Corpus Christi has secured nearly $15 million to repair the aging Michael J. Ellis Seawall on North Padre Island, where engineers warn widespread deterioration threatens nearby homes and businesses.
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To protect adjacent homes, businesses, and public amenities from further deterioration, Corpus Christi has acquired roughly $15 million to replace its deteriorating North Padre Island seawall.
According to KRIS-TV, city officials revealed this week that they have received an additional $11 million to augment $4.4 million for Michael J. Ellis Seawall renovations. About $15.4 million is available for the capital improvement project.
As the seawall deteriorates, city officials say the rehabilitation design is 90% complete.
“The age and current state of seawall maintenance do not align with the image that the city wishes to project for its public amenities,” the city's Department of Engineering Services noted online.
District 4 Council Member Kaylynn Paxon told KRIS-TV that the Padre Island Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone requires infrastructural improvements for the seawall.
The city and independent engineering consultants reported “widespread moderate to severe” spalling and “concrete deterioration” around the mile-long structure in April 2025. The report blamed the damage on the corrosive sea environment.
The engineers' recommendations were powerwashing the wall, cleaning loose debris, applying a six-inch concrete topping, and sealing it with epoxy.
“If this wall deteriorates, it puts all these buildings, businesses, and homes at risk,” one tourist told KRIS-TV.
The late 1960s seawall was named for civil engineer Michael J. Ellis, who oversaw rebuilding after Hurricane Allen severely damaged it in 1980. The wall spans one mile along a popular beach and entertainment area.
In addition to concrete repairs, the project includes new shade structures, ADA ramps, and beach step railings.
The city annexed North Padre Island in 1981, but the seawall land is private. That agreement has caused long-term issues, say city authorities.
A 2024 city presentation to property owners noted private ownership makes seawall insurance impossible and leaves owners liable for severe storm damage. The land is also ineligible for FEMA aid.
The presentation suggested city easements may qualify the site for federal aid and “owners would no longer be at risk for seawall damage, maintenance, or claims.”
Cities have not set a building start date, but they may start after final design and bidding.
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