The General Land Office, City of San Antonio and Alamo Trust announced Thursday that officials have reached an agreement with a bar owner over the purchase of his property near Alamo Plaza.
The agreement, which the statement called “mutual,” brings to an end the battle that began in January following several years of efforts by Alamo officials to purchase Moses Rose’s Hideout, located at 516 E. Houston St.
In May, the City of San Antonio filed a lawsuit in probate court to seize Vince Cantu’s property on behalf of the Alamo Trust, the nonprofit that oversees the Alamo, which sought to acquire the property for the planned Alamo Visitor Center and Museum, a key part of the $504 million Alamo Plaza redevelopment plan.
The agreement ends the eminent domain proceedings.
A statement from the Alamo Trust called the agreement “a landmark step towards the creation of the future Alamo Visitor Center and Museum,” but gave no details about how much it paid Cantu.
In March, the city made an offer to Cantu of $4 million plus relocation expenses for the property, up from the Alamo Trust’s $2 million starting offer in July 2020. Cantu countered the most recent offer with an asking price of $6 million, plus $4 million for the loss of his business.
The agreement calls for Cantu to vacate the property by Aug. 15 in order to keep the project on schedule.
“I am happy to see an amicable resolution and look forward to preserving this significant memorial of Texas heritage,” said Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg said the agreement paves the way for the Alamo’s future. “In just a few years, our visitors will enjoy a state-of-the-art Alamo Visitor Center and Museum,” he said.
The museum, set to open in 2026, will repurpose two historic buildings, the Crockett and the Woolworth. Moses Rose’s Hideout is located around the corner on East Houston from the Woolworth Building, and Alamo officials said the property was needed for exhibit space and a loading dock.
Through his attorney Dan Eldredge, Cantu released a statement thanking those who supported his stand against the Alamo Trust and a purchase price he previously said was unacceptable.
“We are proud that with the help of our many supporters, we were able to make an agreement with the State of Texas, which made continued eminent domain litigation unnecessary at this sacred site of Texas Independence,” he said.
Cantu added that the building will soon be demolished to begin construction of the Alamo museum “on dirt that has not been touched in over 150 years.”
If artifacts, discovered while clearing the site, are put on display, the items will be identified as originating from property previously owned by Cantu, according to the statement.
Senior Reporter Iris Dimmick contributed to this report.
