The county must complete preservation work before demolition can begin.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Nueces County is closer to demolishing its historic 1914 courthouse after the Texas Historical Commission agreed to end a preservation restriction early.

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According to a mitigation agreement between Nueces County and the Texas Historical Commission, the county still has several requirements to complete before demolition can begin.

The agreement calls for at least $177,333 in preservation work and requires the county to document the courthouse, identify architectural pieces that can be saved and create a permanent historical record of the building.

The courthouse must also be documented under Historic American Buildings Survey standards, with the completed work submitted for inclusion in the Library of Congress collection.

Some pieces of the courthouse will be salvaged for future use. The county must work with the Texas Historical Commission to determine what can be saved and later develop a display commemorating the courthouse’s history.

The county is also required to develop a book about the courthouse. That book does not have to be completed before demolition.

The preservation easement was supposed to remain in place until Sept. 1, 2027. Ending it early removes a major restriction that had prevented demolition or major changes to the building.

The courthouse has been vacant since 1977 and is described in the documents as being in advanced deterioration.