After a yearslong discussion and roadblocks, the Nueces County Commissioners Court awarded an asbestos abatement and demolition of the 1914 Nueces County Courthouse contract to Camacho Demolition LLC.
The contract is valued at $1,308,411, and the contractor will have approximately 130 days to complete the demolition following the insurance paperwork filing, according to Commissioner Mike Pusley.
The Corpus Christi Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone No. 3 approved $2 million to go toward the demolition in May. Nueces County must complete the demolition by Dec. 31, 2028, or will have to repay funds.
The old courthouse has sat vacant off North Mesquite Street and Interstate Highway 37 since the opening of the current Nueces County Courthouse in 1977.
For many years, Nueces County leaders struggled to find a solution for preserving the historic courthouse. But the costs became increasingly expensive, and building restoration plans never came to fruition.
Restoring the building could have cost more than $100 million, Pusley said at the State of the County address on Oct. 1.
In 2025, the Texas Historical Commission voted to remove the easement and historical designation that previously prevented demolition plans from moving forward.
Nueces County Judge Connie Scott and Pusley worked closely with the historical commission to lift the designation after commissioners collectively agreed that restoration efforts were financially unfeasible.
Scott said there is a list and photos of artifacts which the county hopes to preserve and have been turned into the state as part of the antiquities permit and the demolition contract.
However, artifact preservation it is not guaranteed due to the age of the building, she said.
Commissioner Brent Chesney said it was a "bittersweet" moment, but it is time for the demolition to follow through.
“This is a great financial situation, and again I know there is mixed emotions because of the loss of the courthouse, but at the same time, the time has come," Chesney said.
Felicity Guajardo covers breaking news and public safety. Contact her at felicity.guajardo@caller.com.
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Nueces County approves 1914 courthouse demolition contract
