This document summarizes the recommendations from a Regional/Urban Design Assistance Team (R/UDAT) for Corpus Christi, Texas. The R/UDAT was led by Cheryl Morgan and included experts in transportation, landscape, graphic design, and economic analysis. Key recommendations included refining traffic models to better represent the SEA District/Downtown, reevaluating the Harbor Bridge interchange design, and enhancing Surfside Boulevard. The team also recommended creating a more connected mix of uses between destinations, answering where Interstate 37 ends and the walkable downtown begins, and leveraging the bridge relocation into new development and reduced barriers. Case studies of successful projects in other cities emphasized starting small projects and letting them build momentum

1. 1
Corpus Christi, Texas
Regional/Urban Design
Assistance Team (R/UDAT)

2. 2
Introduction

3. R/UDAT Team
• Cheryl Morgan, FAIA, Team Leader
• Victor Salemann, PE, Transportation
• Richard Roark, RLA, ASLA, Landscape
• Lindsay Kinkade, Graphic Design/Connections
• Judy Taylor, Economic Analysis

4. Community Process

5. Partnership – THANK YOU!

6. 6
Transportation

7. Planning
• Refine the travel demand model to more accurately
represent the SEA District/Downtown special generators
and longer range or build-out land use in the SEA
District/Downtown.
• Use these refined traffic forecasts for final design
decisions.
• Recognize the local vs. regional travel demand patterns
in the final design of the New Harbor Bridge connections.
• Reevaluate the functional classifications of roadways in
the project study area

8. Bridge Design
• Support the current bridge configuration

9. Roadway Design
• Reevaluate the current interchange
configuration and improve access and
connections to and from the SEA
District/Downtown.

10. Roadway Design
• Enhance the character and condition of Surfside Boulevard to make the longer trip to
the Beach, The Lexington, or the Texas State Aquarium unnoticeable, as the
Boulevard itself becomes the Gateway to North Beach.
• Utilize already existing alternative routes that may be slightly longer in distance or
travel time (Google even shows them as options today) yet could be even faster
alternatives to Interstate 37 during peak events. These routes include:
– E. Port Avenue
– The Agnes Street/ Laredo Street Couplet to North Chaparral and Water Street.
– Power Street (The extension of Fitzgerald Street to North Staples Street
• Consider lower speed designs for the termination of Interstate 37 and the current
existing city arterials.

11. Transit
• Plan for increased operational costs
and travel times.
• Actively participate in the final design
of the New Harbor Bridge
181/Crosstown Highway/Interstate 37
interchange
• Investigate additional landings and
ferry capacity to support multiple stops
along the waterfront and more
frequent service across the channel.

12. Heavy Rail
• Support increased use of
the rail loop and implement
enhanced rail crossing
surface treatments and
signals/crossing controls to
safely manage automobile,
bicycle, and pedestrian
crossings.

13. The Key Question…
Where does Interstate 37 end and the SEA
District/Downtown begin?
•Answering this question addresses the
following:
– Limited access freeway of city arterial
– 60 mph or 30 mph
– At grade intersections or bridges
– Walkable or restricted
– A barrier or a connection

14. The Big Picture

16. CONCEPTS
• Capture the potential of the bridge relocation:
– for a new sense of arrival into the heart of Corpus
– for newly available development parcels
– for reduced barriers between areas in and adjacent to
downtown
• Create Connectivity between destination activities and
venues
• Create a stronger mix of uses and density that
contribute to the potential for vitality throughout the
day and throughout the week
• Create a walk-able environment with places to come
together and spend time in the public realm

35. 35
Landscape
Survey

36. CLIMATE BASED DESIGN

37. CLIMATE BASED DESIGN

38. CLIMATE BASED DESIGN

39. CLIMATE BASED DESIGN

40. CLIMATE BASED DESIGN

41. THE SHAPE OF THE LAND

44. LANDSCAPE ORIENTATION and PUBLIC ART

45. LANDSCAPE ORIENTATION and PUBLIC ART

46. NATURAL ASSETS & ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

47. LANDSCAPE ORIENTATION and PUBLIC ART

48. NATURAL ASSETS & ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

50. DOWNTOWN COOL CONNECTORS

51. NEW LIVES FOR OLD SITES

52. NEW LIVES FOR OLD SITES

53. NEW LIVES FOR OLD SITES

54. NEW LIVES FOR OLD SITES

55. Connections &
Recreation

58. RIGHT NOW:
Cowboy & Cowgirl Bike Ride

59. Build Experimental Bikes

60. Ride as a Beach Culture

61. Or Try On Another Time Altogether

62. FUTURE:
Shut Down & Open Up

63. North
S.E.A. DISTRICT STREET & SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS
Partial Scan of rve Site Plan
EXHIBITD

