Marking the next step toward modernizing the Navy’s physical presence in San Diego and creating a regional transportation hub that improves transit connections to the airport, Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer joined Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer and regional transportation planners on Sept. 19 to sign an exclusive agreement for the revitalization of Naval Base Point Loma, Old Town Complex.

The formal agreement signals a serious commitment from the highest levels of Navy leadership to work closely with the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) and the City of San Diego. It also outlines for the first time critical milestones in 2019 and 2020 for the Navy and SANDAG to potentially redevelop the property, including:

- Identifying funding for site planning;

- Drafting legislation, if necessary, for the fiscal year 2021 federal legislative process;

- Moving forward with an initial site plan that includes high-level schematics for potential development that will show the location of buildings and other facilities;

- Crafting a facility plan that outlines high-level plans for each building on the site;

- Initiating environmental planning and developing processes required to connect the property to infrastructure and the surrounding community;

- Issuing a Request for Expressions of Interest to ask developers for their interest in responding to a development solicitation;

- Determining whether to seek one developer for the entire site or leave open the possibility for multiple developers to be selected;

- Seeking any necessary congressional authorization.

“It’s extremely significant to have the secretary of the Navy here in San Diego to sign this agreement, and shows our region has the backing we need from Washington, D.C. to do something special with this iconic property,” Faulconer said.

“This exclusive agreement takes our partnership with the Navy to the next level and signals a new phase for what could be one of the most transformative projects in San Diego history. This project can strengthen the Navy’s presence in San Diego, create thousands of jobs and incorporate a transit hub to make it easier for people across the region to get to and from the airport,” Faulconer said.

The agreement supersedes the memorandum of understanding signed by local Navy leadership and SANDAG in July, and sets a preliminary path forward to continue this important collaboration. The memorandum of understanding set the stage for this new agreement by serving as a framework for discussions between the Navy and SANDAG to evaluate potential options for the naval property. The parties will follow all requirements for public comment.

“San Diego is a city of innovation and exploration that matches the work ethic of every sailor and Marine at sea,” said Spencer. “With this agreement, we are taking our long partnership a step further, moving forward on a plan that will better protect our nation and invest in the community.”

Naval Base Point Loma Old Town Complex consists of approximately 70 acres of prime real estate, just off the Interstate 5 freeway and near San Diego International Airport. Redeveloping the property creates a golden opportunity for a public-private partnership that could deliver 21st century facilities for the Navy and help tackle San Diego’s long-standing transportation challenges.

"This agreement between SANDAG and the Navy is a step in the right direction for the San Diego region, the state of California, and the United States of America," said SANDAG chair and Poway Mayor Steve Vaus. "It sets the groundwork with a defined process, milestones, and deliverables that will go a long way toward ensuring that the 5,000 men and women who work on this 70-acre campus stay in San Diego with a new state-of-the-art facility that they deserve."

The most recognizable tenant on the site, NAVWAR, is part of the Navy’s cyberwarfare arm and develops cybersecurity and information warfare capabilities and services for Navy warfighting. It dates back to World War II and the warehouses were previously used to manufacture aircraft. It currently provides more than 5,000 jobs to San Diego’s cybersecurity industry.