Inside the marina’s massive makeover with
new docks, deeper water, and a boardwalk built for the long haul.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The $27 million transformation of Corpus Christi’s marina is finally sailing into the home stretch.
After months of construction, detours, and the occasional “are we there yet?” moment, city leaders say the bulk of the work could wrap up as soon as next month.
Crews have been working steadily as the long-awaited waterfront overhaul starts to look less like a construction zone and more like a postcard.
Across the marina, old docks are being ripped out and replaced, dredging crews are deepening the water below, and along People’s Street T-Head, a brand-new boardwalk is taking shape plank by plank. The goal: a cleaner, more modern waterfront built to last.
City officials say the work has been paid for through the city’s Type A funding.
“All of the current ongoing projects at the marina were funded through the Type A fund,” said Jonathan Atwood, interim assistant director with the City of Corpus Christi Parks Department. “The dock project that is going on behind me, the replacement of five docks, basically a third of the total docks in the marina, was approximately about $20 million.”
The People’s Street Boardwalk itself carries a price tag of about $7 million and is expected to be completed by the end of next month.
For nearby businesses, that timeline can’t come soon enough.
Harrison’s Landing, which sits directly along the popular walkway, says construction delays have taken a toll, especially heading into what’s typically the slowest time of year.
“The project and the delays have had an impact on our business,” said co-owner Hank Harrison. “Given that we’re going into some of the slowest months of the year, you probably noticed a number of businesses shut down seasonally, so we thought this year we would do the same. When we come back, we want to be cleaned up and stronger than ever.”
And the construction isn’t stopping when this phase ends.
City planners are already moving forward with the next major upgrade at the Cooper’s Alley L-Head. That project is expected to cost about $8 million and will replace an aging boater’s facility with a newer structure designed to better handle flooding.
“The new facility will actually be lifted up,” Atwood said. “It will be 13 to 14 feet off the ground per floodplain regulations. It’s going to have a meeting room for boaters and public restrooms.”
Once the barricades come down and the dust settles, city leaders hope the marina will feel less like a job site and more like a destination.
A place with ocean breezes, waterfront views, and a laid-back coastal vibe…the kind of spot Jimmy Buffett made famous in Margaritaville.