SAN ANTONIO (AP) – The San Antonio City Council will weigh in on a $450 million plan to redevelop the Alamo after aspects of the proposal gained approval from two city commissions this week.
The Planning Commission on Wednesday approved the closure of streets in downtown San Antonio’s historic plaza and an agreement to lease the plaza to the state, the San Antonio Express-News reported. The Historic and Design Review Commission gave final approval to relocate the 1930s Cenotaph, one of the most contentious issues in the plan initially proposed in 2014 by the city, the Texas General Land Office and nonprofit Alamo Endowment.
Several City Council members Wednesday raised questions or objections to parts of the proposal, including the street closures, moving the monument and controlled access for the public.
The plan also calls for tripling the size of the plaza, razing several buildings, constructing a museum and lowering the ground in some places to the level at the time of the 1836 battle with Mexican forces.
Councilman Clayton Perry said that adding fences and barriers to enclose the plaza would be “devastating” to visitors.
“They’ll turn around and go home,” Perry said. “That is not what we should be doing.”
Council member John Courage also voiced opposition to controlling plaza access.
“I don’t appreciate limiting our citizens’ access to it,” Courage said. “I think that’s a big problem,”
Councilman Greg Brockhouse said he generally supports the plan, but has some reservations about moving the Cenotaph.
The City Council could vote on the plan as early as Oct. 18.