64. The $199 Traffic Counter

67. Promotional Organizations in Downtown Corpus Christi and the SEA District
Organization Funding Sources Audience Verb Notes
Local community interest groups Events, local
fundraisers, local
and national grants
Local community ORGANIZE around community interests
and
ADVOCATE on behalf of the community
Local community members Events, Kickstarter PARTICIPATE in local events
SEA District Membership Public
Families
Mostly local reach
PROMOTE an experience district 501c3?, started by
Durrill
http://seadistrictcc.co
m/
Chambers of Commerce
(CC, Hispanic CC, Black CC)
Membership
Fundraisers
Local businesses of
many sizes
DEVELOP leadership
FOSTER growth
ADVOCATE for business
http://www.corpuschris
tichamber.org/
https://sites.google.co
m/a/blackchambercc.o
rg/home/
CVB Hotel Motel Tax Meeting Planners
Conventions
Out­of­town visitors
PROMOTE tourism and business related
visits
http://visitcorpuschristit
x.org/
CCFirst City $
DMD $
Visitors? PROMOTE social investments for
residents
PROMOTE creative experience for visitors
http://corpuschristi1st.
com/
DMD TIF $ Membership Specific
area ­ live/work/visit
ENCOURAGE redevelopment http://cctexasdmd.com
/
EDC Local $
County $
Out­of­City businesses
Out­of­State businesses
RECRUIT and PROMOTE
Investment
http://www.ccredc.com
/
City of Corpus Christi Taxes Citizens
Businesses
Visitors
DELIVER municipal services
SUSTAIN and IMPROVE welfare, health,
and quality of life of residents
http://www.cctexas.co
m/index
Table information compiled from local interviews
Compiled by Austin Jurica

68. Community Events That Define Place 2014–2015
EVERY WEEK
Monday Night Uptown, Dowtown, All Around Group Run 20 - 30 Runners
Wednesday Night Beer Can Sailboat Races 12 - 15 Boats
Wednesday Night Hammerfest Bike Ride 10 - 30 Riders
Saturday Morning Group Bike Ride 20 - 40 Riders
EVERY MONTH
ArtWalk First Friday of the month
MusicWalk First Saturday of the month
Harbor BridgeWalk First Sunday of the month
Fitness Sunday First Sunday of the month
ANNUAL EVENTS
January 1, 2015 New Year’s Day Swim
January 3, 2015 American Bank Half Marathon 150 Runners
January 20, 2014 Food and Wine Classic 200-250 Connoisseurs
February 7, 2015 Rise and Shine 5K 400 Runners/Walkers
February 15, 2014 Navy Half Marathon
February 16, 2014 Corpus Christi Boat Show
February 19, 20, 21, 22, 2015 Celebration of Whooping Cranes in Port Aransas
March 5-8, 2014 Fulton Oyster Fest
March 7, 2015 Whooping Crane Strut in Rockport
March 27-29, 2015 Festival of the Arts
April 11, 2015 Coastal Bend Tour de Cure ~ 500 Riders
April 16–May 2, 2015 Buccaneer Days (Rodeo, Carnival, Parade) 258,000 People
April 24, 25,26, 2015 Texas Sandfest–Sand Sculpture Festival
May 16, 2015 Beach-to-Bay 16,000 Runners

71. RIGHT NOW:
Chalk This Way

72. FUTURE:
City-Defining Canvas

73. Inspired by American History

74. Scaling Up Our Strengths

75. Making City Fabric Beautiful

76. Making Industrial Fabric Beautiful

77. Strategic
Implementation

78. Significant growth in Corpus Christi can be captured in
the Downtown, SEA District, & North Beach Area
Job Node* Population Jobs
Downtown Los Angeles 71.9% 45.9%
Downtown Chicago 95.6% 10.5%
Downtown Dallas 94.8% 5.1%
Downtown San Diego 65.6% 1.7%
Downtown San Antonio 1.9% -0.8%
*Job Node geographies are defined using Census Tracts.
Percent Change ( 2000 - 2010)
• Why are people moving to
downtowns?
– Walkability
– Amenities - Cultural, shopping
– Urban Activity /Social
connectedness
– Authenticity

