City outlines $17M North Padre Island seawall plan; public meeting set for Windham

The Corpus Christi City Council heard a presentation on the North Padre Island Seawall project and staff announced a public meeting for the design review and next steps.

Deputy City Manager Michael Rodriguez turned the update over to project lead Jeff Edmonds, who described a seawall originally built privately in the late 1960s–early 1970s that is now in poor condition and subject to prior legal rulings that prevented owners from restricting public access and complicated FEMA eligibility. Edmonds said the city accepted easements in January 2025 and has incorporated landscape-architecture features into the design. He said the project is currently shown in the FY24 CIP and that the council’s January action to accept easements and assume maintenance unlocked property-owner participation and development potential in the area.

Edmonds said the current CIP page lists a total project budget of “just under $17 million.” He told the council the city received a February 2025 letter staff believes will improve the city’s prospects for FEMA public assistance if catastrophic damage occurs, and said staff plans to advertise bids this summer and hopes to begin construction shortly after Labor Day; he estimated construction would take “over a year.” Council members urged community outreach: Councilwoman Kayn Paxton thanked staff for prioritizing the project and encouraged attendance at the public meeting so residents can influence the 100% design.

What happens next: staff said a public meeting is scheduled at Windham tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. to review design details for residents and adjacent property owners; staff plans to advertise for bids in summer and begin construction following Labor Day, pending procurement and permitting.

Community context and considerations: Edmonds noted prior impediments — limited insurance availability and FEMA assistance complications — that factored into the city assuming maintenance responsibility after easements were accepted. Council members emphasized timing around peak beach seasons and asked staff to minimize construction impacts. The presentation and the project budget were provided to the council as part of the City Manager’s update.

The council did not take a final procurement vote on the seawall during this meeting; the matter will proceed through public meetings, procurement advertising and later contract action if bids come in as planned.