CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Once a cornerstone of the community, this building now stands as a haunting reminder of what it used to be—its floors marred by fire, its halls emptied of the students and memories it once housed. What was once a thriving space for education and connection has now fallen prey to a long, painful decline.
A series of shocking images obtained exclusively by KRIS 6 reveal the extent of the damage: blackened floors from a fire, shattered windows that let the elements inside, and stripped copper wiring.
At the heart of this tragedy is a school that, for years, served as a hub for education and community engagement. But over time, things changed.
"They’ve taken just about all the copper from the school. It’s sad to say, but they find a way in… People have even been living inside the building," Dr. Roland Hernandez, CCISD Superintendent said at the December meeting where the board voted 5 - 2 to demolish the building.
The scars of the fire remain visible inside, with one classroom still bearing the singe marks of destruction. In another room, the remnants of the books used to fuel the flames. What was once a place of learning has become a stark symbol of neglect and vandalism. Memorials for former students, remain untouched, while former science labs have been completely ransacked.
The damage has become a burden too great for the school district to bear.
"With the increase in vandalism, it became a lot to handle. That weighed heavily on the board’s decision to demolish the building," Trent Wagner, CCISD's Executive Director of Construction Project Management said
The demolition of this long-abandoned structure, set to be completed by the end of the year, will come at a staggering cost to the district: $2.2 million—a significant expenditure for a building that no longer serves its original purpose. But for many in the community, the memories made within those walls are priceless.
Mary Carroll High School opened in 1957, and was named after the district's first female superintendent, Mary Carroll. The original campus was built in the open corridor style that was popular in the 1950's. It was located outside of the city limits and surrounded by fields that didn't drain well.
On Jan. 17, the building will be used as a training ground for first responders, where they'll practice building entry and emergency response inside. CCISD Chief of Police, Kirby Warnke told KRIS 6 News, they'll take special care of any artifacts still present at the site.
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