Those Places Thursday: Lichtenstein's Site Revisited

About four years ago, I wrote about the Lichtenstein's department store in Corpus Christi, Texas, that I'm "related" to (by marriage; my grandmother's first cousin married a Lichtenstein who later became the city's mayor).  At that time, the store, which had been vacant for over 20 years, was slated for demolition, which did in fact happen in October and November of 2013.

Shortly afterward, in early 2014, construction started on its replacement.  The Cosmopolitan of Corpus Christi will have 165 one- and two-bedroom living units, and 3,795 square feet of retail space.  Money problems slowed the work, but it is now expected to be completed later this year.

What I really like is how the design of this new building reflects the former Lichtenstein's.  Here is a picture I took just this past Monday while in Corpus Christi:

And here is the same corner, taken during our visit in May 2006, before the old store was demolished:

And finally, here is how Lichtenstein's looked shortly after it opened at this location in December 1941:

There is a photo of Chaparral Street at night, taken in 1966, that shows the Lichtenstein's sign above the building lit up, on the Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi web site.


© Amanda Pape - 2016 - click here to e-mail me.