Recently, the Sutro Tower has taken on an unusual new look. When it’s not entirely cloaked in fog, people looking up at the iconic San Francisco landmark have likely noticed large, black, speaker-like boxes shimmying up the legs of the tower. To neighbors still scarred by the parade of concerts at Golden Gate Park last summer: fret not, these aren’t audio appendages.
The boxes are actually a part of a major project — for the first time in 30 years, the tower is being completely repainted.
Completed on July 4, 1973, the Sutro Tower was widely considered an eyesore before being embraced as a symbol of the city. Since this about-face, it has been battered by wind, ocean air and, of course fog, for decades and is currently in the process of being restored to its original “Aviation Red” and “Aviation White” striped pattern, according to the tower’s main site. But there’s more to the overhaul.
Before getting a coat of fresh paint, the tower is being stripped of harmful lead paint. “We are restoring the vibrant colors Sutro Tower is known for, but we are also protecting the infrastructure from the elements while safely and carefully removing the original coat of lead paint from Sutro Tower’s birth over 50 years ago,” said Raul Velez, vice president and chief operating officer of Sutro Tower, Inc., in a recent newsletter.
Given the size and scope of the project, removing the lead paint is a massive undertaking. Sutro Tower, Inc., which operates the tower, has worked with various teams, including lead abatement experts, containment system designers and specialty painters to map out a safe and comprehensive plan.
The black boxes currently moving up and down the length of the tower are specially designed lead containment cages where removal takes place. These cages are outfitted with HEPA filters to capture any loose lead particles as they are blasted off the tower with pressurized water, which is then funneled down via a tube to drums at the base of the structure. From there, it is filtered and sampled for safety. The water is then reused for more power blasting.
Eco Bay Services, a contractor that specializes in lead-based paint removal, is responsible for removing the drums of waste removed from the tower.
Once this lengthy process is completed, painting can begin. The new paint is, needless to say, lead-free and durable. According to Velez, once the work is completed, the paint job should hold up “for decades to come.”
It will still be some time before a sparkly, new Sutro Tower is revealed, however. The project is expected to wrap at the end of 2028.