
|
|
|
this photo was taken last november
Posted 28 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
The new season of World's Toughest Fixes has begun Thursday nights at 8:00 p.m. on the National Geographic channel.
Their Facebook page has photos taken during the filming of the show. There is no indication yet when the actual show will air.
www.facebook.com/album.php?id=96997771696&aid=161709&...
Posted 25 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Posted 25 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
They were testing out the flag on top of the Tower Life Building today. When it's all done it is going to look FAB-U-LOUS!
Posted 25 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Is it BIG? :D
Posted 25 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Not as big as I thought, but still impressive. I understand they will have two flags - a bigger flag will be flown on special holidays like Independence Day, Memorial Day, etc.
Posted 25 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Nice, I look forward to seeing em.
Posted 25 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Hey I saw the flag on top last night. The wind was really blowing. This afternoon no flag though.
Posted 25 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Happening right now!! 10:00 a.m., Friday, August 6, 2010. There is one man painting the flagpole. He is about 1/4 of the way down - hanging by ropes! And, of course, I didn't bring my camera.
Posted 22 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
From the Downtown Blog in the online Express News:
The National Geographic Channel's "World's Toughest Fixes" episode in which our very own Tower Life Building is the star is slated to air at 7 p.m. (central) Oct. 7.
Earlier this year, the show's host Sean Riley and film crew did some very vertiginous and ballsy observation of the removal of the Tower Life Building's TV antenna, a San Antonio skyline fixture for 60 years, and some change.
Posted 21 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
The tower of life building is in the background of some of my shots taken at maverick plaza boxing events.
Posted 21 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
9/14/10
All the scaffolding is gone, the ugly netting is gone. One day we will look up and the flag will be flying.
Originally posted 21 months ago.
(permalink)
Silent Butler edited this topic 21 months ago.
|
|
|
finally! that scaffolding made it look like some sort of sputnik satellite. i was fearing it was permanent.
thanks for documenting and sharing this SB.
Posted 21 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
The World's Toughest Fixes has a video preview of the Tower Life Building show on its website:
channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/sky-high-texas-tow...
Remember, October 7th!
Originally posted 21 months ago.
(permalink)
Silent Butler edited this topic 21 months ago.
|
|
|
Can't wait to see the whole program...the promo has shots and angles that I'm drooling over!
Posted 21 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Going up! How it looked from the inside.
Posted 20 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Tonights the night guys!
Posted 20 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Got my reminders set.
Posted 20 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Mine too haha, I would have forgot.
Posted 20 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Well, what'd you guys think of the show? This photo was taken just an hour or so after they raised the final piece of the flagpole. I have an actual photo of the final piece being mounted too.
Originally posted 20 months ago.
(permalink)
guitar_guy599 (a group admin) edited this topic 20 months ago.
|
|
|
I love the colors in your picture. I thought the show was very good - and scary!!!
Posted 20 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
For all you downtowners -
Rumor has it that the flag will be raised this Thursday, November 11,
Veterans Day - maybe around noon. So bring your camera that day.
Posted 19 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
My money was on their raising it the night the show aired, so i lost that pool.
Is it me, or has anyone else noticed that the new flag pole doesn't appear to be perfectly plumb (vertical) from some angles?
Posted 19 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
SB Yay! But it's about time... :)
Posted 19 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
The flag raising will happen at 8:45 a.m. tomorrow, November 11, 2010. I will be on the street somewhere nearby taking pictures. Hope some of you can make it.
Posted 19 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
I'll try my best.
Posted 19 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Well, they were a little late and the early morning fog muted the opportunity for colorful photos, but Old Glory is now up and flying from what is likely the highest flagpole in Texas
There should be much better conditions for photos this afternoon once the sun comes out.
Originally posted 19 months ago.
(permalink)
sarider1 (a group admin) edited this topic 19 months ago.
|
|
|
I've been waiting a long time to see a flag on this building. I love it. I couldn't keep my eyes off it while on the highway.
Posted 19 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Beautiful, simply beautiful.
Originally posted 19 months ago.
(permalink)
Silent Butler edited this topic 19 months ago.
|
|
|
I was thinking the same thing Silent Butler, truly majestic. I hope they keep the big flag up their.
Heres a photo of the workers right before they went up to raise the flag.
Posted 19 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
It looks terrific at night too!
Posted 19 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Posted 19 months ago.
(permalink)
|
 |
SuzQJ [deleted] says:
Wow, that flag is huge! Thanks y'all for sharing these awesome photos.
Posted 19 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
Got to practice shooting with my new camera. :)
Originally posted 19 months ago.
(permalink)
DOLINICK edited this topic 18 months ago.
|
|
|
Just noticed today that the Texas flag was flying instead of the US.
in general the flag pole looks so much better than that antenna, i wonder how much of a flap (no pun intended) it started when they replaced the original pole for the eyesore antenna.
Originally posted 18 months ago.
(permalink)
village idiot!! edited this topic 18 months ago.
|
|
|
I saw the Texas A & M flag up the other day with the Texas flag.
Posted 18 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
The big American flag weighs between 80-90 lbs dry. It will probably be lowered on extremely windy and wet days.
Tower Life Insurance Company is owned by the Zachrys, who are Texas A&M alumns. I doubt you will ever see a University of Texas flag.
Personally, I like the big American flag the best. I heard from a co-worker it looks pretty spectacular from the air, too.
Posted 18 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
nice!
Posted 18 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
|
I like the Texas flag, it looks good also. Ah, but I like the American Flag a lot too. I could do without the A&M flag.
Posted 18 months ago.
(permalink)
|
|
Sweet.
I wonder how long the Zachrys will keep the Aggie flag flying?
(They're huge supporters of the school)
Originally posted 18 months ago.
(permalink)
Paul Bubel edited this topic 18 months ago.
|
Would you like to comment?
Sign up for a free account, or sign in (if you're already a member).
|
San Antonio's FlickrClubSA.net /
Discuss
Feed – Subscribe to San Antonio's FlickrClubSA.net discussion threads