Odessa American in Odessa, Texas

Alamo Undergoes $5 Million Emergency Restoration

The Alamo in San Antonio, facing centuries of rain and sun, begins a $5 million emergency repair as part of a $31.5 million state backed makeover. Plans include restoring the church facade with era accurate stonework, buying nearby buildings for future museum space, and a broader grounds redesign with an eventual nearly $50 million total. Experts atop a crane are carving and replacing crumbling areas using crushed limestone mortar to match 18th century construction while evaluating historical details such as non original Colonial Revival bars and a buried drainage pipe from early cooling. The project aims for a comprehensive restoration and a new master plan ready next year, with the site dating back to 1718 and the 1836 battle marking its pivotal moment.