A panoramic view of the new Regional Transit Authority building at 602 N. Staples, which now forms a governmental corridor with city hall and the Nueces County Courthouse in Uptown Corpus Christi. Photo by Jon Brandt Photography
Economic development in a formerly blighted area just got a jumpstart with the opening of the Corpus Christi Regional Transit Authority’s new $34 million building. Complete with terminal space for the RTA and Greyhound buses, the building provides a comfortable waiting room for up to 80 people that, for the first time, includes free public restrooms. Another first: a break room for drivers who before had no place to relax, eat lunch or use the restroom.
Also new in the upscale waiting area is an interactive touch-screen information board that provides updates on the weather and routes. Funded by a grant from a veterans organization, the giant computer screen lists all veterans services in the area along with bus route information for how to get there.
"It is an exciting time to serve the public on the CCRTA board of directors with this major investment becoming a reality,” board chairman Curtis Rock said. “CCRTA has created a hub for government, commerce and transportation that should positively impact the entire Coastal Bend community."
Along with all the new conveniences and fancy features comes the population that often hangs around public transportation hubs. A look at the old Greyhound bus station on Starr Street is a good example of what can happen. According to spokesperson Kelly Coughlin, the RTA has a plan to prevent that.
“We have 24-hour security on the building and premises,” Coughlin said. “Law enforcement will be available as long as we’re open — from around 6 or 7 in morning to about 11 at night. We are going to do everything we can to keep the building and area safe.”
Bringing in businesses to lease available space will help as well. The tenants thus far are the Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Valley Transit South Texas Substance Abuse Recovery Services and the Nueces County Social and Veterans Services.
“We don’t have any commercial leases yet, but we have people looking,” Coughlin said. “We’ve had a lot of interest.”
Having the RTA in the area completes a governmental corridor that includes city hall and the Nueces County Courthouse. Also in the area is the Corpus Christi Independent School District offices.
“The undeniable impact of the RTA Staples Street Center is the economic enhancement to an area once blighted and disregarded in Uptown Corpus Christi,” Coghlin said.
The CCRTA covers 841 square miles of service and approximately 6 million passenger trips annually with 44 fixed routes and para-transit services. For more information, visit ccrta.org.
