Here are 2024's planned improvements in downtown Corpus Christi and the marina

Corpus Christi’s downtown for weeks has donned the bright tidings of the season – but plans are underway to deck it with new projects in the New Year.

Those include downtown-area park upgrades, exploring “dog-friendly space,” revamped marina docks and a bigger, better mural fest.

Here are some of the highlights anticipated for 2024.

Exploring dog-friendly spaces

As more residents move downtown, more pets come along, said Downtown Management District Executive Director Alyssa Barrera Mason.

“We do need to have facilities and utilities available to them to be able to have their pets living downtown and sharing those spaces,” she said.

The goal this year is to develop a plan that would accommodate dog owners while also balancing the needs of those who do not own a canine companion, she said.

It’s anticipated to be a time-intensive planning effort that is all-encompassing in its considerations, from practical aspects such as residents picking up after their pets to patios where pets are welcome, Mason added.

City-inspired signs

A large, splashy sign on the bayfront spelling “CCTX” was a temporary installation in 2023, located near Norma Urban Park – but as a test-case, it illustrated visitors’ response.

Its placement was partially intended to “find out if people were going to use it,” Mason said.

“And we found out that they were,” she said. “There were lines of people taking pictures – it became somewhat iconic.“

There’s money in the DMD’s budget to seek a permanent placement, Mason added.

Parks

More park amenities are also slated for the downtown area, including a splash pad and a multigenerational playground for nearby Cole Park.

It’s among the most highly trafficked parks in the city.

Construction is expected to wrap on the splash pad in April, according to city officials.

It’s the same month as the estimated completion dates on general rehabilitation and improvement projects in the park, including the installation of the new playground equipment.

Construction of a new plaza shade structure for the park, meanwhile, could get underway as early as 2024, although a specific timeline hasn’t yet been determined, according to a message sent to the Caller-Times by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.

Construction of a new gazebo at the old City Hall park, meanwhile, is expected to launch in February, with a target completion date in June.

The seawall

Along the seawall, visitors should soon see the full lighting upgrade to all of its miradors – but especially the one that houses the popular Selena statue, which will see not only improved lighting but also fresh paint, according to city officials.

The lighting project along the seawall kicked off in November and is expected to conclude in January, the city's message to the Caller-Times states.

Not far from the timeless statue, the public should see some visible changes at the city’s downtown marina, including the replacement of five of its aging docks as part of a series of marina upgrades.

A new Peoples Street Boardwalk, as shown in designs, would include replacing the existing wooden structure with one that is concrete and the addition of handrails.

A time when construction would start is still pending. The city is required to attain a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit.

“I think it’s really going to change the face of the marina – the look of downtown as you get down there on the seawall,” Municipal Marina Manager Jonathan Atwood told the City Council during a recent presentation.

Public art

The Downtown Management District is embracing more public art in the coming year, including an effort to build further on the successes found during the first two years of Mural Fest.

While there are several ideas in consideration, there’s definitely going to be some kind of larger name collaboration,” Mason said.

“I think we have created a really great reputation for the event and it’s really getting a lot of attention,” she said. “So we’re going to leverage that and elevate it, while also finding a way to engage our local artistic community as well.”

DMD FY 2024 Service Plan by callertimes on Scribd

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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: corpus christi has big plans for downtown parks, marina and streets