NAVWAR Pursues Major Transformation of Its Campus Facility
NAVWAR is a major tenant at Naval Base Point Loma Old Town Campus (NBPL OTC). It is comprised of 70.5 acres (48.7 acres OTC Site 1 and 21.8 acre OTC Site 2). NBPL OTC is approximately 1.5 miles from downtown San Diego and 1/2 mile to San Diego International Airport, and is located in the City of San Diego, Midway-Pacific Community Planning Area. NBPL OTC is near Interstate 8, and adjacent to Interstate 5 and Pacific Highway.
The main buildings consist of World War II-era aircraft manufacturing plants and associated administrative office buildings. OTC Site 1 was used during World War II to manufacture aircraft, and has been partially modernized to provide training facilities, administrative office space and industrial (laboratories, shops and warehouse) space to support the current tenants. The existing space is currently inefficiently utilized and is functionally obsolete given the 1940s era facilities’ design.
In 2018 Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest (NAVFAC SW) issued a Request for Interest (RFI) for revitalization of the NAVWAR facilities. The Navy received several detailed responses in reply to the RFI. The submittals outlined a wide range of exciting opportunities for the NAVWAR facilities. One submittal was from the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), recommending the incorporation of a regional mass transit hub in order to support a critical local need to connect mass transit to the San Diego International Airport. Following are various options for the site:
- Alternative 1 – Navy Recapitalization at OTC
- Alternative 2 – High-Density Mixed Use Revitalization
- Alternative 3 – Low-Density Mixed Use Revitalization
- Alternative 4 – High-Density Mixed Use Revitalization including consideration of a potential Transit Center
- Alternative 5 – Low-Density Mixed Use Revitalization including consideration of a potential Transit Center
In September 2019, the Navy signed an agreement with SANDAG to pursue planning for the revitalization of the OTC, which could include a potential regional transit center as part of development. With this agreement, SANDAG provides a potential development opportunity that would enhance the value of the property and benefit both NAVWAR and the community.
On January 24, 2020 a Notice of Intent (NOI) was published in the Federal Register announcing the Navy’s intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the potential environmental effects associated with revitalization of the OTC to support NAVWAR’s current and future operational readiness.
The public scoping period closed on February 24, 2020. Additional opportunities for public participation will occur after the publication of the Draft EIS in Summer 2020.
The general public is invited to visit the NAVWAR website to be notified of future announcements about the project, including information on when the Draft EIS will be available for review. The website is www.navwar-revitalization.com.
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