A flowing water feature and an elevator are among the upgrades approved by a city panel Wednesday for the lower paseo area of Alamo Plaza.
The pedestrian area between the Crockett Building and what will become the Alamo Visitor Center and Museum is included in the $510 million preservation and redevelopment project that is now underway.
The paseo, a connector between Losoya Street at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Alamo Plaza, is a common entry point for visitors to the Alamo from the San Antonio River Walk.
The new design plans call for the paseo to get a major overhaul, including a new grand stairway, an upper and lower terrace and terraced seating, according to documents submitted to the Office of Historic Preservation for review by the Historic and Design Review Commission.
Other improvements include an elevator tower, new landscaping and interpretive elements that explain the story of water in San Antonio.
The centerpiece of the paseo is a water feature, according to a description of the proposed design provided by the Alamo Trust, which is overseeing the project.
“The Alamo Fountain is the main feature of the space,” it states. “Its form and expression are designed to be dually interpreted as a feature of the cultural manipulation of water and the character of the natural San Antonio River.”
The Houston-founded landscape architecture firm OJB is working with architects from Gensler on the project.
City staff recommended the panel give conceptual approval for the project on the condition that an archaeological investigation is completed.
A spokesman for the Alamo Trust said no timeline could be provided for the project.
Work to redevelop Alamo Plaza, which spans from East Houston to East Commerce streets, kicked off in summer 2021 with development of the new Alamo Collections Center that opened in March 2022.
Construction on other portions of Alamo Plaza and its surrounding promenades is underway with work expected to last for at least two more years. Restaurateurs and retailers in the plaza say fencing and detours are adversely affecting business in the plaza.
Plaza de Valero, in front of the Menger Hotel, is slated for completion by July 4, 2024. Other work around the broader Alamo District, including street closures and landscaping, will continue through 2027.
The organization’s website provides updates on these work maps.
The Alamo Trust is a financial supporter of the San Antonio Report. For a full list of business members, click here.
