UPDATE: Tuesday - 3:30 pm
City Council awarded a $6.6 million construction contract Wednesday to B. E. Beecroft Company, Inc., of Corpus Christi, for the Coopers Boaters Facility and L-Head Parking Lot Resurfacing project.
“When completed, the new, fully equipped boaters’ facility at the Coopers L-Head will offer exciting new features for marina tenants and visiting boaters,” said Jonathon Atwood, marina manager.
“The new boaters’ facility is part of a master plan to elevate our city’s prominent asset into a Coastal Bend premier marina,” said Robert Dodd, director of parks and recreation. “It will include state-of-the-art floating piers and a sustainable boardwalk to create a world-class experience for marina tenants, visiting boaters and everyone who visits our bayfront.”
The project will be funded through the Type A Sales Tax. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2026 and is expected to be completed by February 2027.
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ORIGINAL STORY
The Corpus Christi City Council will vote Tuesday on a construction contract for a new two-story boater facility at the Municipal Marina, replacing a 25-year-old building that no longer meets demand.
The approximately 3,500-square-foot structure would be built on the Coopers Street L-Head, replacing the current 1999 building that offers only two restrooms and one washer-dryer set. The outdated facilities have become insufficient following the addition of 119 boat slips to the marina.
The proposed elevated building would comply with flood elevation requirements and feature a distinctive roof design inspired by wind and sail forms. It would include four climate-controlled showers and restrooms with benches, an ADA-accessible laundry room with washers, dryers and an ice machine, plus a new security system.
Shared spaces would include a large meeting room with stackable tables and chairs, and a small coffee bar. The building would also feature solar shades on windows for energy efficiency.
Public amenities would include naturally ventilated men's and women's restrooms, a ground-level ventilated storage and workspace area for boaters, and a covered plaza beneath the building for shaded outdoor use.
Coopers Alley serves as a key marine hub, featuring the area's only three-lane public boat ramp, multi-unit outdoor dry storage, a seafood and bait stand, a haul-out facility, marina maintenance services, Gulf Stream Marine, and the Corpus Christi Yacht Club.
The project also includes resurfacing, restriping and new pavement in portions of the L-Head parking lot near the public boat ramp, along with new curbs, gutters and limited landscaping. These improvements would enhance traffic flow, clarify designated parking areas and support safer, more efficient vessel launching.
Funding totals $6,601,560.20 and comes from Type A Sales Tax sources. The city initially allocated $350,000 in fiscal year 2023, then approved an additional $5,450,000 in fiscal year 2025. Supplementary funds of $394,326 come from cost savings in the Peoples Boardwalk Project. Parking lot resurfacing costs $865,000 in fiscal year 2025 and $735,000 in fiscal year 2026.
If approved, the upgraded facility would provide modern amenities including expanded restrooms, showers, laundry services, meeting space and dedicated storage areas, improving the experience for tenants, visitors and the broader marina community while addressing current capacity limitations.
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