79. Money left on the table
Benchmark Retail Metrics

80. Weave Together Individual Local and Regional
Attractions can move Corpus Christi to the next level
• Improve coordination and marketing between
SEA District and Downtown.
• Recommend creating a retail, dining, and
entertainment corridor to better connect
individual attractions and provide amenities

81. Mixed Use development in the study area can be a new
focal point for growth in the District similar to
American Tobacco Complex in Durham, North Carolina
• 2004 Redevelopment of the
American Tobacco Complex in
Durham, NC jump started
Downtown revitalization
• City and County provided a
$43 million parking structure
• Developer received $40
million in permanent New
Market Tax Credit loans

82. Mixed Use development in the study area can be a new
focal point for growth in the District similar to
American Tobacco Complex in Durham, North Carolina
•Average property
sales prices
increased by 115%
from the period
between 2002 to
2004 and 2005 to
2007.
•Currently 11
residential projects
in Downtown
Durham, with over
$530 M in
investment
American Tobacco
Complex
Durham Athletic Park
Convention Center
Center for the
Performing Arts
Golden Belt
Historical Durham
Athletic Park

83. 83
Conclusion

84. A Defining Opportunity
When the Harbor Bridge was constructed, it
defined the area’s physical character for over
50 years. Removing the bridge provides
nothing short of an opportunity to re-define
this area for at least a half-century to
come.

85. Most Communities Today

86. The Snowball Effect
“a figurative term for a process that starts
from an initial state of small significance
and builds upon itself, becoming larger
and faster at every stage”
Applied to a community, this is a
transformational principle…

87. “You gave us hope. Back in 1992, your ideas seemed
like dreams. Now we are living those dreams.”
– Rick Smith, San Angelo Times-Standard, 2012

88. CASE STUDY:
Port Angeles, Washington (17K)
2009 Project

89. Port Angeles, WA 2009 Project: 2 months later, 43
buildings repainted with volunteers and donated paint,
led to a façade improvement program, then private $

90. Today: Millions in New Investments

91. Transforming Downtown

92. Public Prioritization
Paint 43 Buildings
Façade Improvement
Wayfinding
Waterfront Esplanade
Major new anchors downtown
Peninsula Campus Expansion
Downtown Health Clinic
New Transit Center
Bike/Ped Facilities
New small businesses
Ferry Terminal
Renovation
Renovated
shopping/restaurants at
adjacent block
First 3 months-1 year
1-2.5 years
4-5 years

93. Snowball Effect: $100+ million
Leveraging Investment for
Placemaking

94. Waterfront: from Process to
Masterplan to…

95. Realizing their aspirations

96. Award-winning design

97. Bringing People Back to
the Waterfront

98. Creating an Attractive
Sense of Place

99. And, it keeps going

100. CASE STUDY:
Newport, Vermont (5K
Population)
2009 R/UDAT Project

101. Newport - 2009
• Last town in state to receive downtown
designation
• double-digit unemployment
• Isolated in the ‘Northeast Kingdom’
• Citizen: “I’ve seen Newport come, and I’ve
seen it go”

102. Community Garden
Wayfinding
Downtown Cleanup
Foreign Trade Zone
Regional Tasting Center
Waterfront Resort
Downtown Block Construction
Biotech companies
Major Private Investment
Community Farm Program
Form-based Code
Tax Stabilization
Program
Bike/Ped Improvements
New Restaurants
sourcing from
community garden
Taste of the Town event

103. Newport – 2011 (“2-yr Snowball”)
• $250 million in new investment
• 2,000 new jobs coming online
• “The biggest change here has been one of
attitude. Now we realize that through
partnerships, we can do anything. Now,
nothing is impossible.”

104. Corpus Christi has HUGE civic capacity
• You already know how to
collaborate cross-sector
successfully
• You already have billions of
dollars in new investment
coming
• You have the capacity to
create whatever physical
character and community
you aspire to have.
• You are a TEXAS city – be
bold and carry forth that
tradition!

105. Questions?
• 100-page report is online @
www.aia.org/liv_rudat_list
or google “AIA R/UDAT Communities”