CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — If you take a drive through the City of Portland, there's no denying that the bedroom community across the Harbor bridge is experiencing a major boom in business.
The new Target store will be bigger than the one in Corpus Christi, measuring 128,500 square feet. Portland City Manager Randy Wright said it's ahead of schedule.
Walls are going up along Highway 181 and Broadway Blvd as the 45-acre Portland Town Center development site begins to take shape. The $100-million project will feature restaurants, retail, and residential units.
Anchored by the Target store, which will have a pharmacy, groceries, and even a Starbucks, the development is expected to be completed in early 2024.
"It's one of about 10 major commercial projects going on in Portland right now, we're seeing an interest in National and regional brands to bring more commercial and retail spaces here to Portland," he said.
Wright said that the Target is only the beginning of growth in the area.
The Broadway Blvd expansion project is also underway. Lanes will be widened, and another entrance into the nearby Bay Ridge subdivision will be created.
Across town, more growth is expected to take place with seven new planned subdivisions and 2,200 homesites.
"Do we have enough space? We do have enough space we've done an annexation program the last three years gave us some growth potential out to our west," he said.
Business owner Nick Catalano said he fell in love with Portland. He bought the property at 1100 Railroad Ave. and Ghent Pl. and that will feature his second location of Yo Philly Cheese Steaks, as well as a seafood restaurant.
"It's called LeStourgeon Seafood and he's going to have his restaurant on one side of the property and I'll have my Yo Philly on the other side of the property," he said.
Catalano hopes to open the second location by October.
Also on Tuesday, for the first time, city leaders got to see renderings during a workshop to get an idea of what the future Leisure and Entertainment District near Houston St. and 5th St. could look like. The space shows an open green area, event space, and even an ice rink.
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