Western Specialty Contractors’ San Antonio, TX Branch recently completed façade restoration and waterproofing on the Rio Tower at UT San Antonio Health Science Center in San Antonio, TX. The project earned the Western branch a 2025 Safety Award from general contractor SpawGlass.
Located at 4502 Medical Drive, the UT San Antonio Health Science Center is the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio. It includes schools of medicine, dentistry, nursing, health professions, graduate biomedical sciences, and public health, as well as a clinical enterprise called UT Health San Antonio, which conducts approximately 2.5 million patient visits annually.
Western was contracted by SpawGlass in March 2024 to restore, waterproof, and apply a protective coating to the 10-story Rio Tower’s façade, aiming to enhance its overall structural durability and aesthetic appeal.
Building facades are subject to various stressors, including sunlight, changing weather, water, building movement, and settlement, which can break down and deteriorate over time, causing cracking, efflorescence, control joint failure, sealer/caulk failure, and other issues.
Western’s experts recommend identifying problem issues early and creating a repair and prevention plan that will protect the property and tenant spaces from leaks and water damage. Proper façade maintenance will help reduce the likelihood of unexpected costs and repairs, while also maintaining the property’s value.
Western’s crews carried out the work on the midrise hospital’s tower using specialized access equipment and adhering to strict measures to ensure the safety of visitors and patients while the exterior work was underway.
In addition to safety, another primary challenge on the project was maintaining the application materials at the appropriate temperature to ensure proper performance. Western’s experienced crews developed solutions to maintain proper conditions during the cold weather, enabling the project to be completed on time in April 2025 and within budget.
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About Western Specialty Contractors
Family-owned and operated for more than 100 years, Western Specialty Contractors is the nation’s largest specialty contractor in masonry and concrete restoration, waterproofing, and specialty roofing. Western offers a nationwide network of expertise that building owners, engineers, architects, and property managers can count on to develop cost-effective, corrective measures that can add years of useful life to a variety of structures, including industrial, commercial, healthcare, historic, educational and government buildings, parking structures, and sports stadiums. Western is headquartered in St. Louis, MO, with 30 branch offices nationwide and employs more than 1,200 salaried and hourly professionals who offer the best, time-tested techniques and innovative technology. For more information about Western Specialty Contractors, visit https://westernspecialtycontractors.com.