AUSTIN — Today Commissioner George P. Bush announced the selection of PGAV Destinations to guide the statewide outreach and design development phase of the Alamo master plan. The team was selected from a pool of respondents who submitted proposals through the state's procurement process. The Alamo Master Plan Management Committee extensively vetted the finalist before making a selection. The team will serve as a contractor with direction and oversight provided by the Texas General Land Office, Alamo staff, and the Alamo Master Plan Management Committee.

"The Alamo master plan process has only begun and, with the addition of PGAV Destinations, we will be able to ramp up public engagement and begin to explore how to restore dignity to the 1836 Battlefield while preserving and protecting the Alamo for future generations," said Commissioner Bush. "As we move towards drafting designs of how the key concepts could take shape, the team will travel the state gathering input from those interested in contributing. While the expertise and experience of skilled contractors will be valuable, the people of Texas will continue to be the guiding force behind restoring dignity to the 1836 Battlefield, preserving the Alamo Church and Long Barrack, and building a large museum worthy of telling the story of the Battle of the Alamo."

Hitting the ground running, the PGAV team attended a meeting of the Alamo Citizen Advisory Committee on Tuesday. This initial meeting provided an opportunity for members of the team to speak with engaged Texans about their cares and concerns. Meetings such as this initial one will be repeated in communities across Texas. The public engagement process will be lengthy so that all who love the Alamo will be able to learn about the key concepts and provide thoughts, ideas and concerns about how to restore dignity to the 1836 Battlefield, build a museum dedicated to displaying thousands of artifacts, and preserve the historic structures so that our grandchildren's grandchildren can learn of the bravery of those who fought and died on this sacred ground.

Up to this point the Alamo master plan has evaluated and determined key concepts that are guiding the design process. The master plan identifies the critical need to address the deterioration of the Alamo Church and Long Barrack, and calls for immediate intervention to preserve the Shrine of Texas Liberty. With appropriations and direction from the Texas Legislature, the GLO commissioned a Comprehensive Needs Assessment of the Alamo complex buildings (see page VI-30 of the General Appropriations Bill from the 84^th Session). This report detailed the need for significant structural repair to ensure the preservation of these noble buildings. This year, the team will begin the process to preserve the nearly 300-year-old Alamo Church and Long Barrack. The buildings will be restored as they are today, so that they undergo no further damage, and so that future generations may continue to visit, learn about the 1836 Battle, and remember the Alamo.

The Alamo master plan also seeks to recapture the 1836 Alamo Battlefield and restore a sense of reverence and respect. Today, the 1836 Battlefield is covered with asphalt streets and sidewalks. Cars and buses drive over the soil where defenders took their last stand. Due to its current state, most visitors do not realize they are standing on sacred ground. Through the master plan, the street that currently runs through the 1836 Battlefield will be closed and the area will be transformed with educational programs, living history, ceremonies, and activities that honor the site and teach visitors about what happened at the Alamo, which inspired Texas' independence.

Additionally, the Alamo master plan calls for building a large museum to display thousands of artifacts, including the Phil Collins collection, and tell the story of the Battle of the Alamo and its momentous role in shaping Texas history. To accomplish this goal, the Crockett, Woolworth and Palace buildings on the west side of the compound will be repurposed into a very large museum with significant exhibit space to showcase rifles, cannons and other exciting artifacts as well as room for a theater to properly show the "Story of the Alamo" film to thousands of visitors each day. 

About PGAV Destinations

PGAV is based in St. Louis, and has provided consultation and design work for numerous historic sites including Fort Ticonderoga, the National Armor and Cavalry Heritage Museum in Georgia, the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum in Charleston Harbor, S.C., and the General George Patton Museum in Ft. Knox, Ky.