Construction
Construction commenced in 1971 by Kline Tower of Columbia, South Carolina, and the tower was completed in 1973, with the first transmissions on July 4, 1973. Approximately 3,750 m3 (132,000 cu ft) of concrete were used to make the foundation of the 3.7 million pound (1,700 tonne) tower. Earthquake proofing includes ballasting two thirds of the weight of the structure below ground, resulting in a center of gravity at sixteen feet below ground level. It is used to transmit the signals of eleven television stations and four FM radio stations and for various other communications services.
The tower is owned by Sutro Tower, Inc., which in turn is owned by a consortium of the four major television broadcasters in San Francisco: KTVU (owned by Cox Enterprises), KRON-TV (owned by the San Francisco Chronicle at the time of the tower's completion, now owned by Young Broadcasting), KPIX-TV (a former Group W property, now owned by CBS Corporation) and KGO-TV (an ABC-owned station). Sutro Tower also leases space to other Bay Area radio and television stations, including PBS outlet KQED, independent station KOFY-TV and KBCW, a sister station to KPIX.
Two other Bay Area TV stations are unable to be located at Sutro Tower -- the NBC owned KSTS, and KTVU's duopoly partner KICU-TV. They transmit from east of Fremont in order to serve Oakland and the East Bay, and San Jose and the South Bay -- San Jose is both KSTS and KICU-TV's city of license.
Named after Adolph Sutro, a businessman and former mayor of San Francisco who had a mansion located about 100 feet away from where the tower is now located, the tower stands 297.8 m (977 ft) above ground and 552 m (1,811 ft) above sea level. It is the tallest structure in the city, surpassing the 258.4 m (848 ft) Transamerica Pyramid by more than 39 m (128 ft). In addition, it is built on one of the highest peaks in the city, the old site of the Sutro Mansion owned by Adolph Sutro's descendants.
The original design of the tower called for white lights longitudinally rising along its three legs to the top. When opened, these lights were lit. However local resistance and aesthetic considerations forced the operators to turn off the lights and they have never been used since.
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