On Wednesday, October 10, the San Antonio Planning Commission approved the closure of streets in the Alamo Plaza together with an agreement to lease the property to the State of Texas. It was all part of plans for a redevelopment of the area. The plan, which is estimated to cost $450 million, received conceptual approval by the Historic and Design Review Commission, in conjunction with final approval for the relocation of the 1930s Cenotaph. The city council has yet to vote on the project, which was initially proposed in 2014, and may do so as early as October 18.
The redevelopment of Alamo Plaza was proposed by the city of San Antonio in partnership with the non-profit Alamo Endowment and the Texas General Land Office. Following the recent approval of the plan by the two separate city commissions noted above, a number of councilors have raised objections and questions. Among them, the moving of the cenotaph (a bone of contention), public access, and street closures are points of concern.