San Antonio to start design work on Alamo Plaza after council vote
San Antonio councilmembers brought the seven-year Alamo Plaza saga to a close on April 15 by approving a revised Alamo Plan to kickstart an effort that was sidelined by the state’s denial last year of a permit to relocate the historic Cenotaph.
Project partners, which include the Texas General Land Office (GLO) and Alamo Trust, agreed to uphold the plan’s guiding principles while repurposing the historic Woolworth and Crockett buildings, improving access to the Alamo Plaza, and remaining flexible on street closures.
The partnership will seek unified leadership under the management of a single public-private entity with a sustainable business model.
Five key elements that will be retained are:
- Restoration of the Alamo’s church and long barracks.
- Delineation of the historic footprint.
- Recapture of the historic mission plaza’s reverence and respect.
- Creation of a museum and visitor center.
- Creation of a sense of place and enhanced connectivity between the plaza and other public spaces such as the Riverwalk and Hemisfair and Convention Center.
In addition, the partnership agreed to retain the Cenotaph, preserve plaza access, allow parade street closures, and refrain from lowering the grade.
The city will develop the plan design from May to December and conduct a traffic study this summer. Construction is scheduled to start in early 2022.
Under the amended plan, the city committed to funding the design and construction of the Alamo Plaza. The GLO and Alamo Trust are required to fund and manage the construction of vertical interpretive elements.
San Antonio has $38 million to put toward the plan from bond sales in 2016 and 2017, and the state will contribute $106 million for acquisition of historic buildings and restoration of the Alamo church and long barracks. The state has begun work on a preservation plan for its component.
The Alamo Endowment will be responsible for funding the proposed museum. According to the plan, due diligence and concept development are underway