Corpus Christi Destination Bayfront

What is Destination Bayfront?

Destination Bayfront is an effort by a group of local citizens to transform a parcel of land located along Shoreline Boulevard from Buford Street to Park Street into a Destination Public Space.

Who is organizing Destination Bayfront?

Destination Bayfront is being organized by 15 local citizens. Alphabetically, they are:

·         Derwood Anderson, AG|CM, Engineering Firm

·         Ron Benavides, business analyst

·         George B. Clower, The Clower Co.

·         Art Granado, local insurance agency owner

·         J.J. Hart, financial analyst

·         Joe Hilliard, radio show host, Vice President of Fencing, Inc.

·         Paulette Kluge, Director of Sales at Omni Bayfront

·         David Loeb, Vice President of LandLord Resources,  Chairman of Downtown Management District

·         Chad Magill, Chairman of Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, owner of Identity Theft Solutions

·         Trey McCampbell, Del Mar College board member, Chief Administrative Officer of American Bank

·         Crystal Mead, Texas State Aquarium Membership Manager

·         Mark Minutaglio, small business owner, South Texas Provisions, Inc.

·         Will Pettus, Pettus Advertising

·         Travis Ralls, senior account executive at Time Warner Cable

·         Philip Ramirez, architect

 What is a Destination Public Space?

A Destination Public Space, also known as a Mixed Use Urban Space is a community gathering spot that offers a wide variety of activities that are open to the general public. A growing trend in cities across the country, properly planned Destination Public Spaces offer both residents and tourists hundreds of activities, events and things to do annually.

What does a Destination Public Space contain?

While each successful Destination Public Space has its own unique flavor and activities, common elements include noteworthy landscaping, water features, performing arts with full calendars of music, dance and exercise, outdoor public art, sports and games, play areas for children, dog parks, areas for markets and festivals, and concessionaires and restaurants.

Where can I see examples of successful Destination Public Spaces?

The newest, most successful Destination Public Space nearest to Corpus Christi is Discovery Green located in Houston, TX. Opened in 2008, it received over one million visitors in its first year of operation and is directly responsible for one billion dollars of economic development (measured in construction costs) in adjacent downtown Houston. 12 acres in total, Discovery Green offers playgrounds, interactive water features for children, dog parks, a man-made lake that freezes in the winter for ice-skating, free concerts, free outdoor movies, free fitness classes, gardens, restaurants and a café. It is free to enter. Visit their website for more information: www.discoverygreen.com

Other wonderful Destination Public Spaces to visit online:
Bryant Park, New York City - website
Campus Martius, Detroit - website
Central Park, New York City - website
Millennium Park, Chicago - website
Tennessee River Park, Chattanooga - website

What elements will go into Corpus Christi’s Space?

Destination Bayfront has no pre-set ideas of what will or should go into Corpus Christi’s Destination Public Space. This tends to be confusing since other plans for this land have typically been accompanied by detailed renderings of buildings and features. Destination Bayfront is suggesting a process wherein the citizens of Corpus Christi plan and decide what should go there. Anyone who wants to participate will have ample opportunity to make suggestions of what should go on our Bayfront during this process.

How will this process occur?

Destination Bayfront is suggesting that Project for Public Spaces (PPS), one of the nation’s leading planners of Public Spaces, be brought in to lead the Destination Bayfront public process. PPS is a non-profit organization based in New York City that has done work in all 50 states and 41 countries around the world. PPS led this process in Houston for the organizers of Discovery Green. Open to anyone that wants to be involved, it is during this process that Corpus Christi citizens will have the opportunity to think and talk about their Bayfront in a series of large and small hands-on meetings.  PPS will then synthesize all of the input into a detailed report and site plan which Destination Bayfront will present to the city.

How long will the community input process last?

PPS has perfected this process into a comprehensive and thorough exercise that lasts only 14-16 weeks.

Will Destination Bayfront create economic development for Corpus Christi?

By offering a high concentration of varied activities, successful Destination Public Spaces are constantly filled with people in a way that area has never been visited before.  Because of this critical mass of people, businesses and residences are drawn to the surrounding area.  In every example around the country of an outstanding Destination Public Space, new development has occurred on privately held land adjacent and near to the newly created enhancement.  People, and the businesses that follow them, want to be close to these spaces to be “close to the action”.