Description:
In 1979, repairs to the 1926 Municipal Auditorium sparked a four—alarm fire that severely damaged the interior and steel roof structure. Engineers determined that the damage to the building could be repaired, but not everyone in the city agreed that the historic site, designed by local architects Ayres and Ayres as a memorial to WW I veterans, was worth the multi—million dollar investment. Using nearly $60,000 of its own funds to hire a public relations firm, the Society successfully persuaded San Antonians to pass a $9.1 million bond issue to restore the auditorium; one of the state's most impressive Spanish Colonial Revival landmarks.
Credit Line:
Courtesy of the San Antonio Conservation Society Foundation
ID Number:
1992—0235
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Fire damage to the roof is visible from above, 1979.
Daylight shines into the damaged interior, 1979.
Restored as a memorial to the veterans of all wars. Photo by Ron Bauml.
Fire damage to the roof is visible from above, 1979.
Daylight shines into the damaged interior, 1979.
Restored as a memorial to the veterans of all wars. Photo by Ron Bauml.