Bid to buy, demolish 1914 South Texas courthouse refused
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — Leaders of a South Texas county have rejected a proposal to buy and demolish a historic courthouse built in 1914 but abandoned years ago and now in disrepair.
Nueces County Commissioners on Wednesday refused an offer from the Ed Rachal Foundation to pay $1.5 million in back taxes and other costs to demolish the structure.
The old Nueces County Courthouse in Corpus Christi has historic landmark status from the Texas Historical Commission. That means the building can't be torn down before 2027 and would require legislative or commission action to allow demolition.
Texas Historical Commission officials on Wednesday agreed to work with Nueces County to see if state historic preservation tax credits and other incentives could pay to rehabilitate the ex-courthouse.
County commissioners are open to finding another potential buyer.