CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — North Beach is a high-profile area prone to flooding. Residents might recall a canal project that has been proposed to help alleviate the drainage issues there in that area.
In June the city approved to hire a firm to conduct a feasibility study and to design the canal. That study is expected to be completed by the end of the year. That project itself is tied to an overall vision set out by developer Jeff Blackard of Blackard Global who along with developer Lynn Frazier want to invest millions into the area.
Blackard originally came up with the idea for a canal system as the center piece for further development on North Beach. It's an issue that members of the Corpus Christi Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone Board number four couldn't avoid during their meeting today.
“We have a huge problem with drainage there, how would anyone want to spend 40 million dollars on a hotel until the drainage is fixed, and see on paper how that drainage is going to work not only for his hotel but for the rest of the attractions,” said board member, Carrie Robertson-Meyer.
Robertson-Meyer is talking about a proposed luxury hotel and apartment building to be built on North Beach. The developer originally missed his deadline to start construction.
Tuesday the board was considering and approved an extension for the project to begin work.