Work is progressing on the $550 million Alamo redevelopment plan, projected to bring $2.5 million visitors to our city’s most treasured landmark.
Some nearby businesses are not happy about a part of the project that got underway this week. On Monday a construction crew permanently shut down a portion of one of the busiest streets running through downtown.
The Alamo Trust says the section of Houston Street that runs between Broadway and North Alamo is being closed because it includes portions of the historic mission and battlefield footprint.
“This was the first we heard about a permanent closure of that particular stretch of Houston Street, and that’s concerning to us because we have a lot of customers who come to see us and have to drive over,” said Alexandra Sledge, whose family owns Paris Hatters.
A landmark in its own right, Paris Hatters has been selling hats to locals and visitors for more than a hundred years. Sledge and several other business owners we spoke to say while the renovation of Alamo Plaza has been in the works for years, they didn’t realize Houston Street would be closed until a flier appeared on their doors just prior to July 4th.
“They did it right before, right in a holiday week, so we got hit with it, couldn’t get a hold of anybody,” Sledge told News 4.
In a statement the Alamo Trust said, ” . . . each business within a 600 ft radius of the Alamo Historic District was notified of this change in 2018 as part of the street closure process.”
The Alamo Trust says it’s used quarterly breakfast meetings, bi-weekly calls and emails to keep businesses updated.
The businesses have been told customers and suppliers will still be able to access them using Peacock Alley; a narrow roadway known for its colorful murals, not its capacity for handling traffic.
“That alley is not wide enough, it probably can barely fit one car, it’s not going to fix big, big trucks,” Sledge said.
Some business owners were angry about city grants mentioned in the fliers, offering up to $35 thousand to businesses impacted by construction.
They were told they aren’t eligible because the business must be at least two and a half years old and construction had to have started before February of this year.
Still, not all nearby businesses are upset with the project, which leaves the sidewalk open on one side of Houston.
“We’re feeling pretty good about it, partially because it’s going to make people walk right in front of our store,” said Theresa Bowen, whose business called Cookie Plug faces Houston Street.
