<Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Design and construction </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Architect </Th> <Td> O'Neil Ford </Td> </Tr> <P> The Tower of the Americas is a 750 - foot (230 - meter) observation tower - restaurant located in the Hemisfair district on the southeastern portion of Downtown San Antonio, Texas, United States . The tower was designed by San Antonio architect O'Neil Ford and was built as the theme structure of the 1968 World's Fair, HemisFair' 68 . </P> <P> It was the tallest observation tower in the United States from 1968 until 1996, when the Las Vegas Stratosphere Tower was completed . It is the tallest building in San Antonio, and the 27th - tallest building in Texas . </P>

How tall is the tower of americas in san antonio