04:33 PM CST on Friday, February 18, 2005

By Chau Nguyen / 11 News

Changes are coming to a symbol of Texas independence.

For months now, access to the most popular spot at the San Jacinto Monument in east Harris County has been off limits to visitors because the aging tower is in need of safety renovations.

Friday was a Kodak moment for some students who say they wished it could have happened high in the sky.

"I was looking forward to seeing the whole city," said Tony Leggio.

Perhaps the biggest draw of the San Jacinto Monument is the observation floor where visitors take in breathtaking views. At 570-feet, the San Jacinto Monument is 15-feet taller than the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. But the deck is temporarily closed.

"Last time I went I was just a teenager," said Kenny Sherrill.

Sherrill came with his mother, and hoped to get another glimpse from the top.

"I would have liked to have seen it, but if there's any kind of hazard you don't want to subject anyone to that," says Wilhelmina Sherrill.

Recently engineers discovered a problem with the monument. In the event of a fire inside the museum, smoke would rise up the monument trapping everyone inside the observation deck.

The fire safety concerns came to light during a recent study of the monument. State park officials are now hoping Texas lawmakers will give them the $2 million they say is needed to fireproof the monument from the observation deck to the elevator shaft.

"It's a fairly big loss, yes," says David Avila.

Monument officials expect the deck to be closed for up to two years until those repairs can be made. It's a decision that is all in interest of safety, but to the disappointment of visitors.