DEPARTMENT: City Manager’s Office
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Lori Houston, Assistant City Manager
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City-Wide
SUBJECT:
Alamo Master Plan Update
SUMMARY:
A briefing on the Alamo Master Plan and Implementation Strategy.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On October 15, 2015, City Council executed a cooperative agreement among the Texas General Land Office (GLO), Alamo Endowment Board, and the City of San Antonio regarding the Joint Master Plan for the Alamo Historic District and the Alamo Complex. The Agreement outlines the roles and responsibilities of each party as well as the management and oversight structure for the master plan's development and adoption.
The Agreement created a six member Management Committee that includes two representatives from each entity. City Manager Sheryl Sculley and Councilmember Roberto Treviño represent the City of San Antonio. In March 2016, the Management Committee announced that Preservation Design Partnership (PDP) was selected to lead the Alamo master planning process. PDP in association with San Antonio-based Fisher Heck Architects and Grupo De Diseño Urbano (GDU) of Mexico City are the primary project leads and have compiled a team of experts to ensure the master plan is transformational and catalytic.
The Alamo Management Committee and PDP conducted extensive community outreach over the past year to ensure that the Alamo’s many stakeholders had ample opportunity to share ideas. They presented to City Council’s B Session meetings in June and November and held public meetings in August and November to provide updates on the planning process and solicit feedback on the master plan. These meetings were also broadcast via Facebook Live and the recordings were made available on YouTube. Monthly briefings with the surrounding businesses were held to better understand their operational needs and concerns and the Alamo Citizen Advisory Committee remained engaged throughout the effort. The next public meetings are scheduled for April 11th and April 18th.
The Joint Master Plan proposes to reimagine the Alamo experience by recapturing the historic footprint of the mission, reclaiming the plaza courtyard to create a sense of reverence and respect, building a world-class visitor center and museum, limiting access to the Alamo site to one entry point to protect the site but also to better orient the visitor upon arrival, and reinforcing connections to the rest of downtown San Antonio. In 2015, the Texas Legislature approved $31.5 million for the restoration of the Alamo and redevelopment of the surrounding area. The City adopted Fiscal Year 2016 capital budget included $17 million for the redevelopment of the Alamo Plaza and surrounding area. These funding commitments will allow for immediate implementation of certain components of the master plan. Additionally, the proposed 2017 bond program includes approximately $21 million for construction of facilities in support of Alamo area improvements and street improvements identified in the Joint Master Plan. The GLO will ask the Texas Legislature for more funding, and the Alamo Endowment is committed to raising private funds for implementation. These funds will be used for the restoration of the Alamo and the construction of a museum and visitor center for the Alamo.
ISSUE:
The Joint Master Plan reimagines the Alamo experience through the restoration of the Alamo complex, development of a world class visitor center and museum, interpretation of the site’s diverse and expansive history, and creation of a sense of place and reverence. Several actions must be initiated in order to implement the master plan: (1) Alamo Plaza from Houston Street to Market Street and Crockett Street from Losoya Street to Bonham must be closed to vehicular traffic and leased to the GLO along with several other parcels; (2) the Cenotaph must be relocated; (3) the Crockett Block, Woolworth’s Department Store, and Palace Buildings must be repurposed as a Visitor Center and Museum for the Alamo; and (4) an amendment to the viewshed overlay for the Alamo to better protect the view of the Alamo and encourage compatible development of the area.
The Alamo Management Committee is soliciting feedback on the final master plan draft prior to presenting to City Council on May 11th for conceptual approval. Upon approval, City staff will initiate the necessary steps to close the proposed streets, convey the necessary parcels to the GLO, deconstruct and relocate the Cenotaph, and amend the viewshed overlay district for the Alamo.
ALTERNATIVES:
This item is for briefing purposes only.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This item is for briefing purposes only. However, the City adopted Fiscal Year 2016 capital budget included $17 million for the redevelopment of the Alamo Plaza and surrounding area. Additionally, the proposed 2017 bond program includes approximately $21 million for construction of facilities in support of Alamo area improvements and street improvements identified in the Joint Master Plan. These funding commitments along with the Texas Legislature and Alamo Endowment’s contributions will allow for immediate implementation of certain components of the master plan.
RECOMMENDATION:
This item is for briefing purposes only.