{"nrhp_refnum":"91001682","name":"Smith-Young Tower","other_names":["Transit Tower","Tower Life Building"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"310 S. St. Mary's St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"San Antonio","county":"Bexar County","state":"TX","lat":29.42321473900006,"lon":-98.49103402499998,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1991-11-13","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A 31-story Late Gothic Revival office tower at 310 South St. Mary's Street in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, built in 1927-1928 for the Smith Brothers Properties Company and designed by Atlee B. and Robert M. Ayres.","why_significant":"The tower is argued to be an exceptional San Antonio skyscraper and one of the best examples of Late Gothic Revival commercial design in Texas. It is also the work of master architects Atlee B. and Robert M. Ayres. It is a mature example of the 3-part vertical block form common to 1920s commercial buildings.","narrative":"Rising 31 stories near the southern edge of downtown San Antonio, this office tower was built in 1927-1928 on Bowen's Island, a river peninsula the Smith Brothers Properties Company hoped to develop as a large multiple-use complex. Architects Atlee B. Ayres and his son Robert M. Ayres designed it, with Robert as chief designer. The building follows a three-part vertical form: a six-story base, a 14-story octagonal shaft, and an 11-story stepped-back crown with a green tile roof and gargoyles. Walls are brick with terra cotta and black granite trim, and the lobby features marble, Circassian walnut and bronze elevator doors with Tiffany glass. Sears, Roebuck and Company occupied the first six floors for a decade, while upper floors housed professionals and businesses. The tower was recognized for its Late Gothic Revival design, which drew on the influential Chicago Tribune Tower, and it remains well preserved and in business use.","period_of_significance":"1927-28","architect_builder":"Ayres, Atlee B. and Ayres, Robert M.; general contractor McKenzie Construction Company","architectural_style":"Late Gothic Revival","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"Described as in excellent physical condition with a high level of integrity; minor alterations include a lobby mezzanine, modernized elevator lobbies and restrooms, and aluminum windows replacing the originals in 1961. Current function is business.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:21.04781-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/25/9711/40971125/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_TX/91001682.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/91001682/a3a199b9a4-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/91001682/a3a199b9a4-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Leaflet","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tower_Life_Building,_San_Antonio,_2011.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Leaflet</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tower_Life_Building,_San_Antonio,_2011.jpg"},"district":{"nrhp_refnum":"79002914","name":"Main and Military Plazas Historic District","url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/districts/texas/main-and-military-plazas-historic-district-79002914/"},"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/40971125","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_Life_Building","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3535937"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/texas/bexar-county/smith-young-tower-91001682/"}