From eyesore to San Francisco icon – Sutro Tower turns 50

SAN FRANCISCO — At 977 feet, Sutro Tower looms over San Francisco. On a clear day it can be seen from just about anywhere in the city and,  while the structure itself hasn’t changed much in its 50 years of service, its status as a city symbol certainly has.

“There is something undeniably different about the Sutro Tower,” said John King, architecture critic for the San Francisco Chronicle.

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Sutro Tower’s antennas began broadcasting local television stations’ signals (including KPIX) 50 years ago on on the Fourth of July. Now middle-age, it had an awkward childhood.

“The first design of the thing was a more conventional tower,” King said. “But this one has sort of an odd, creature-like presence.”

In fact, a lot of people hated and even feared it.

“Some people were afraid of Sutro Tower. They thought it might fall,” said Dave Hyams, Sutro Tower director of communications, speaking to KPIX in 2013. “They were afraid of waves.”

Over time, somehow, that changed. Back on Sutro’s 40th birthday, Hyams spoke about locals’ shift in thinking.

“it’s gone from being a lightning rod to one of the most beloved icons in the city,” he said.

“Everywhere I went I saw the tower and it just kind of became emblematic of the city to me,” said Amber Bouman, showing off a tattoo of the tower.

“This Sutro Tower is one of two things in the store that are not for sale,” laughed Skot Land, manager of a store called Local Take selling city-theme items in the Castro District. “I am the other one.”

Throughout his store, Sutro Tower stands with a modern panache alongside other city icons. 

“I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking it deserves the icon status it’s gotten,” Land said.

“There is an odd thing where novelty itself becomes part of the appeal,” King said. “‘Oh isn’t this crazy? I like Sutro Tower! Not like one of those tourists that likes Coit Tower,’” he said, channeling the sentiment of a snooty San Francisco new arrival.

It’s still not hard to find detractors. 

“Absolutely too dominant,” said Stuart Dick.

Dick isn’t a big fan but he does find it useful.

“When I look out the back door it does tell me if there’s a fog bank coming in,” he said. “I think that’s the most interesting thing about it. You can’t always see it. It’s dynamic.”

So now, the Sutro Tower hits the age of 50 and its status is only growing, a prominent fixture now comfortably situated among other icons on the city landscape.

“Sutro Tower,” Land said. “It’s always there. You can’t miss it.”

“That’s what makes it so memorable,” King said. “You can’t just blot it out of the landscape after you’ve seen it three or four times, because it keeps inserting itself in front of you in different ways.”