Will North Beach be improved? (Spring: spring break, rent, condos)

[WestGuest]

I've always sort of liked the North Beach area but i know others don't . I understand its most vulnerable to hurricanes and has been wiped out before. On the other hand its somewhat quiet and not far from downtown etc. Not many people want to live there - no nearby supermarkets - I get it.


Some of the condos there had a seedy reputation but they are certainly much more expensive than a few years ago.

The proposed iimprovements look good but there have been promises in the past.


What do y'all think about it?

[T Block]

It's a mud flat with a beach. But there is a beach so why not put something on it ? And then a concrete canal area was planned.

I suggested an elevated street, 60' wide or more and 1/4 mile or longer, made out of 70/30 Monel. Then two-story buildings could develop so that the backside of the building fits the elevated street while the front-side faces the beach at ground level. And then the ground level of the buildings could be designed to recover from flooding.

[jackalope48]

It's been wiped out three times in a hundred years. So odds are whatever you build gets destroyed either right as or right after you've paid off the mortgage. What you have to build for it to survive you could have something twice as big or twice as nice in any other part of the city. The hotels aren't as profitable as other parts of the city because they have a great Summer and Spring break but are nearly empty the other parts of the year. Condos have benefitted from homeaway/vrbo conversions in terms of value but again they don't rent much in the Winter.

[A Former Member]

If they can make it with some proper drainage, it can prosper. So far, there's been a lot of talk and just that.

[case44]

Other than the plans I've seen, I think the smart thing is for the city to wait for the completion of the new Harbor Bridge. Once that's done, along with any demolition to be done with the current structure, that would give developers a better idea of what they can really do with the area. Keep in mind that the Texas State Aquarium is looking at expanding their facility, so that could kick-start some additional things. If city planners do it the right way at the end of the day, then this can be a successful boon for the city.