Welcome to the Project Website for the City of San Antonio Mission Historic District Design Manual.  This website has been created to provide information, news and updates regarding the development of the Mission District Design Manual.

The City of San Antonio’s Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) and World Heritage Office (WHO) is creating a Design Manual specific to the Mission Historic District and the historic and other building resources located within the World Heritage Buffer Zone.  The District was established in 1977 when the four missions ─ Mission Concepcion, Mission San Jose, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada ─ were included as part of the Missions National Historical Park, established by the National Park Service.  In 2015, these Missions, along with the Mission Valero (the Alamo), were inscribed as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Specific objectives of the Design Manual include:

• Articulating the unique and character-defining features and geographic areas within the District that exemplify the cultural attributes or themes that distinguish the District;
• Demonstrating best-practices concerning land development in environmentally-sensitive areas;
• Providing increased clarity for what types of development activities are appropriate within the context of the World Heritage Area;
• Maintaining the integrity and authenticity of the World Heritage Area and Mission District while accommodating growth and new development; and,
• Serving as a consolidated resource for design requirements within the District.

The process to complete the Design Manual will be approximately 12 months and will involve several opportunities for public engagement in its creation. Stay tuned to this site for news and up-to-date information of the development of the Mission District Design Manual.

Contact Us

The draft of the manual is in progress but it is not too late provide input. If you have any questions or would like to submit your comments, please contact the City of San Antonio’s Office of Historic Preservation at info@sapreservation.com or by phone at 210-207-0035.

If you would like to receive notices and updates on the Mission Historic District Manual, other programs and events, sign up for E-Alerts on our website at this link http://www.sanantonio.gov/Historic