A renovated hotel and new restaurant are proposed for the city center. Here are the details.
Downtown icon the Emerald Beach Hotel could look a lot different in the years to come — think a nearly $20 million transformation into a Holiday Inn Express, topped with a rooftop event center .
Plans for the nearly 60-year-old hotel — operated under at least four different names over those six decades, officials say — were recently revealed in city documentation.
The project, if it were to go ahead with the proposal, would see the Emerald Beach Hotel split into two hotels.
The first would be the 143-room Holiday Inn Express, with plans remaining pending for the second hotel, records show.
Renovations to the building would include exterior murals and a rooftop events center, as well as a “complete interior and infrastructure renovation as well as a complete redesign of the facade, canopy of the lobby entrance, from the lobby roof,” according to a published presentation. on the city’s website.
Details of the proposal were made available as part of the developers’ request for city officials to approve about $2 million in incentives for the project through a reimbursement agreement.
“This property will become a prime location for perfect skyline views, easy access to downtown, rooftop events and a host of premium amenities that will be a major local and tourist destination serving Corpus Christi for years to come,” city officials wrote in a memo. .
A new restaurant?
In addition to the Hilton Inn Express proposal, another project could significantly change the appearance of these city blocks if it moves forward.
A second presentation to the City Council would involve transforming a building that has been vacant for about two decades into a restaurant and bar nicknamed “Thirsty,” transforming what has been described as a dilapidated building into a venue that also offers event space, records show.
Located at 1002 N. Chaparral St., city documents described the restaurant potentially offering “‘photo-friendly’ alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages displayed in spectacular fashion.”
The cost of the project is estimated at $2.5 million, according to a presentation.
The requested reimbursement agreement amounts to approximately $719,000.
What is happening now?
The deals for both projects, if approved, would be funded by additional tax revenue.
Collected in a specific area of the city center, the money can only be used there.
The city council that oversees the allocation of downtown tax revenue and preliminary approvals of deals meets Tuesday.
If the board approves the requests, the proposal would require final approval from the City Council.
More: Check out the luxury hotel and cocktail bar proposed for downtown Corpus Christi
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Hotel project and new restaurant proposed for downtown Corpus Christi
