Corpus Christi City Council approves $800 million Whitecap improvement district

Corpus Christi City Council on Tuesday approved the establishment of an $800 million, 242-acre project on North Padre Island.

The Whitecap Preserve, located at the former site of the Waves Resort Waterpark, will include 50 acres of commercial development, with a residential area, hotel, marina, mixed-use and a nature preserve, a news release stated.

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"This has been a concerted effort by Ashlar Development and the City of Corpus Christi," Mayor Paulette Guajardo said in the release. "The Whitecap Preserve will lead to sustained economic growth, upgraded infrastructure, and steer the development of North Padre Island."

Ashlar Development, the developer behind the project, submitted a public improvement district petition to the city in September 2021 and an amended petition in February. 

Construction is expected to begin this summer and continue in phases. Ashlar Development expects the project to reach full occupancy in seven to 10 years, the release stated.