Perhaps the most iconic symbol of the University of Texas, besides Bevo himself, is getting a makeover.

“Everyone knows UT because of the Tower,” said UT senior Herma Basurto as she took her graduation photos in front of the iconic monument.

Dreamed up by university architect Cass Gilbert in 1911, the Tower opened in 1937 and has stood as a beacon of inspiration far beyond the Forty Acres for the last 87 years. 

Upon the first illumination of its Indiana limestone walls, red Spanish roofing tiles and marble floors mined from states across the United States, the Austin-American Statesman remarked that the monument could be seen from as far as Round Rock, San Marcos and Manor. 

Withstanding a lot of history since its opening, including the nighttime blackouts of World War II and a mass shooting in 1966 that killed 15 and injured 31 people, the Tower has fallen into disrepair.

In response, project “Our Tower: The Next 100 Years” plans to restore the monument to its former glory over the next three years. 

Current university architect Brent Stringfellow has been working closely with UT’s Board of Regents, the Campus Operations department, external contractors and others over the past two years planning the $70 million revitalization, scheduled to begin in November. 

Among other refurbishments, the university plans to reseal the windows and eliminate rust, clean grime off the facade, restore the clock faces, upgrade the lights and renovate the observation deck, replacing the current birdcage-style enclosure with something more visually aesthetic. 

Stringfellow is optimistic that many of the original windows will be able to be reused when the revitalization is complete. 

The windows will be “repainted using a color scheme from the original building,” Stringfellow said, before being “glazed with new glass and brought up to modern standards.”

Construction will begin on the north side and last through summer 2027, causing some students to voice concerns. Graduate photos traditionally feature the Tower in the backdrop, but scaffolding and other construction may be visible on the Tower’s exterior soon.

“I understand it’s kind of a necessity, that they have to do it,” senior Jaitlyn Key said. “But it is really frustrating, especially for graduates that are graduating within the next few years, because (the Tower is) such an iconic part of graduation pictures.”

Stringfellow, along with Project Manager Justin Dothard, report that the facade will come out the other side cleaner and more visually appealing. Additionally, interior renovations will bring the Tower up to contemporary structural caliber. 

The two are confident that the repairs made to the Tower will serve as a worthwhile long-term investment in the building’s future.

“It’s about taking something that’s very important to so many people and returning it to its original glory,” Dothard said.