Wednesday, 26 September 2001, 0047
www.sutrotower.org
Welcome to the most comprehensive guide to Mount Sutro and Sutro Tower on the internet. Please feel free to do as many others from around the world have and comment or write with your stories, information and feedback. Thank you for visiting.
History
Mount Sutro is a geological feature located in San Francisco, California. It is easily spotted in and around the city and in photographs because of the large tower built there.
Mount Sutro is named for Adolph Sutro (1830–1898), a successful businessman and Mayor of the city from 1894 to 1896. Perhaps his greatest accomplishments were the construction of the Sutro Baths (1896)—the largest indoor bathing facility ever constructed—and the planting of the Sutro Forest (1886) on his land spanning from Mount Parnassus (now Mount Sutro) to Mount Davidson and south to Ocean Avenue.
The Tower
Sutro Tower is a 297.7 meter (977 foot) self-supporting steel structure built to provide radio, television and high-definition television broadcasts as well as additional communication services despite the hilly topography of the bay area.
Breaking ground in 1971 and completed in 1972, Sutro Tower was built by Kline Iron and Steel of Columbia, South Carolina and began transmitting on 04 July 1973. Sutro Tower’s base is 254.2 meters (834 feet) above sea level and the total height of the tower above sea level is 551.9 meters (1811 feet). This makes Sutro Tower the tallest object in the bay area.
The tower was designed to withstand seismic activity. Part of that design includes the foundation, made with about 6.8 million kilograms (15 million pounds) of concrete. The tower itself weighs about 1.7 million kilograms (3.7 million pounds). This engineering combination places the tower’s center of gravity below ground. In September 2003, Kline Towers with Simpson Gumpertz & Heger installed additional seismic upgrades designed to protect the tower from earthquakes in excess of 8.0 on the Richter scale.
Sutro Tower is owned and operated by Sutro Tower, Inc., an independent corporation founded in 1968 by the owners of bay area stations KTVU 2 (Cox Enterprises), KRON 4 (then Chronicle Publishing now Young Broadcasting), KPIX 5 (then Westinghouse Broadcasting now CBS Corporation) and KGO-TV 7 (then American Broadcasting Company now Disney/ABC). Each owner holds an equal share in Sutro Tower, Inc. The corporation owns the tower and service building while leasing space to broadcasters. Pricing is reportedly adjusted for certain community stations such as KQED 9 (Northern California Public Broadcasting) and KMTP 32 (Minority Television Project).
On 12 December 2007, it was announced Sutro Tower, Inc. signed a deal with Dielectric Communications of Raymond, Maine to complete a series of upgrades and enhancements over the next three years. Scheduled work includes the completion of the transition to digital broadcasting, an increase in the tower’s coverage area and new features to allow broadcasters maximized DTV service. The announcement also quotes Sutro Tower, Inc. vice president and general manager Gene Zastrow as being pleased to have Dielectric as a partner through this important project, as well as with the work they did in the past.
Location
The physical address of the tower is 1 La Avanzada Street, San Francisco, California 94131-1124. The address 250 Palo Alto Avenue, San Francisco, California 94114-2123 is also sometimes listed on official city and county documents. Sutro Tower stands at 37°45′19.0″ North latitude and 122°27′10.0″ West longitude (map) placing it just south of Mount Sutro on an adjacent and connected hill. Some of the best views of the tower and city are available from the nearby Twin Peaks. Those wishing to walk around the tower on public land may find an available parking spot close to the Sutro Tower gate on La Avanzada Street.
Mount Sutro itself has been undergoing a botanical restoration led by the University of California-San Francisco—owners and custodians of the 61-acre Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve (trail map)—and supported by volunteer groups including the Mt. Sutro Stewards, Nature in the City and the California Native Plant Society. In addition to working on removing non-native species and replanting natives, the partnership has also created and restored public trails among the flora and fauna. Though great accomplishments have made this project a success, much work is still to be done. Volunteers meet on the first Saturday of every month to maintain and improve the existing trail network; remove and prune invasive blackberry, ivy and weeds; and help sustain native plants in the summit garden and nearby demonstration areas.
