Local industry officials tout 2011 as positive year

CORPUS CHRISTI — This year is expected to be positive for the area, local industry officials said Thursday. More jobs are likely to be added, the Army depot will expand and the area will continue to benefit from oil and gas production. “2011 won’t be great, but it will be positive,” said Matt Cravey, a broker with NAI Cravey Real Estate Services.

“The retail sector, although picking up slowly, is picking up,” Cravey said. “We don’t have vacant buildings along South Padre Island Drive the way other cities do along their major highways. But engineering firms are moving in, and that’s promising.”