b'B arBaraC analesThe most serious issue that has cast a shadow over the Nueces County Coastal Parks Department has to do with Bob Hall Pier on North Padre Island, that was built in 1950 and has been restored and reconstructed on numerous occasions over its 70-year history. The most recent renovation was completed in 2011, a covered observa-tion pavilion of over 2,500 square feet, funded by a $750,000 U.S. Fish and Wildlife grant designated for the construction of a facility that provided greater public ac-cess to sport fishing activities on the pier. After the improvements were completed to the satisfaction of federal requirements, the County entered into a concession contract with the owners of Mikel Mays Bar & Grill, who added a bar, full kitchen and other restaurant facilities as well as, of course, the customary requirement that those lounging in the pavilionyou knowbuy something. The result was that the additional renovations, over and above those funded by the federal government, were declared unauthorized use, and Fish and Wildlife wanted their money back.Since Judge Canales publicly addressed the issue in March, the future of Mikel Mays has been in question, as first glance revealed two options: pay the $750,000 plus interest back to the feds in a lump sum, or close Mikel Mays and pay to revert the pavilion back to its intended purposeboth were nasty and expensive options, but the time had come to pay the piper for yet another mismanagement debacleor could a less painful and more productive solution be found?In the months since the Bob Hall Pier issue came to light, Judge Canales has managed to negotiate an invitation from U.S. Fish and Wildlife for the County to sub-mit a proposal to build a new, replacement observation pavilion at Horace Caldwell Pier in Port Aransas, a facility that would satisfy the requirements of the original federal grant, thus erasing the $750,000 debt. Oh, and she used her pull as a former Port of Corpus Christi commissioner to secure $250,000 to help pay for it.Top to Bottom (1): Destruction inH arvey T. Page was the Washington, D.C., architect hired by Nueces County to design its new courthouse, after a facility more than three-timesthesizeofthefirstcourthousewasapprovedin the late 1900sthe look would exude authority and power, ac-cented with Greek and Roman design elements including statue work throughout the property. In 1914, the new Nueces County Port Aransas following Hurricane Harvey,Courthouse opened, serving as the center of law and order for the August 2017. (2): The 1914 Nueces CountyCoastal Bend and standing as a symbol of growth and accomplish-Courthouse that has been closed andment for the proud citizens of Corpus Christi, in particular, who were enjoying the abandoned since 1977. (3): Memoriallimelight of attention from across the country during a period of economic boom.Hospital shortly before it was closed,On September 14, 1919, happy days of peace and post-war prosperity in Corpus potential site of a regional mental healthChristi came to a crashing halt when a massive hurricanea Category 4 on the mod-and addiction treatment facility. (4): Theern Saffir-Simpson Scalemade landfall roughly 25 miles south of the city, around new Harbor Bridge under construction onBaffin Bay, with the most powerful northeastern quadrant of the storm striking North Beach, set to open in two years. North Beach and the citys bayfront. The majestic and new 1914 Courthouse, one of the largest and strongest buildings in the county, functioned as a storm shelter for hundreds of residents and as a morgue for hundreds of others who died in the storm. After serving the citizens of Nueces County for 60 years, in 1974 the commissioners court voted to build a new courthouse, and in 1977 the old building was abandoned for the new. The subsequent four decades can only be labeled an era of shame with regard to the 1914 Courthouse as it has been allowed to deteriorate in the full, el-evated view of millions of visitors to the Corpus Christi Bayfront.BC: The 1919 Hurricane wiped out most of the historical buildings, so the old courthouse holds special meaning to many people here. You know, it cant be torn down until 2027 because the County accepted a $2 million grant from the Texas Historical Commission years ago, so thats who I went to first. They said, we want to save this building. By the way, we want this $2 million back. So, I asked them to help me save it by helping me find money thats out there, and to come up with a plan to restore the building into a full-scale hotel/resort. It cost zero dollars to get to this point, but the next step is a structural analysisI will bow to what science tells me.38 THE COASTAL BEND MAGAZINEFall 2019 TheCoastalBend.com'