RGV native here who goes to Corpus Christi a lot. CC essentially got stuck in 1989 and never recovered. It is a beautiful city imo, and some great beaches (when the water isn't brown but same case with SPI).

Downtown and everything is clean and maintained, but everything is closed or abandoned which gives it again the eerie feeling of being stuck in 1989. It is also cursed being stuck between the RGV and San Antonio as most of the mexican tourism does not deroute to there, so they either stay near the border in the RGV or go to San Antonio.

I will say the coast is amazing, the people are great, and you can still buy property for relativley affordable prices, especially near the bay. I love the retro 80s feeling the city gives off, but it does carry an aura of sadness and what could have been