The City of Corpus Christi says about 60 similar structures remain as an abandoned Flour Bluff home was demolished after years of fires and unsafe conditions.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A long-standing problem property in Flour Bluff is finally gone.
The abandoned home on Scotland Street had become a magnet for homeless activity and repeated fires, leaving neighbors worried it was only a matter of time before someone was seriously hurt.
While the City of Corpus Christi did not have the budget to tear it down, a local company stepped in and did the job at no cost.
Before demolition began, Corpus Christi Police Department Officer Javier Cantu walked through the home, showing the dangerous conditions inside. The structure was filled with trash, debris and evidence of a number of small fires.
Cantu said fires are often started inside abandoned homes by people trying to stay warm, but those fires can quickly spread and get out of control.
Neighbors raised concerns, prompting the Flour Bluff Citizens Council to step in and ask for help.
Shirley Thornton with the council said the demolition shows what can happen when residents and community groups work together to improve safety.
Corpus Christi City Councilwoman Kaylynn Paxson said the project is an example of making neighborhood safety a priority through cooperation.
The demolition would have cost the city thousands of dollars, but White Star Services volunteered to handle the work.
Owner Fernando Flores said the city’s demolition program has helped remove dangerous structures in the past, but funding ran out this budget cycle.
According to city code enforcement, there are roughly 60 similar structures across the city currently slated for demolition.
City Manager Peter Zanoni confirmed the demolition program was not funded this year due to a budget shortfall. He said funding could be restored in the next budget cycle if council and staff approve it.
For now, neighbors in Flour Bluff say the removal of the home brings relief and a safer street.