City of Corpus Christi

CORPUS CHRISTI (News Release) – The Corpus Christi City Council begin the Request for Interest (RFI) process to develop the Former Lamar Elementary School site and 55 additional vacant lots in the surrounding neighborhood.

The Ed Rachal Foundation gifted these properties to the City in May 2023. Totaling nearly eight acres, this donation of land created a unique opportunity for the City to implement the recently adopted Westside Area Development Plan by attracting new development investments, addressing residents’ request for a variety of housing options, stabilizing this established neighborhood, and delivering public safety improvements for area residents,

The RFI was released and publicized the first week of August 2023 and remained open through September 11, 2023. One multifamily and four single-family developers submitted development proposals. The City is working with the nonprofit multifamily developer TG 110 on an affordable senior housing project on the former elementary school site. Concurrently, agreements are underway with the other four developers to construct housing on the remaining vacant lots and will be presented to the City Council for approval.

In addition, a design workshop for neighborhood residents is planned for early January 2024. Details of this community event will be publicized once finalized.

The Lamar RFI process demonstrates the City’s commitment to strategically expediting infill housing construction that creates synergistic investments, benefits current neighborhood residents, addresses local housing affordability needs, and stabilizes established neighborhoods.