City leaders say that to keep that process running smoothly, the building — which used to be Fire Station No. 5 — is in need of a major overhaul.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A motion passed this week to award a $4 million construction contract for renovations to the Corpus Christi Detention Center.

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The 24-hour facility is where people are booked and held after an arrest until they can see a judge.

City leaders say that to keep that process running smoothly, the building — which used to be Fire Station No. 5 — is in need of a major overhaul.

The facility will receive a new courtroom, additional temporary holding cells, and several electrical upgrades.

Corpus Christi Municipal Court Presiding Judge Jackie Delano Chapa called the upgrades long overdue.

“The current facility is about 4,000 square feet, and our renovations will add about an additional 2,500 square feet. So it’s going to make the capacity a little bit bigger, allow more workspace for the employees and the arrestees,” she said.

Chapa added that the detention center books an average of 32 people per day. Due to the nature of the work, she said the improvements will allow for a smoother, more efficient process.

“A bigger booking area, we’re going to have a bigger area for them to take the individuals’ property to safely secure it. It’s going to allow for a bigger in-person magistration place for the arrestees,” she said.

The detention center was previously an old fire station built in 1956, located near Nueces Bay and Leopard Street. The city moved into the space after leaving Wilson Plaza, where it had been housed since 2004 but faced ongoing maintenance issues.

Corpus Christi At-Large Councilman Roland Barrera said the $4 million renovation is still a more cost-efficient option than building a new facility from the ground up.

“The other building, it was quite problematic. It wasn’t safe. They wanted to evacuate all the tenants. We already own the property. We didn’t have to acquire it. There’s already a foundation of property that we can remodel,” he said.

Barrera said the city had limited time to vacate Wilson Plaza, but the location of the new facility played a key role in the decision.

“We had to do so in a matter of like a week. And so that was one thing we quickly evaluated, and that the proximity was probably one of the best things and the fact that we own the property,” he said.

Renovations are expected to begin in January and be completed before July.