Tornado Damage to The Oasis

Just before 8 a.m. on July 15, a tornado tore across San Antonio's Northwest Side and hit The Oasis, a large student-oriented apartment complex at 6023 UTSA Boulevard. Within minutes, part of a four-story building's roof was gone, debris was scattered across the property and residents were evacuating apartments only a short distance from the University of Texas at San Antonio. The National Weather Service later rated the tornado an EF-1 with estimated peak winds of 100 mph. It remained on the ground for roughly eight minutes, from about 7:44 to 7:52 a.m., and traveled approximately four miles across northwest San Antonio before dissipating just north of The Rim. The Oasis received some of the most serious structural damage along that path. San Antonio officials said a large section of the roof was ripped away and three fourth-floor apartments were directly affected. Later assessments found that roughly a quarter of the roof had been pulled off and several upper-floor units would require major reconstruction. Residents described hearing an unusual howl before the building began coming apart. One UTSA student living on the second floor watched part of the fourth-floor roof lift into the air while insulation and pieces of the structure scattered around the complex. Another student sheltering in a fourth-floor bathroom emerged afterward to find much of the roof above the surrounding apartments missing. A pool gazebo was also blown away, while vehicles and carports around the property suffered damage. Despite the destruction, no serious injuries were reported. That was especially fortunate given the size of the complex. The Oasis is a 220-unit student housing property with 694 beds, built in 2014 and located only about a mile from the UTSA campus. Although it is privately operated off-campus housing rather than a university dormitory, many residents are UTSA students and the complex sits on the university shuttle route. At least 10 UTSA students were displaced by the storm. Residents in the damaged building were evacuated while firefighters, city officials and contractors inspected the structure and shut down utilities. The American Red Cross and UTSA worked with affected students on temporary housing and other assistance. The tornado did not actually strike the UTSA main campus. University officials reported no structural damage to campus buildings. The tornado appears to have touched down south of the university, damaged The Oasis, crossed the Loop 1604 and Interstate 10 corridor and continued toward The Rim. That distinction mattered as early reports and images circulated showing severe damage immediately beside the university. The storm then continued through one of San Antonio's busiest retail areas. At The Rim, damage was reported at the Santikos Palladium movie theater, Bass Pro Shops and other businesses. Another apartment complex, The Tribute at The Rim, also sustained damage, although that building was reportedly vacant because it was undergoing renovations. The tornado occurred during a period of severe weather that was already producing dangerous flooding around San Antonio and the Hill Country. City officials were warning residents to avoid flooded roads while emergency crews simultaneously dealt with tornado damage across the Northwest Side. The Oasis quickly became one of the clearest examples of how concentrated the tornado's damage could be. One building lost a major portion of its roof while nearby structures remained standing. Photos taken afterward showed exposed upper floors, insulation hanging from damaged sections and debris covering parts of the complex. Residents from lower floors were left trying to determine whether water damage from continued rain would create additional problems even in apartments that had escaped the worst of the wind. A week later, cleanup had advanced considerably, but the damaged building was still missing its roof. Contractors said the immediate priorities were securing the site, restoring utilities where possible and beginning reconstruction of the upper units. Repairs were expected to take several weeks. The property itself remains The Oasis San Antonio and continues to be marketed as off-campus student housing near UTSA, with furnished apartments, a pool, fitness center and other student-focused amenities. For residents who were inside on July 15, however, the most memorable feature of the complex was no longer the pool or proximity to campus. For about eight minutes that morning, a 100 mph tornado was moving directly through their part of San Antonio. And at The Oasis, it took part of the roof with it.