Technical
The substantial power needs of Sutro Tower are handled by Pacific Gas and Electric. To meet the one to two million watt requirements of the tower, PG&E provides two separate 12.5 kilovolt feeds, while on-site emergency diesel generators provide backup redundancy.
Sutro Tower’s FAA Antenna Structure Registration (ASR) number is 1001289. Pursuant to USDOT/FAA Advisory Circular 70/7460-1H, Sutro Tower is equipped with FAA-approved lighting—replacements installed every two months or so—including twelve (12) high-intensity white flashing obstruction beacons, nine (9) medium intensity flashing red beacons, eighteen (18) steady-burning obstruction lights and three (3) red/white antenna beacons. It is painted in alternating bands of Federal Standard 595 Color 12197 “aviation orange” and Federal Standard 595 Color 17875 “aviation white” by D. Zelinsky & Sons, Brisbane, California.
In October 2007, Sutro Tower began participation in the California Greenhouse Gas Emissions Project run by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Monitoring equipment was installed in September 2007 just above Level Three at 121.92 meters (400 feet) and on Level Six at 231.65 meters (760 feet). Twice daily, the equipment takes in air and transports it to the ground level for on-site carbon dioxide and methane analysis. Fluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride and other greenhouse gases are analyzed at the NOAA Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory, Boulder, Colorado, on a weekly basis.
Antenna Diagrams
There are eleven television, five FM radio and twenty other commercial companies currently leasing space on the tower. The 2007 Dielectric contract will add TFU-WB UHF slot cavity antennas, TFU-JSC/VP high-power pylon antennas, TUC and TUA wideband UHF panel antennas, combiners, transmission lines and additional components.
These two antenna diagrams (click to enlarge) are from 1998-02-05 and 2003-06-14.
Internet Cameras
Over the years, many cameras have come and gone offering views of and from Mount Sutro and Twin Peaks. There does not appear to be an active one at present—please let us know if you find one. The original Sutro Cam that was installed on a leg of the tower itself permanently blue screened on 06 May 2004, 0941. The Powazek SutroCam froze on 05 December 2000, 1035. A permanent foggy vista captured 28 July 2005, 0940 is all that is left of the Twin Peaks Cam. And finally, my long-time favorite City Birds Cam disappeared years ago.
The Author’s Perspective
My personal fascination with Mount Sutro and the Sutro Tower is inexplicable, existing since my first visit to the city in 1989. In addition to this site and numerous photographs, there are two daily reminders in my life of the city by the bay. Strategically hung on a small wall in my living room is a Twin Peaks street sign that once stood in the shadow of Sutro Tower. It was purchased from the now defunct (as of 2004) San Francisco City Store in 1996. Additionally, on the back of my car you will find my State of Florida license plate: MT SUTRO.
Related Articles
News, Photographs and Other Links
→ add your own in the comments belowSutro Tower Signs Contract With Dielectric (2007-12-12)
Who Changes The Lights On Sutro Tower?
KPIX 5 interview with maintenance supervisor David GrimesSutro Tower Tour A
Sutro Tower Tour B
Sutro Tower Tour C
Sutro Tower Tour D
Sutro Tower Tour EAntenna Art at Home By Six
The Bandit Notes
Bay Nature: Mount Sutro’s Untold Understory
Big Friend: Sutro Tower in San Francisco
Fitzhardinge, Jeremy
Fog Shadow by Mila Zinkova
Fybush Tower Site of the Week
Google Maps Street View
Google Sightseeing
HDTV in the San Francisco/Bay Area
Halloween Costume I
Halloween Costume II
“I Love Adolph Sutro” T-Shirt
Kenney, Larry
Mount Sutro Stewards at Work
My Big Friend ~ Sutro Tower
Photography, It’s All About The Light by Jim M. Goldstein
Price, Jim
SFZero
Sutro Inferno
Sutro Tower Belt Buckle
Sutro Tower Art by Glenn Budak
Sutro Tower Art by Lance Rivers
Sutro Tower Art by Charlene Wright
Sutro Tower Community Perspectives (anti-tower)
Sutro Tower “Local” T-Shirt
Sutro Tower Moon Lapse
Sutro Tower Time Lapse
Sutro Tower Under Construction
Thirty Six Views of Sutro Tower
Twin Peaks Area Historical ImagesFlickr
karma sutro, mountsutro, sutro, sutrotower, sutro tower, sutro tower pool, t-shirt, twinpeaks
Original Photo Credit: Troy McClure SF
Original Photo Credit: Thomas Hawk
Original Photo Credit: Peter Kaminski
Original Photo Credit: David July
Original Photo Credit: Jason Unbound
Original Photo Credit: Thomas Hawk
Mount Sutro and sutrotower.org are not affiliated with Sutro Tower, Inc.
