Support Us Button Widget
City

Buford Tower repairs complete two years after fire damage

The historic fire drill tower in Downtown Austin has been restored with new windows and updates to its brick and concrete plinth.

October 30, 2023 • 
London Gibson
Buford Tower in Downtown Austin, with the sun setting to the left.

Downtown Austin’s nearly 100-year-old Buford Tower is now cared for by the Austin Parks and Recreation department.

Photo by richlv, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

More than two years after a fire engulfed it in flames, the historic Buford Tower is now fully restored.

The six-story building — a 1930s-era firefighting training tower on Cesar Chavez Street downtown — was damaged in April 2021 by a fire that spread to it from a nearby encampment.

As a result, the tower’s brick, concrete plinth, indoor electrical components, and carillon chimes needed repairs. The building also required window and landscaping replacement.

This isn’t the first time the tower has been restored. The building was last revamped in 1978, the same year it was renamed in honor of former Austin Fire Department captain James Buford.

The tower is on the National Register of Historic Places — learn more about its history.

More from ATXtoday
Creation of the Animals by Jesus Polanco
Culture
Art From the Streets brings gallery to the Central Library
Peruse two-dimensional pieces created by 40 unhoused or at-risk artists for free until Sunday, Sept. 29.
July 26, 2024
 · 
Laura Figi
Two hands cheersing with beer glasses that say "Independence Brewing" in front of a waving American Flag.
Sports
Where to watch the Summer Olympics in Austin
Don’t watch the games without something good to drink, a big screen to tune into, and the company of your fellow Austinites.
July 26, 2024
 · 
Laura Figi
A canyon of boulders for climbing, with a few people sitting nearby, inside Mesa Rim.
Sports
New sports at the Paris 2024 Olympics: Where to try them in Austin
Ah, we can just picture that Olympics podium and those shiny medals now.
July 25, 2024
 · 
Monica Garske
Three frozen margaritas with limes as garnish in pink cups that read "De Nada It's Nothin."
Food
City Editor Morgan’s favorite drinks in ATX
Here’s where you can find ATXtoday City Editor Morgan sippin’ around town.
July 25, 2024
 · 
Morgan O’Neal
The Matt's El Rancho sign
Food
Matt’s El Rancho co-owner named Restaurateur of the Year
The Texas Restaurant Awards recognized a handful of foodservice industry favorites in the Austin area.
July 24, 2024
 · 
Laura Figi
ATX_Austin 75 Ranchwater and Still BOA Still Austin Bourbon.jpg
Culture
37 spirits made by Texas-based companies
Whether you’re on the hunt for whiskey, tequila, gin, rum, or something entirely different, we’ve found a Texas-owned spirit to sip.
July 24, 2024
 · 
Laura Figi
A beer with a lime, a fizzy orange drink, a pink frozen cocktail, and a negroni sit together on a wooden table.
Food
How to drink the rainbow in Austin
Here’s a cocktail for every hue in the kaleidoscopic.
July 23, 2024
 · 
Morgan O’Neal
A boat with a bar and barstools floats on Lake Austin on a sunny day.
Travel and Outdoors
Float the day away: Quirky boat rentals in Austin
Here’s your guide to unique experiences on Lake Austin and Lady Bird Lake.
July 23, 2024
 · 
Morgan O’Neal
A large beer in a round glass sits on a mahogany table, in front of a blue, white, and teal flash, and a blue wall.
Culture
Local libations: A round of Austin-centric craft beers
A turn of phrase here, a recognizable Austin nod there — these craft beers found around ATX take local pride seriously.
July 22, 2024
 · 
Monica Garske
A purple and white boba tea in front of a neon sign.
Food
City Editor Figi’s favorite drinks in ATX
If you want to drink like ATXtoday City Editor Laura Figi, here’s your chance to tour some of her mainstays in town.
July 22, 2024
 · 
Laura Figi