The delay, McWhorter said, is due primarily to communications glitches and an on-going dispute with a subcontractor.

The third and final phase of work was set to be put out for bids in October of last year, with actual construction scheduled to begin by Nov. 30, 2004.

From this point, 12 months were needed to rededication and occupancy.

"Our architectural firm, Architexas, was supposed to have submitted final plans to Texas Historical Commissioner by Sept. 10," McWhorter said. "They called in August and asked for an extension until the end of October."

McWhorter said he discovered recently, via a telephone call, that final plans have somehow been misplaced in a shuffle between Architexas and THC.