▁pet ition ed ▁for ▁permission ▁to ▁marry ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 6 . ▁A ▁little ▁over ▁a ▁year ▁later , ▁his ▁super iors ▁granted ▁his ▁request ▁to ▁marry ▁Man uela ▁de ▁A so ▁y ▁Ot al , ▁a ▁woman ▁from ▁a ▁wealth y ▁family ▁in ▁Mexico . ▁ ▁Design ▁and ▁construction ▁projects ▁in ▁Mexico ▁Once ▁settled ▁back ▁in ▁Mexico , ▁Cost ans ó ▁worked ▁as ▁an ▁engineer ▁in ▁the ▁service ▁of ▁New ▁Spain ▁for ▁over ▁ 4 0 ▁years . ▁He ▁took ▁charge ▁of ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁Hospital ▁General ▁de ▁San ▁And rés . ▁In ▁ 1 7 7 2 ▁he ▁launched ▁a ▁project ▁to ▁construct ▁a ▁new ▁building ▁for ▁the ▁Real ▁Casa ▁de ▁Mon eda ▁( ro yal ▁currency ▁house ▁or ▁mint ), ▁a ▁project ▁that ▁occupied ▁him ▁for ▁eight ▁years . ▁At ▁a ▁time ▁when ▁Spanish ▁r ul ers ▁felt ▁their ▁emp ire ▁threatened ▁by ▁British ▁naval ▁power , ▁Cost ans ó ▁helped ▁shore ▁up ▁New ▁Spain ' s ▁( M ex ico ' s ) ▁military ▁def enses . ▁He ▁survey ed ▁and ▁reported ▁on ▁major ▁damage ▁done ▁to ▁the ▁Fort ▁of ▁San ▁Diego ▁at ▁A cap ul co ▁Bay ▁by ▁a ▁ 1 7 7 6 ▁earth qu ake . ▁His ▁pent ag onal ▁design ▁for ▁a ▁new ▁fort ▁got ▁approved ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 7 ▁and ▁slightly ▁modified ▁in ▁the ▁subsequent ▁re building ▁of ▁the ▁fort , ▁which ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁main ▁defense ▁of ▁Mexico ' s ▁Pacific ▁coast . ▁By ▁order ▁of ▁vic ero