Texas Historical Commission approves Alamo conservation steps, archaeological excavations and arcade removal

The Texas Historical Commission on Jan. 31 authorized immediate archaeological and conservation steps for the Alamo site in San Antonio, approving both an antiquities permit to remove the first bay of the 1936 arcade adjacent to the church and a data‑recovery permit to allow excavations needed for a temporary protective enclosure and the site's drainage work.

The commission voted to authorize issuance of historic buildings and structures permit no. 1317 to remove the arcade bay "to allow for foundation archaeology and construction work necessary to install that temporary protective enclosure," Elizabeth Brehmitt, director of the THC Division of Architecture, told the commission. The commission also approved an antiquities‑code data recovery permit that staff said will be carried out in phased, hand‑excavated units to test for intact deposits and to clear locations where structural piers or drainage elements will be placed.

Why this matters: The Alamo church and the long barrack are the site's most significant architectural artifacts; THC staff and its design partners told the commission the work is intended to stop ongoing water infiltration, stabilize masonry, and permit conservation of the church vault and long barrack fabric. The temporary enclosure and drainage work are intended to limit further deterioration while teams design long‑term conservation measures and a new vaulted roofing assembly for the church.

Architects and conservato…