17 Comments on “Mount Sutro Tower”
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| Mount Sutro and Tower | link |
See this page for an interesting perspective on your tower. The location is given there as -122.45255 longitude by 37.75524 latitude.
Wednesday, 30 March 2005, 1914 linkwell gosh darn it, someone likes that magical trident as much as me. Any other Sutro junkies have any more diagrams of that happy tri-ped? If so, I’d love to see them.
Thanks!
Monday, 04 April 2005, 2142 linkThought you tower junkies might like this T-Shirt available from Upper Playground
Monday, 11 July 2005, 2223 linkIs there a place near/around the tower where you can get a really nice view of the city? I think I was taken there years ago on a date and we had a picnic on a cement structure/wall. Does that sound right?
Monday, 19 September 2005, 1446 linkThe spot you are looking for is Twin Peaks. Located next to Mount Sutro and Sutro Tower, Twin Peaks offers the finest panoramic view of the Bay Area.
Wednesday, 21 September 2005, 1551 linkI’ve been obsessed with Sutro Tower forever! It’s SO San Francisco and wherever I am in the city I find myself looking for it…it’s the coolest and I don’t even know why…
Wednesday, 19 October 2005, 1247 linkThank you for the great info on the tower. It is truly a beautiful structure…and to think the people (wearing tin foil hats so the man can’t read their thoughts) at sutro.org want it torn down. How could you tear down something so iconic at this? A tower in rural England was put on an historic register because like the trident- It’s a piece of history- truly a Space Needle of the Bay Area
Monday, 24 October 2005, 0001 linkAlso, I’d check out http://www.structurae.de for some great photos of similar structures from around the world- I know I can’t get enough
Monday, 24 October 2005, 0014 linkLast week I lost all the digital PBS channels (9.1-5). I called PBS and they said that work is currently being done and it should be completed next week. Does anyone know what is going on?
Friday, 28 October 2005, 1620 linkCan someone tell me something about the maintenance of this tower? For example, how often is it painted and with what sort of paint?
Tuesday, 31 January 2006, 1850 linkLooking for pixs of the tower being built, any clues? Great site BTW
Saturday, 11 March 2006, 2236 linkSweet, I’m linked!
Now if I could only find a good Sutro Tower t-shirt. I think I’m just going to have to make one.
Wednesday, 02 May 2007, 1324 linkYou know I have e-mailed some of the artists that create and stores that sell Sutro Tower shirts. Of those stores and people, only one artist replied and it was to say she was sold out.
Considering the number of people arriving here looking for information on Sutro Tower t-shirts, I would think someone would jump at the chance to target our little niche market.
Wednesday, 02 May 2007, 1652 linkMy daughter has a t-shirt with Sutro tower on it and under it says, “Local”. Someone got it for her at a gift shop on Irving near 9th Ave. Not sure if they still sell them…
Friday, 02 November 2007, 1647 linkI was in the Haight the other day, in front of TRUE, and they had a really cool, detailed women’s t-shirt with the Tower emblazoned on the front. I didn’t have time to check it out (or see if there was a men’s) but it was pretty nifty.
Wednesday, 06 February 2008, 1529 linkThis site has some Sutro Tower construction photographs.
Tuesday, 12 February 2008, 1111 linkThis link and one to Sutro Tower construction photographs at the San Francisco Public Library (found on your site) have been added to the hyperlinks section above.
Thank you for the contribution, Phil!
Tuesday, 12 February 2008, 1736 link