After 63 years in the 1914 Courthouse, Nueces County abandoned the building in 1977 and moved into a new courthouse on Lipan. County leaders intended to demolish the old courthouse unless it could be sold or leased. But, here we are in 2024. That’s 47 years after the old building was abandoned. In 2024, Nueces County still owns the old courthouse and is still threatening to demolish it unless it is sold. The once majestic and highly acclaimed building is now an ugly eyesore, literally crumbling before our eyes. The story of efforts to save the historic landmark over the last five decades is fascinating.
Initial efforts to sell the building were unsuccessful. For a brief time, the federal government showed some interest in buying the building and converting it into a new Federal Courthouse. However, their plans were abandoned after it was determined that renovation costs could exceed $7 million.
The civic group known as “Friends of the Courthouse”, composed primarily of members of the Nueces County Historical Commission, hired an architect who determined that a renovation could be done for roughly $775,000. When the County lowered its minimum asking price for the building from $500,000 to $200,000 in 1978, a local group of investors under the name of “Cornerstone Properties” bought the old courthouse and put up $50,000 as a down payment. The group planned to lease out portions of the 86,000-square-foot building to commercial and governmental tenants, and fully restore the exterior. Everyone, including the “Friends” and the county, was happy with the sale.
In July, 1978, the Friends of the Courthouse succeeded in getting the state of Texas to recognize the old courthouse as a “Recorded Texas Historic Landmark”. The designation made the courthouse eligible for tax breaks and state aid in restoration grants. It also prevented any alteration of the building’s exterior. Saving the 64-year-old building now seemed to be a certainty. Unfortunately, nothing about this building was ever a certainty. Just one year after Cornerstone Properties bought the old courthouse, the group decided to sell it. The buyer was local real estate developer Charles Bennett. The price paid was said to be $250,000. Bennett announced a $6 million project to completely restore the old courthouse to its original state. Bennett’s plan intended to convert the building into office space and establish a specialty restaurant for tenants and the public on the building's top floor. One month before renovations were to begin, the courthouse suffered severe damage during Hurricane Allen in 1980.
In addition, vandals and vagrants took up residence in the building and inflicted severe damage to the interior. Renovations were still on hold in 1981 when Bennett announced a new, $60 million project for the old courthouse. He now had plans to build a 400-room hotel adjacent to the courthouse and turn the courthouse into a retail and entertainment center, complete with shops, boutiques, restaurants, and clubs. However, another year went by with no signs of construction or renovations.
The City was now threatening to condemn the building. In January 1984, the City Council gave Bennett six months to begin the project or the courthouse would be condemned and demolished. By mid-1984, Bennett claimed that architectural work and financing for the project were nearing completion and that construction would begin by the end of the year. Another year passed, and the City once again threatened condemnation and demolition. Finally, in June 1987, the City gave the developer an ultimatum. Begin renovation or demolition within 120 days or face the City in court. Bennett not only missed the deadline, he moved to Dallas. Again, the City took no action against him. By the end of 1988, it was clear that Mr. Bennett was no longer interested in the courthouse project after he was unable to secure financing, and the City was not eager to force the demolition of the historic building.
Early in 1989, Bennett indicated that was willing to sell the courthouse building. He was $126,000 behind on taxes to the city and county and was being fined $200 a day for building code violations. Mayor Betty Turner called for condemnation and demolition of the building, but City Council members disagreed. They pointed out that the city would face an injunction to prevent demolition because of the historic status of the 75-year-old courthouse. In August 1990, Judge Margarito Garza granted a judgment against Bennett for delinquent taxes….now totaling $179,000…allowing the city and county to file a tax lien on the building.
Well-known local philanthropist, Dusty Durrill, entered the picture in 1992. He formed a non-profit corporation called the “Justice Building, Inc.” and sought the deed to the old courthouse from Bennett. Bennett was more than happy to give the building away to avoid the taxes due, which had risen to $294,000. Durrill proposed that the building could be used to house the Chamber of Commerce, a Law Enforcement Museum, tourist shops, and offices for multiple charities. Durrill claimed that his non-profit had obtained the deed to the courthouse in September 1992. He immediately began erecting a fence around the building. The City then surrounded the building with flood lights to deter vagrants. For the first time in years, Durrill’s involvement gave real hope to the City Council and all involved that the courthouse would be saved and restored.
In 1994, Durrill offered to donate the courthouse building to Texas A&M-CC for use as a downtown campus. Durrill would be responsible for raising the estimated $10-12 million cost of renovating the exterior of the building if A&M would pay the $300,000 overdue tax bill and handle interior renovations. In the end, the University Regents rejected the proposal. And while there remained no firm proposals for preserving the building, any talk of razing the structure was pointless as well. The building was protected as a recognized historical landmark by a state covenant that guaranteed its protection until the year 2018.
In 1997, the City paid $51,000 for an architectural study to determine if the old courthouse was still structurally sound. It was hoped that the study would determine if renovation was still possible. If it was not, the controversy over renovation or demolition would be over. Even owner Dusty Durrill said that he would step aside if the study found that the old building was not saveable. The study determined that the building was sound…but that it would take $12-20 million to renovate. So, the controversy continued.
Robert Parks is a special contributor to KRIS 6 News. Parks was a history teacher at Carroll High School for 19 years and is now retired. His knowledge of Corpus Christi history makes him a unique expert in the subject.