Construction is moving forward at the San Angelo River Stage.
Phase 1 of the project was approved by City Council in March 2025 with a $1.32 million contract for renovations at the Bill Aylor Sr. Memorial River Stage at 16 E. Ave. A.
The second phase of renovations is still under discussion, and no completion date has been set for the renovations, Sidney Walker, city of San Angelo Civic Events Manager, said Monday.
Approval for Phase 1 came after the City Council authorized staff to move forward with the design of the new restroom facilities and associated lift station design in a September 2024 meeting.
“The River Stage facility is in dire need of upgrades,” council documents from March 2025 stated. “The facility is extremely popular, but planned modifications will make the facility more attractive to both patrons and visiting artists.”
The contract includes Phase 1 renovations such as a storage and dressing room addition, expanded green room, a production office, a new loading dock, and an expansion of the box office and concession building.
The project also includes ADA modifications to restrooms and walkways, new ramps, relocated fencing for accessibility and additional hillside seating.
Basic IDIQ, a contractor in San Angelo, is taking on the renovation process.
The project includes bringing the old storage room up to stage level and using that to extend the green/dressing rooms, a new storage building, a new loading dock with a metal roof canopy and ramps on the front and backside of the stage to make the stage Americans with Disabilities Act accessible.Basic IDIQ is also adding another ticket booth/concession stand tied in with the existing one, also accommodating ADA.
Conner Robinson, construction superintendent at Basic IDIQ, said the contractor is also adding new sidewalks at the front entrance with an ADA ramp that leads up to two ADA platforms for people in wheelchairs to watch shows held at the River Stage.
The project will also include extending and adding new seating on both sides of the existing seating areas.
Walker said the second phase will be presented to the council when it’s time.
The second phase will include additional restrooms and concessions area plus a lift station and additional irrigation needs.
This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: San Angelo’s River Stage renovation moving forward
Reporting by Rosanna Fraire, San Angelo Standard-Times / San Angelo Standard-Times
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