Six years ago, restoring the Waldo Tower looked like a long shot.
The scars, rust and unsafe conditions that blighted the Kansas City, Missouri icon had accumulated over decades. Fixing it would cost about $900,000, experts said.
That seemed beyond the reach of neighbors who said the once-dignified landmark, located in Tower Park near 75th Street and Holmes Road, had become an eyesore.
Taking a fresh interest in the tower in 2009, they began to raise money for repairs, but early efforts showed little promise.
So last Tuesday, Kurtis Marinez, founder of the Waldo Tower Historic Society, smiled as he watched city officials celebrate the first round of work on the old water tower.
With a fresh coat of paint and a new roof, the 95-year-old tower looked almost new again. More noticeable to most people would be the new lights, in alternating colors, to be installed this summer.