Galveston 2035: Foundations, Futures, and Fight for Resilience: A Candid Interview with Mayor Craig Brown
Mayor Craig Brown Interview: Part 1 of 6
Mayor Craig Brown reflects on Galveston’s evolution, highlighting the city’s growth, challenges, and the bold vision needed for its future.
In this candid conversation, he shares insights on leadership, legacy, and what’s next for the island he’s helped shape. From tourism to infrastructure to rising seas, no topic is off limits in this wide-ranging interview. If you care about where Galveston is headed, this is a must-read.
At the 1839, we believe you should have choices in how you consume your news and entertainment, so we offer you four options on learning more about this topic. Pick the one that appeals to you the most, and then be sure and follow us on social media to let us know what you think in our online forums.
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Not in the mood to read the whole thing? That’s okay.
This short video isn’t a retelling of the article—it’s a visual reflection. A few quiet, coastal moments that capture why sea turtles—and this island—mean so much to me.
It’s not about facts or stats. It’s about feeling. About seeing Galveston the way I see it: a place where nature still speaks, if we’re willing to slow down and listen.
— David Landriault
Podcast: Voices from the Past
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Here’s an audio version of the story, read in my own words. Whether you’re on a walk, driving, or just taking a moment, I hope you enjoy it!
TL;DR Section
Galveston’s come a long way—and Mayor Craig Brown has had a front-row seat to the journey. From hurricanes and infrastructure to tourism and growth, he’s been in the thick of the challenges and the progress.
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Mayor Craig Brown envisions a Galveston that’s more diverse, resilient, and economically strategic, with targeted growth in tourism, healthcare, and education.
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Flooding is the island’s biggest long-term challenge—and the city is investing heavily in stormwater infrastructure, including $70M+ pump stations, to manage it.
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Honest outlook: Galveston will never be flood-proof, but it can become faster at bouncing back—keeping water in the streets and out of homes.
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Street design as flood control: Pooling water isn’t failure—it’s the system working as intended.
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Read Part 1 for more on Mayor Brown’s bold vision and the foundational work already underway.
— David Landriault
Galveston 2035: Foundations, Futures, and Fight for Resilience: A Candid Interview with Mayor Craig Brown
Interview of Craig Brown by David Landriault - Part 1 of 6
An honest conversation with Craig Brown about where Galveston is headed in the next ten years and what we should do to make it better. ~ David Landriault
When I sat down with Mayor Craig Brown, I didn’t bring a rigid agenda—just one big question: Where do you see Galveston in 10 years?
What followed was a candid and insightful conversation, a blend of optimism and realism rooted in decades of leadership and real-world experience.
“We’re a diversified island,” Mayor Brown told me, leaning into the word with purpose. “And what I mean by that is not only economically, but culturally as well. We’re a really diverse city, and I see that as a guiding principle that will shape every aspect of our community as we grow and expand on the island.”
That growth, he explained, reaches across Galveston’s most vital sectors—higher education, tourism, port commerce, and healthcare. Institutions like Galveston College, Texas A&M Galveston, and UTMB, he said, are “only going to grow in significance.” He sees tourism, already a mainstay of the economy, flourishing further over the next decade—but with a focus on attracting high-value visitors.
“All of the areas that have made Galveston so attractive for people to live here and visit, I see all of those improving.”
Yet even as he painted a bright future, Mayor Brown didn’t shy away from the challenges that could temper the island’s momentum.
“One of the most critical areas Galveston will have to contend with is the reality of natural events—hurricanes, sea level rise, flooding,” he said. “Those are the things that we are putting a lot of attention into, but it is going to move at a slower pace than other improvements. It could keep us from moving forward as fast as we’d like, but we are putting a lot of work into improving it.”
Protecting Galveston’s future, he emphasized, means investing heavily in stormwater infrastructure. “We’re putting a lot of attention into pump stations,” he said, referencing the city’s comprehensive stormwater master plan. “Construction is beginning on the first pump station, our second pump station is in the middle of design and engineering, and we’ve purchased land for the third pump station.”
Funding remains a serious hurdle. “These pump stations are extremely expensive. They are up to around 70 million dollars each, so we are going to have to work closely with our state and federal partners to maintain a system that efficiently manages water flow on this island.”
In typical fashion, Mayor Brown underplays the leadership role he and the city have taken in addressing a problem many once considered untouchable. Flooding was long regarded as a third-rail subject—a politically dangerous issue, best left alone. But that has never been Craig Brown’s way.
“It’s not the sexiest topic, but it is going to be one of our big challenges on the island, and we have to be prepared to tackle it—and we are.”
One thing about Craig Brown: he is a pragmatist. Whether you agree with all his views or not, he is fearless in his pursuit of what he believes is good for Galveston.
Consistent with his level-headed, roll-up-your-sleeves approach, he offered a tempered outlook on how quickly residents might see results.
“It depends on where you live,” he said. “If you’re behind the Seawall, you’ll probably start to see improvements faster than areas on the West End.”
Then, with characteristic candor, he added a note of blunt honesty: “We’re never going to fully prevent flooding on this island. It’s not going to happen. We’re a city built on a sandbar off the coast of Texas. Erosion and sea level rise are going to continue.”
But there was no sign of resignation in his voice—only determination.
“The goal of our drainage improvements is to manage flooding, so it doesn’t disrupt the quality of life for residents or the operation of business for long periods,” he explained. “Our forefathers designed our streets as temporary retention ponds. That’s still our approach. The water may rise, but it should drain quickly. That’s success.”
That perspective stuck with me. Too often, residents see water pooling in the streets and assume the system has failed. As Mayor Brown made clear, that pooling—managed, temporary, and draining away—is actually a sign that the system is working exactly as intended.
“The point,” he said, “is to keep the water in the streets and out of the homes—and to get things back to normal as fast as possible.”
As we wrapped up the first part of our conversation, the mayor smiled thoughtfully and said, “I’m sure more thoughts will come as we keep talking.”
I have no doubt they will.
This marks the end of Part 1 in our six-part series on the future of Galveston, featuring the insight and leadership of Mayor Craig Brown. We’ve laid the foundation — but now, it’s time to build the future.
In the next five installments, we’ll dive deeper into the forces shaping the Galveston of 2035: the massive infrastructure investments already underway, the bold economic strategies being crafted behind the scenes, the critical challenges no one can ignore, the evolving future of tourism, and the overarching goal to maintain and improve the quality of life for residents of Galveston.
Each chapter will reveal the untold stories, pivotal decisions, and visionary leadership driving Galveston’s transformation.
The future isn’t waiting — and neither are we.
At The 1839, we believe Galveston’s story is ours to shape, to share, and to fight for. Stay with us as we uncover the real journey to 2035 — one bold step at a time.
David Landriault
Co-Founder of The 1839
David Landriault
Co-Founder of The 1839
David Landriault serves as the Founder of 1839 and Co-Founder of Falcontail Marketing & Design. Under his leadership, Falcontail has grown into a boutique firm known for collaborating with a diverse range of distinguished clients. The firm’s portfolio includes notable names such as Stanford University, the Galveston Economic Partnership, Sunflower Bakery & Cafe, and other esteemed organizations.
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