Texas GLO and San Antonio team up for future of Alamo

Today George P. Bush, Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office, and Ivy Taylor, Mayor of San Antonio, announced that city and state leaders will be teaming up through a cooperative agreement to direct a collaborative vision for the future of the Alamo Plaza Historic District and the Alamo Complex. Under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding, a new Interlocal Agreement will be defined to determine expanded terms of a Joint Master Plan (master plan) process for the Alamo and Alamo Plaza.

"This alliance is long overdue and also very encouraging for all of us who treasure the Alamo," Commissioner Bush said. "The Alamo needs all Texans to unite to preserve it for future generations. The time for us to come together is now and I look forward to collaborating with San Antonio, as known as the Alamo City. Together we will create a strategic vision and work toward our common goal of restoring the Shrine of Texas Liberty to a site worthy of its noble roots."

"This collaboration will be a model for how state and local governments can work together to accomplish the extraordinary," Mayor Ivy Taylor said. "A joint master planning effort will maximize our ability to create a unique and authentic destination that tells the story of San Antonio and its ultimate urbanization."

"As a Tri-Chair of the Alamo Plaza Advisory Committee, I am excited about this collaboration," said District 1 Councilman Roberto C. Treviño. "More importantly, I am proud of the work of the Advisory Committee. The vision and guiding principles we developed will continue to serve as the foundation of the RFQ and guide us through the implementation of the master plan."

Texas State Senator Jose Menéndez and Representative Diego Bernal both expressed their support for the cooperative agreement:

"The value of the Alamo is universal to all Texans because it represents who we are as a people. Native Americans, Texans, and Mexicans all worshiped in this sacred mission. An investment in the Alamo and a strategic partnership for its future is necessary to develop a world class iconic site. We must create an educational experience where visitors leave inspired by the storied history and sacrifices the Alamo represents," State Senator Menéndez said.

"This is a tremendous next step and signals to San Antonio, the State of Texas, the nation and world that we are serious about showing the Alamo the respect and reverence it always deserved. As the former City Councilman and now State Representative in whose district the Alamo resides, I am especially proud and thankful for the opportunity to see this effort through from both sides. As I said before, all of the talk and speculation is in the past. This will happen, and it will be magnificent."

The master plan process will include re-advertising the request for qualifications issued by the City of San Antonio to include an amended scope of work for a comprehensive master plan for both the Alamo Plaza and Complex. Applicants who previously submitted RFQ responses will be contacted and encouraged to make any appropriate revisions and submit amendments to their proposals in response to the joint RFQ.

Additionally, the state will add up to six members to the evaluation committee that has already been established by the City. The evaluation team will recommend a master plan to present to the General Land Office and City Council for action. The process will lengthen the selection process only by 4 to 6 weeks, and the leaders agree that the benefit of working side by side on the master plan will bring a much higher level of coordination and investment that has been lacking in previous attempts to improve the historic area in downtown San Antonio.

The City of San Antonio will contribute up to $1,000,000 of the costs of the master plan process utilizing funds previously dedicated through the 2012-2017 Bond Program. The General Land Office will be responsible for amounts exceeding that cost.

The City and State officials expect the master plan will take up to 12 months, with the expectation that the implementation of the plan could begin on the recommendations as early as 2016.