SAN ANTONIO │ Official Alamo Plaza Redevelopment Thread

[SpiritofSeguin]

No time being wasted now that they got the greenlight for renovating. The cobblestone walkway where Moses Roses used to be is also closed off entirely.

[SpiritofSeguin]

Heard a tourist say "those must be the ruins from the cannon blast".

[JACKinBeantown]

Originally Posted by SpiritofSeguin

Heard a tourist say "those must be the ruins from the cannon blast".

Ha! Years ago when I was in Paris climbing up the stairs to the first level of the Eiffel Tower, there were two American women in front of me. One said, "Tomorrow do you want to go to Versailles?" The other said, "Isn't that the murdered fashion designer?" The first one said, "No, that's Versace."

[SpiritofSeguin]

Up goes the new gazebo.

[SpiritofSeguin]

The south side of Houston Street between Losoya and Alamo (including the road) is closed off to prepare for the new Visitors Center. Hopefully this won't hurt the businesses too much with the eventually delayed (Plaza de Valero was supposed to be opened partially by the Fourth of July, now it might not be done by Labor Day!) ruckus of construction. I wonder if the two way proposal for Losoya is still in play?

[JACKinBeantown]

Remember the Alamo? Rehab of battle site is latest front in culture war.
Washington Post
July 10, 2024

"San Antonio has launched a $550 million project to transform the Alamo. But some worry slavery’s role in the fight for Texan independence will be missing."

"But some historians say the story of the Alamo is more complicated than the legend portrayed in movies and it’s time to recognize that preserving slavery, which had been banned in most of Mexico, influenced many of those fighting for independence. Presenting the full history is important to understanding the state’s current racial inequalities, they say."

Full story:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other...ar/ar-BB1pJd4l

[SpiritofSeguin]

Construction has officially begun on the Museum. The former Haagen-Daaz at the Menger Hotel is also being converted into an Alamo Visitors Center according to signs on the windows.

[The Model]

[IMG]Alamo Plaza Construction by Raul Medina III, on Flickr[/IMG]

[starvinggryphon]

Are there any final renderings of what the entire Alamo renovation plan will look like? I've very confused... I thought it was canceled and then it was on again, but what has been scrapped and what has been preserved from the initial plans? There have been so many stops and starts that I lost track.

[SpiritofSeguin]

Originally Posted by starvinggryphon

Are there any final renderings of what the entire Alamo renovation plan will look like? I've very confused... I thought it was canceled and then it was on again, but what has been scrapped and what has been preserved from the initial plans? There have been so many stops and starts that I lost track.

This is the best site overview. Basically it’ll be an open grassy plaza with chairs and tables in the middle where the bandstand used to be, and that Enterprise looking structure is some kind of soundstage/canopy area.

[The Model]

I actually miss the gazebo outside the Menger Hotel. It had a more historic, main plaza small town feel to it.

[starvinggryphon]

Originally Posted by SpiritofSeguin

This is the best site overview. Basically it’ll be an open grassy plaza with chairs and tables in the middle where the bandstand used to be, and that Enterprise looking structure is some kind of soundstage/canopy area.

Thank you for posting this link!

[texboy]

Originally Posted by SpiritofSeguin

This is the best site overview. Basically it’ll be an open grassy plaza with chairs and tables in the middle where the bandstand used to be, and that Enterprise looking structure is some kind of soundstage/canopy area.

I think they did a fabulous job with this. And omg they finally got rid of that damn wax museum and ripleys... always thought that collection of tourist traps was so tacky! To see so many streets around the plaza shut for this is incredible. Thanks for posting!

[TSK18]

This looks like a very nice piece of urbanism, I'll have to make sure to visit it whenever it's complete!
Speaking of which, does anyone know when they expect to have this finished, or is that still unclear at this point? Forgive me if this has already been answered elsewhere in the thread.

[SpiritofSeguin]

Originally Posted by TSK18

This looks like a very nice piece of urbanism, I'll have to make sure to visit it whenever it's complete!
Speaking of which, does anyone know when they expect to have this finished, or is that still unclear at this point? Forgive me if this has already been answered elsewhere in the thread.

Plaza de Valero was supposed to be done July 4th, then it became Labor Day weekend, now my guess is by at least Christmas Break it’ll be fully open with access to the direct plaza and lunette exhibit. Construction is actually really picking up now, trees are being planted and the features are coming into focus. Hopefully they’ll stick a tree in the middle for Christmas.

The Museum is supposed to be done by March 6th, 2027, I think it was pushed back a year skipping the 190th anniversary. The museum is really the crown jewel to all this so the entire project…should be done by 2027. As for the plaza extension going down Commerce and up Rivercenter Mall’s Blum Alley I don’t know, but the street going to Five and Dime/Chipotle is all shut off now. The private security Alamo Rangers now actively patrol the perimeters now.

Originally Posted by texboy

I think they did a fabulous job with this. And omg they finally got rid of that damn wax museum and ripleys... always thought that collection of tourist traps was so tacky! To see so many streets around the plaza shut for this is incredible. Thanks for posting!

The superblock (Crockett, Palace Theater and Woolworth) that had the…Tomb Rider, Guinness Records and the Haunted House is shut down, but Ripleys is still active up the block with the wax museum and mirror maze. I heard a rumor the City eventually wants to buy the Wax Museum building and already bought (?) the Mirror Maze one, but I can’t confirm that. Just gossip. They really should though because the circus music and Miley Cyrus that they play is in earshot of the 1836 battle site.