CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — With the recent departure of longtime Downtown Management District Executive Director, Alyssa Barrera Mason, new leadership is stepping in, but the mission remains the same; revitalize and reimagine the heart of Corpus Christi.
Arlene Medrano, the DMD’s Interim Executive Director, said she plans to carry the momentum forward, building on years of development aimed at transforming Downtown into a vibrant hub for residents, businesses, and visitors.
“I hear stories from my grandmother who is 95 now. She and her family would come to downtown, this is where they would shop,” Medrano said. “To see that again, to see that thriving commerce in downtown, to me, would be the perfect vision of success.”
Under Medrano’s leadership, the district plans to continue working with local businesses and stakeholders to support new restaurants, infrastructure upgrades, improved public safety, and even the addition of a downtown grocery store.
The district’s efforts are already showing results. The monthly First Friday Art Walk festival continues to be a major draw, generating $16.2 million in economic impact, with more than $7 million flowing directly into the Downtown area.
Still, Medrano said there’s work to be done. A key priority for her and the Board of Directors is closing the gap toward full occupancy in downtown commercial spaces.
“If we could walk down our streets in Downtown, Chaparral, Mesquite, Water, and see zero vacancy, to see every storefront activated, every vacant building occupied,” Medrano said. "That would be the dream.”
In 2024, the DMD launched 16 development projects and plans to expand those efforts into the upcoming fiscal year.
“We’ll continue to advocate for projects from Downtown,” Medrano said.
Before joining the Downtown Management District, Medrano had a longstanding career in municipal government, serving multiple positions with the City of Corpus Christi in Administration, the Fire Department, and Finance before becoming Assistant City Manager for the City of Alice, Texas in 2022.
Medrano will serve as Interim Executive Director through the fall. Then the Board of Directors will name a permanent Executive Director.
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
